KFC 2 Hornchurch 0 - report and stats

[Dagger03]

Saturday 20^th March 2020

 

KINGSTONIAN 2 HORNCHURCH 0

 

 

 

KFC – Rob Tolfrey – Matt Gray – John Fletcher – Adam Thompson © - Max Hustwick – Simon Huckle – Bashiru Alimi – Mo Harkin – Bobby Traynor – Carl Wilson-Denis – Christian Jolly

 

Subs – Francis Duku – Luke Garrard – Matt Ferdinando for Traynor 82 – Rob Sheridan for Wilson-Denis 82 – Dean Lodge

 

 

 

HFC – Darren Behcet – Mitchell Stuart-Evans – Billy Coyne – Ronnie Fletcher – Rickie Hayles - Andy Tomlinson - Elliot Styles © - Tambesong Eyong –Jo Flack - Ross Wall - Michael Spencer

 

Subs –Herve Botshebe – Mervin Abraham for Wall 69 – Ronsard Kehi for Stuart-Evans 56 -

 

Jonathan Spencer for Styles 90 - Soz Yao

 

 

 

Scorers – Huckle 16 – Flether 48

 

Bookings – Styles 45+1 (H) – Alimi 60 (KFC) – Eyong 64 (H) – Tolfrey 68 (KFC) – Alimi 78 (KFC) OFF – Tomlinson 83 (H)

 

Weather – 13 degrees, drizzle, wind speed 5 mph

 

Officials – G Connelly with P Hill and S Borham

 

Attendance 361 (this is the official figure – it looked considerably lower, but they may have added in the number of stewards and home officials)

 

Duration – 47.43 + 48.03

 

Colours – KFC red and white hoops / black / red

 

H – blue and white stripes / blue / blue

 

 

 

KINGSTONIAN 2 HORNCHURCH 0

 

 

 

On a bumpy and heavy pitch, with constant drizzle, both teams struggled to overcome the conditions, although long throws from Michael Spencer and Billy Coyne caused consternation in the home defence, before a well flighted corner by Matt Gray was headed away by Ronnie Fletcher. A good cross from Mitchell Stuart-Evans gave Urchins their first opening, and Elliot Styles touched the ball back to Tambeson Eyong only for Adam Thompson to get in a saving tackle. Spencer was then brought down just outside the area and Andy Tomlinson’s free kick drifted invitingly but untouched across the goal. A Tomlinson corner was headed away by Max Hustwick, but Eyong quickly ran the ball through, and Gray covered well to prevent any further danger.

 

 

 

Until now the home side had not looked dangerous, but they took the lead with their first attack of the match, which earned a corner. Gray took the kick and sent the ball into the goalmouth , and Ronnie Fletcher cleared. But Mo Harkin played it straight back and the Urchins’ defence was caught unprepared and SIMON HUCKLE calmly headed home, to send the handful of Kingstonian supporters wild with delight. Hornchurch came back strongly, and a Jo Flack cross was handled right on the edge of the area by John Fletcher after keeper Rob Tolfrey had dropped Ross Wall’s earlier shot. Tomlinson took the free kick and Elliot Styles rose well to head the ball into to the net – or so we all thought, but Gray popped up to clear off the line. Rickie Hayles moved up to join the attack and took a return pass from Eyong, and his cross was turned out for a corner. Tomlinson took the kick, as usual, and Michael Spencer rose well to head the ball, for Tolfrey to make an excellent save and turn the ball out for another corner. Tomlinson again sent the ball across, and it rebounded out to Michael Spencer, whose first time shot, as defenders closed in, was wide of the goal.

 

 

 

Kingstonian began to press more towards half time and Ronnie Fletcher twice had to concede corners, both of which were taken by Matt Gray, with Hayles eventually clearing. A long raking cross by Mo Harkin found an unmarked Christian Jolly, but his shot was well wide of the post, and in stoppage time a shot from Bashiru Alimi was well saved by Darren Behcet.

 

 

 

With the drizzle still falling, the second half saw Urchins quickly fall further into arrears. Mitchell Stuart-Evans made an excellent tackle to stop Jolly, but a free kick was awarded on the edge of the area. Matt Gray, outstanding in the home side, chipped the ball into the goalmouth and JOHN FLETCHER neatly headed home. Jo Flack was fouled and Tomlinson took the free kick, which was headed out for a corner. Tomlinson played the corner short to Michael Spencer, but his cross was cleared by Adam Thompson.

 

 

 

Stewart-Evans was penalised for another free kick a few minutes later and with the near hysterical home crowd braying for dismissal, Ronsard Kehi came on, with Billy Coyne moving across to right back for a time. Gray took the free kick and Coyne headed away. A Ross Wall shot was then blocked and the ball ran out to Jo Flack, whose follow up shot was turned out for a corner, which Andy took once again, but keeper Tolfrey caught the ball as it came across. Tomlinson then won a further corner and this time his inswinging kick was scrambled off the line, with both Wall just failing to get a touch, and the ball ran loose to Eyong whose thunderous drive was blocked on the line.

 

 

 

Alimi went into the book as the home side grew increasingly desperate in defence, and Eyong was harshly booked for a tackle on Alimi. Gray took the free kick, on the edge of the area, and hit his shot narrowly wide. Ronsard Kehi ran on to a good ball from Eyong and hammered in a shot which skimmed the post, and home keeper Tolfrey was show the yellow card for taking some considerable time to take the kick. Mervin Abraham came on for Ross Wall, who had ran non-stop on a very heavy surface and deservedly earned a loud ovation from the visiting following. Abraham quickly played a good pass out to Kehi who in turn found Flack, but Jo saw his well placed shot saved by Rob Tolfrey. A Kingstonian corner was cleared by Hayles , and when Hornchurch were awarded a free kick just inside the home half, Bashiru Alimi was again booked, this time for failing to retreat the correct distance, and off he went, not bothering to wait for the inevitable red card which followed.

 

 

 

Ronsard Kehi raced through the middle and was chopped down but no penalty was given and when Jo Flack got the same treatment, the result was once again the same – play on. Tomlinson was booked for apparently requesting the referee to ask the home team to get a move on, as time wasting reached epic proportions, and a good move starting from Billy Coyne saw the ball played through to Eyong whose goal bound shot was tipped over by Palfrey. Tomlinson took the corner and once again the ball was scrambled off the line. Jonathan Spencer came on for the final few minutes, but only three minutes were added on and Kingstonian comfortably held out to take the points.