Alternative Report on Last Nights Game

[Eastside Urchin]

Ryman Isthmian League Premier Division

Aveley 2(2)-(1)3 AFC Hornchurch

Millfield, Mill Road, Aveley nr Grays, Essex

Attendance: 301

Admission: £10. Didn't purchase programme

 

Also purchased: Twix 80p, can of Rio £1. From clubhouse 1/2 pint Becks £1.60

 

 

A cracking start to the week, with a real humdinger of a local derby in front of a great crowd and flooding the steps around the main stand with spectators, over half of which seemed to be Hornchurch fans. A pity this match was marred by the sadly all too common sight of young misbehaveleys during the second half, probably high on fizzy pop. At least the gusty wind which had blown itself out by the evening.

 

The last time these two very local rivals met was here on the last week of last season, and the Urchins' 4-1 win here all but condemned Millers to relegation after two years at this level. However a summer reprieve for Aveley following the crisis at Rushden & Diamonds means this local derby is ensured for another season. Hornchurch have come so close for several seasons now to reaching the playoffs, in a bid to return to the Conference South level they enjoyed before the original club turned into broken glass.

 

And it was the Urchins who got off to a flyer. I don't think we'd even had a minute on the watch when a corner was swung in, and Elliott Styles crept in unmarked to put the away side in front, to the delight of the fans behind the goal, seperated by stewards from the Aveley clan in the other side of the covered area behind the goal. And it was Hornchurch - dressed in their purple away kit that makes them look like Hazelnut Quality Street wrappers - who were causing the home side all sorts of problems with set pieces and balls into the box. They also seemed much stronger on the ball, while Aveley offered very little. A great chance for the Urchins to double their lead on 20 minutes, after some good build-up play a forward got sight of goal inside the box but blazed wildly over.

From the halfway point of the half though, Aveley started to shift the pendulum in their favour. On 22 minutes a poor defensive header on the edge of the box allowed a Millers player through, but he couldn't get the dropping ball under control and the Hornchurch back line scrambled it away. Some better play by the home side minutes later ended in a shot just wide, then a header from a corner was just off target. On 35 minutes an Aveley header was straight at the Hornchurch stopper, then a long Millers ball forward was just cut out by defender and keeper on the edge of the box. It wasn't long though until Millers got the goal they deserved. On 42 minutes a free kick on the edge of the box from Ellis Remy - who's had more clubs than hot dinners - went over the wall and past the stranded keeper, prompting the Aveley kids behind the far goal to go mad and dance around in circles. Aveley weren't done there though, as two minutes later they turned the game on its head, when a throw-in was flicked on, and Remy was there again to take advantage of lacklustre Urchins defending to prod the ball home. There was even time for Remy to complete a stunning five minute hat-trick, but keeper Darren Behcet did well to keep his effort out.

 

In a half where they were in control for the first part, Urchins boss Jimmy McFarlane must have wondered how his side had thrown the advantage away. He made two substitutions at half time, and after a bright start, were level again on 48 minutes when Lewis Smith cut inside and shot low into the corner. And on 52 minutes the away side were almost back in front when a header was fantastically tipped over at full stretch by Aveley's Dave McCartney. After a continuation of some feisty challenges from both sides, the keeper came to his side's rescue again on 63 minutes when a player was in space from the left, but McCartney's legs saved the day. A minute later he did enough to put off a Hornchurch player in space who rose to meet a header that went just over from close range.

At the halfway point of the half we had another flashpoint, when an Aveley player went down for some reason in agony, but the home side had no physio, so requested the Hornchurch equivalent. However it seemed there were accusations they were slow to get to the opposition player, which prompted an exchange between both management teams, with McFarlane snapping at his opposite number to "Get their own" (bad language edited out!). Also around this time, the group of young roudy Aveley fans started doing the conga, walking towards the Hornchurch fans behind the other goal. Fortunately a steward came along to stop them from getting more than a few feet from the rival supporters, and eventually got them to go back. Soon afterwards though, during a stoppage in play, the Hornchurch keeper took the opportunity to go upfield and see the physio. While he did so some of the misbehaveleys jumped over the wall onto the pitch with a spare football and took penalty kicks into the empty goal, throwing shirts over their heads in front of their cheering colleagues. When play resumed they still refused to get back over the wall, despite repeated tannoy warnings, and only a steward coming along forced them to reconsider.

Back to the action, where Hornchurch went close again on 74 minutes when a player turned in the box, but his pass across the penalty area was just in front of an onrushing forward. Then another good opportunity put down, when a ball across found an Urchin in space yet again to the left of the box, but he shot badly over when he should have at least hit the target. Suddenly the game changed in the space of a minute, when Aveley, poor during the second half, almost went back in front on 80 minutes, when Behcet flapped at a cross, and the ball fell to a Millers player whose shot from 30 yards rattled the underside of the bar. The ball was played back in, and a header hit the underside of the bar again(!) with the help of the keeper, and defender helped clear it off the line, and Hornchurch survived. From the clearance and subsequent link-up play, Martin Tuohy was able to run into the box, turn his man and shoot across the keeper from close range and put Urchins back in front for the second time. Aveley weren't able to put much together after that, and nearly got caught on the break a few times - a 25 yard dipper from a corner went just over, then on 88 minutes an Aveley player was dispossessed and a Horsham player ran from his own half down the left, but McCartney saved and the defence did the rest. And just before the end from another counter-attack a Hornchurch player ran clear down the left, and his shot went just a fraction wide. In the end though, the Urchins hung on comfortably to take the bragging rights in this local derby.

 

Hornchurch move upto the playoff pack again, while Aveley continue to hover around the relegation zone. Urchins made hard work of this, harder than it should've been, but just about deserved the three points. Aveley contributed to a cracking night's entertainment, even if they looked like second best for long periods of this game, almost battling to a creditable point, but come away with nothing. Even the misbehaveleys couldn't spoil it, although I'm fed up with their continuous antics (at least at Monday night games). They may be passionate about their club, but causing trouble during games will only turn club officials and players against them, especially if the club end up in hot water over it. On a lighter note, I did marvel at the tiny kid regularly shouting in a high pitched voice "Come on you Urchins!"

[bridgefan]

who wrote this report?

[Miss.A.F.C.Hornchurch]

i would like to know that as well.

Couldnt even get our goalies name right!

[cup of tea]

Good question - Who did write this?

Decent report apart from names wrong (Behcet in goal?).

[missunderstood]

I thought it was really good, unlike the usual reports.

[Eastside Urchin]

Someone called Runwell,it was taken off the another forum

[Ian_W]

Looking at photos, were both teams in blue? or was it just poor light.

[Eastside Urchin]

We were in mauve

[Ian_W]

Someone called Runwell,it was taken off the another forum

 

I thought that was a mental hospital?

[bridgefan]

Report was certainly entertaining

 

Glad my daughter got a mention

[Eastside Urchin]

Shame he didn't mention that cnt dagenham keV

[SEVEN TEARS BOY]

Was there real ale in bottles at the clubhouse?

[Eastside Urchin]

Don't know mate

[Baron of Black Fen]

"then on 88 minutes an Aveley player was dispossessed and a Horsham player ran from his own half down the left, but McCartney saved and the defence did the rest. And just before the end from another counter-attack a Hornchurch player ran clear down the left, and his shot went just a fraction wide. In the end though, the Urchins hung on comfortably to take the bragging rights in this local derby."

 

You got your monies worth any way. You had Aveley, Horsham and Hornchurch playing on the same pitch in a local derby !!!