HORNCHURCH 1 BROMLEY 0 - one goal - three points

[Dagger03]

Monday 01-April-2013

HORNCHURCH 1 BROMLEY 0

 

HFC – Joe Woolley – Billy Coyne (Tambeson Eyong 67) - Alex Bentley – Joey May – Elliot Styles ©- Rickie Hayles – Chris Bourne (Wayne Gray 79) – Frankie Curley – Martin Tuohy (Kieron St Aimie 68) – Lewis Smith - Michael Spencer

Subs – James Love – Simon Glover

 

BFC – Joe Welch – Carlos Talbot – Aaron Rhule (Felix Opeah 77) – Danny Waldren © - Helge Orome – Jack Holland – Sanchez Ming – Elliott Buchanan – Louie Theophanos – Mike Jones – Max noble (Sam Spencer 88)

Subs - Kristian Campbell – Thomas O’Connor – George Howard

 

Scorer – St Aimie 90

Bookings – Ming 41 (BFC) – May 45 OFF (H) – Smith 48 (H)

Attendance 316

Officials – J Hopkins with E Amir and P Yates

Duration 47.05 + 50.25

Weather – 6 degrees, sunny, wind speed 21 mph

 

HORNCHURCH 1 BROMLEY 0

 

Billy Coyne came into the starting line up, after four matches unchanged, and Hornchurch reverted to 4-4-2.

 

On a bright sunny day, there was a strong wind blowing down the pitch, which was to Bromley’s advantage in the first half.

 

Hornchurch started very nervously, and many passes went astray as they struggled to throw off the tension and settle into any sort of rhythm.

 

Lewis Smith had the first chance to open the scoring when he ran on to a pass from Michael Spencer, but after weaving his way into a shooting position he slipped over and the ball was comfortably cleared.

 

A long cross from Joey May eluded the defence, but also eluded Martin Tuohy, who was well placed, and the loose ball was quickly played out for a corner. May swung the ball into the goalmouth, where Tuohy put in a header, which went across goal, and Rickie Hayles just failed to get the all-important touch.

 

Chris Bourne made a telling run down the left wing, and his low cross was diverted for a corner. May again swung the ball over, but Tuohy’s header went wide of the post.

 

Until now, Bromley had shown little inclination to come forward, but they worked the ball up field, where Mike Jones was fouled by Frankie Curley, about ten yards outside the area. Danny Waldren took the free kick, swerved the ball around the wall, but also around the post.

 

Bourne began to cause the visitors some concern with his telling runs on the wing and he outpaced the defender to place the ball across for Michael Spencer, but his first time shot went wide.

 

In the best move of the first half, Bromley worked the ball out of their own penalty area. Aaron Rhyule took up the running, before releasing the ball forward for Max Noble, who quickly turned the ball inside to Elliott Buchanan, well placed a few yards outside the area. Buchanan fired in a hard shot, which was a fraction too high and the ball went over the bar.

 

With nerves beginning to show, Hornchurch hopes of taking the three points were badly dented when Joey May was shown a straight red shortly before the interval for a mistimed tackle.

 

Within a minute of the second half starting, Lewis Smith put the ball into the net, after running on to a through pass – but the whistle had blown earlier and Smith was shown a yellow card.

 

Despite being a player short, Hornchurch continued to force the pace, and Kieron St Aimie replaced Martin Tuohy, the formation remaining as before.

 

It was then that Joe Woolley, who had little to do up to now, came into the limelight with two excellent saves inside a minute, first diving to tip a shot around the post, and then flinging himself sideways to save what otherwise looked a certain goal.

 

Play again was largely confined to midfield, and that is how it stayed until Tambeson Eyong replaced Billy Coyne, who had bombarded the Bromley goal with a series of long throws, one of which also found its way into the net via an outstretched leg.

 

With Hornchurch regrouping, Bromley won two corners, from the second of which Woolley once again made a fine save to prevent a goal.

 

Play switched to the other end, where Bourne ran along the left wing and turned the ball inside to Lewis Smith, whose shot was well saved by Joe Welch who until then had not had a direct shot to deal with.

 

It was Woolley who then created a good opportunity, when St Aimie played on his lengthy free kick to Smith, whose hard drive cannoned back off a defender.

 

Bourne again ran down the left, and won a corner, which Smith sent across and Welch rose well to hold.

 

Wayne Gray then replaced Bourne, and Hornchurch now had three up front, with Spencer switching to the left wing, to add a fourth player when necessary.

 

Elliot Styles and Rickie Hayles spent almost as much time helping the attack as they did in defence.

 

With time running out, Hornchurch ignored the disadvantage of being a player down, and, urged on by an increasingly vocal East Side, threw everyone forward.

 

A long throw from Hayles created confusion in the Bromley defence, the ball falling to Eyong, whose shot was well saved by Welch.

 

With just a minute left on the clock, Spencer raced down the left wing and pulled the ball back across goal, where St Aimie’s first time shot, from close range was saved by Welch, and it appeared that Hornchurch’s final chance had gone.

 

And then – with just two seconds of normal time left – KIERON ST AIMIE embarked on a solo run, weaved his way through and crashed the ball home, the goal being greeted with near hysteria both on and off the field.

 

Five minutes of stoppage time were indicated – five very long and nerve wracking minutes, during which Bromley surged forward frantically, without really appearing capable of finding a way through the resolute Hornchurch defence.

 

Three incredibly valuable points were hard earned. It may not have been the best game of the season, but it was certainly the most tension packed for many seasons.

[Dagger03]

Just to put Joey May's red card into prospective - this was his 24th competitive match for Hornchurch, and it was his first card of any sort.

 

And - players' appearances (including today) - there are several who have now made over one hundred appearances

Elliot - 293

Curley - 186

Spencer - 183

Coyne - 137

Smith - 130

Eyong - 125

Hayles - 111

 

Joe Woolley is next on 94 - with five matches and one cup match to go, he could reach the one hundred mark by the end of the season.

[cup of tea]

Have you got a record of how many broken bones that Elliot has played through? Got to be well into double figures

[Dagger03]

>>>Have you got a record of how many broken bones that Elliot has played through? Got to be well into double figures

No - though I think I am correct in saying that he has needed treatment from the physio in every match so far this season

 

And he has had only three yellow cards - remarkably few considering his involvement in defence.

[cup of tea]

What a guy!

[Miss.A.F.C.Hornchurch]

Legend

[paokman]

Costing the club a fortune in bandages tho'

[Miss.A.F.C.Hornchurch]

we need a sponsorship with a first aid company

[paokman]

Crusaider from the Bulletin,a mate of mine. Trouble is he prefers the oval ball.