Eastleigh 1 Hornchurch 0

[Dagger03]

Saturday 06-April-2013

EASTLEIGH 1 HORNCHURCH 0

 

EFC – Ross Flitney – Mitchell Nelson – Michael Green – Mark Hughes – Dean Beckwith – Chris Todd - Damian Scannell (Alex Lacey 85) – Glen Southam © - Chris Zebroski – Jai Reason (Craig McAllister 89) – Dale Binns (Adam Watkins 74)

Subs – Andy Forbes – Jack Dovey

 

HFC – Joe Woolley – Billy Coyne (Wayne Gray 84) - Alex Bentley – Joey May (Reiss Noel 80) – Elliot Styles ©- Rickie Hayles – Tambeson Eyong (Michael Spencer 63) – Frankie Curley – Kieron St Aimie – Lewis Smith – Chris Bourne

Subs – Martin Tuohy - James Love

 

Scorer – Watkins 82

Bookings – Nelson 10 (E) – Southam 25 (E) – Watkins 88 (E)

Attendance 504

Officials – D Woolford with P Llister and S Littlefair

Duration 46.26 + 48.37

Weather – 14 degrees, sunny, wind speed 12 mph

 

EASTLEIGH 1 HORNCHURCH 0

 

Hornchurch made their first ever visit to Eastleigh, and most of the away following would have happily accepted one point, only once again to be denied with a goal a few minutes from the end.

 

Heavy traffic on the M25 and M3 meant that it was a longer journey than anticipated, and we were greeted with bright sunshine, though anyone sitting up in the high stand quickly found out that the wind sweeping in still bore distinct signs of the icy spell that had been so prominent in the preceding days.

 

On a pitch that was heavily sanded in parts, mainly along the flanks and corners, rather than in the centre, both teams took some time to settle down, the action being confined to midfield. Mitchell Nelson provided the first incident, though not one he would want to remember, when he kicked the ball away after conceding a throw in, and was promptly booked.

 

Hornchurch made the first attacking move of the match, when Kieron St Aimie chased a long ball and won a corner, which was taken by Joey May, and headed away by Dean Beckwith, who was prominent in the home defence throughout the match.

 

Eastleigh came into the game as an attacking force when Chris Zebroski was sent through, and his shot was well saved by Joe Woolley.

 

Eastleigh then won a corner following a good run by Jai Reason, who was eventually stopped by Elliot Styles. The corner was played back to Damian Scannell and Alex Bentley did well to tackle, to play the ball out for another corner. Reason took the kick and the ball drifted invitingly across goal before going out of play for a goal kick.

 

Hornchurch had a good opportunity when Lewis Smith gained possession and started out on a long solo run, which ended with a shot that was a fraction too high.

 

Eastleigh, with the strong wind in their favour, forced the pace, and when Dale Binns went along the wing, he turned inside, but the cross was turned out for a corner by Billy Coyne, who had raced back to cover.

 

Lewis Smith again set out on a solo run, weaving around several defenders, before turning towards goal, but the finishing shot lacked power and Ross Flitney comfortably gathered.

 

Lewis Smith again had a scoring chance when Rickie Hayles cleared an Eastleigh corner deep up the field. Smith ran on, again weaved his way through, but again placed his shot too high and over the bar.

 

Shortly before half time, Hornchurch won a free kick, and Joey May sent the ball over to the far post, where Elliot Styles played it back into the centre for Lewis Smith, who turned sharply and fired in a hard shot, which Flitney saved on the line, although had the ball gone in it would not have counted as the linesman had signaled that Elliot was offside.

 

With one minute indicated for stoppages, Styles was again in action at the other end, turned the ball out for a corner, which led to a second corner, taken by Damian Scannell, and punched away by Woolley as the half time whistle went.

 

Hornchurch started with second half with a Lewis Smith run which ended with the ball going across the goalmouth without anyone managing to get a touch.

 

Eastleigh had the better of the territorial play but rarely threatened, and apart from one move which led to a corner, the Hornchurch defence was in control.

 

Frankie Curley and Chris Bourne exchanged passes to set up Lewis Smith, whose shot was again directed to high and over the bar.

 

Michael Spencer replaced Tambeson Eyong, and for a time Eastleigh pressed forward. Mitchell Nelson made a good overlap on the right and his shot was deflected out for a corner, and shortly afterwards a corner from Glen Southam was cleared by Styles, who then dealt with a third corner inside five minutes.

 

With less than ten minutes to play, and with Hornchurch seemingly capable of taking at least one point, Eastleigh brought on Adam Watkins, and for Hornchurch Reiss Noel came on for Joey May.

 

Within a minute Eastleigh won another corner, the ball was played in to ADAM WATKINS who turned sharply and fired the ball home for the only goal of the match.

 

Wayne Gray came on in place of Billy Coyne, Elliot Styles moved forward, and Hornchurch threw everyone forward in the final few minutes. Their best opportunity came with what was the last move of the match, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when Gray was fouled and Hornchurch had a free kick fifteen yards out. Smith hovered, but it was St Aimie who took the kick, and, to the obvious relief of the home following, the ball sailed high over the bar.

[Dagger03]

On another match report, there is considerable criticism of the performance of the referee.

 

This criticism is not justified, certainly not as regards to the bookings - the first was for kicking the ball away, the second was for diving, and the third was for a foul - all were correct.

 

The comment that a Hornchurch player got away with kicking the ball away shortly after the first booking is also incorrect, as the ball was kicked upfield almost at the same time as the whistle went.

 

TGhe referee blew for a lot of free kicks, but his decisions were correct, albeit they had the effect of breaking up the flow of the game.

[cup of tea]

Thought the referee did okay as it goes.