LEISTON 2 HORNCHURCH 3

[Dagger03]

Saturday 21-September-2013

LEISTON  2  HORNCHURCH  3

 

LFC – Alex Street – Blake Saker (Stuart Boardley 57) – Adam Tann – David Head © - Joe Jefford – Luke Hammond (Danny Cunningham 57( – Craig Parker – Gareth Heath – Joe Francis (Matt Redgrave 87) – Rhys Henry – Leon Ottley-Gooch

Subs – Callum Dugdale – Alex Rossis

 

HFC – Inigo Echepare –Billy Coyne (Derek Duncan at half time) – Alex Bentley – Rickie Hayles – Elliot Styles © - Frankie Curley – Michael Spencer – Joey May - Stefan Payne - Carl Rook  (Ade Yusuff 79) – Chris Bourne (Tambeson Eyong 69)

Subs – George Purcell – Phil Starkey

 

Scorers - Stefan Payne 31 (H) – David Head 77 (LFC) - Stefan Payne 85 (H) – Matt Redgrave 87 (LFC) - Stefan Payne 88 (H)

 

Bookings – Henry 55 (LFC) – Francis 81 (LFC)

Attendance 223

Officials – Paul Burnham with Larry Choate and David Jewell

Duration 46.17 + 47.00

Weather – overcast, 17 degrees.

 

LEISTON  2  HORNCHURCH  3

 

 

Player news – Ade Gumbs has joined Aveley – Fope Coker has joined Tilbury – Simon Glover is on loan at East Thurrock.

 

Hornchurch were in the end good value for their win, after dominating the first half, then struggling for the first thirty minutes of the second period.

 

Kicking down the slope, Hornchurch could have taken the lead in the second minute when Michael Spencer’ hard shot from the left was tipped onto and over the bar by Alex Street. Chris Bourne’s corner and Carl Rook’s header was saved by Street.

 

And Hornchurch again almost took the lead shortly afterwards. Inigo Echepare pumped a long ball down the middle, Rook touched on to Stefan Payne, who rounded the defender, and Street again made an excellent save, to turn the ball out for another corner.

 

Street was again in action when he caught a dangerous centre from Billy Coyne, who had been played clear on the right by Carl Rook.

 

Inigo was a spectator for much of the half, but did well to catch a corner from Gareth Heath, under pressure from two forwards.

 

Payne was giving the home defence a frustrating afternoon, and when he rounded two defenders yet again, his shot beat Street and then curled wide of the post.

 

Hornchurch took the lead when Billy Coyne took a short throw, with most expecting it to be hurled goalwards, and the ball was played into the middle, where, possibly via Chris Bourne, it arrived in front of STEFAN PAYNE, who deposited it firmly into the net.

 

With Hornchurch continuing to attack, a Joey May free kick fell to Payne, who flicked the ball out to Spencer, who moved inside and fired in a shot which went narrowly wide of the far post.

 

Inigo then made a fine save from Joe Francis after good approached work from Gareth Heath.

 

Home keeper Street was considerably overworked, but his kicking was at times poor, and when Payne gained possession from a poorly taken goal kick, Stefan sent Spencer clear on the right. Michael homed in towards goal, and his shot hit the side netting.

 

A free kick by May, following a foul on Curley, was well saved, and Curley was again in action with a neat pass out to Spencer, whose shot again went close but not close enough.

 

Derek Duncan replaced Coyne at half time; Spencer dropped to left back, Bentley moved over the right, and Duncan played in midfield.

 

Leiston had rarely impressed in the first half, with the majority of their plays coming from Gareth Heath, but the second half, with the home side taking full advantage of the slope, saw the home side much more in the match as an attacking force.

 

Inigo was quickly in the action, saving well from Francis after good approach work by Leon Ottley-Gooch, and it was Inigo again who raced out of goal to force Rhys Henry wide, and although Henry was able to get his shot in, it was from a very narrow angle and the ball dropped onto the roof of the net.

 

Stefan Payne almost increased the lead when he dispossessed a defender, and his first time shot came back off the inside of the post.

 

Leiston made two substitutions, and this almost paid off when a minute later Inigo had to dive full length to save a goalbound shot.

 

And it was Inigo again, turning a shot around the post for a corner and then catching the ball as it came across.

 

Tambeson Eyong replaced Chris Bourne, and played deep in midfield for a time.

 

Twice inside a minute a free kick from Duncan was saved by Street, but it was Leiston who were having the better of the territorial play, and they almost equalised when Joe Jefford’s header, in a packed goalmouth, was well saved by a very alert Inigo.

 

The pressure continued and following a second corner inside a minute DAVID HEAD headed home from close range.

 

Ade Yusuff replaced Rook, Francis was booked for a tackle on Eyong, and Hornchurch regained the lead when STEFAN PAYNE converted Duncan’s cross from the left.

 

Leiston introduced MATT REDGRAVE as substitute, and he headed home from close range thirty seconds later, being ideally placed at the near post to receive a cross from the left wing.

 

Thirty seconds later, Joey May made the opening, and STEFAN PAYNE promptly put the ball into the back of the net for the winning goal.

 

Hornchurch had no difficulty in playing out the remaining two minutes of stoppage time.