HORNCHURCH 0 HEREFORD 1

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Saturday 26-October-2013 – FA Cup

 

HORNCHURCH  0  HEREFORD  1

 

HFC – Inigo Echepare – Phil Starkey  – Alex Bentley – Rickie Hayles – Elliot Styles © - Frankie Curley – Leigh Bremner (Chris Bourne 77 )- Joey May – Stefan Payne  – George Purcell (Carl Rook 86) - Michael Spencer

Subs –Billy Coyne - Tambeson Eyong - Sam Lechmere

 

HU – Rhys Evans – Danny Leadbitter – Chris Bush – Rod McDonald (Dominic Collins 38) – Luke Graham © - Rob Purdie – Frankie Artus – Josh O’Keefe – Michael Rankine – Jonathan Brown (Chris Sharp 58) – Eric Odihambo (Dan Walker 77)

Subs – Joel Edwards – Sam Gwynne – Kevin Krans – Dan Lloyd-Weston

 

Scorer – O’Keefe 90+3

Bookings – Purcell 4 (H) – Styles 50 (H) – OFF – Purdie 62 (HU) – Spencer 90+3 (H)

Officials – Ian Cooper with Gary Parsons, Jon Hollier and Rick Bloy

Attendance 713 (160 from Hereford)

Duration 46.00 + 52.00

Weather – rain, 16 degrees, wind speed up to 20 mph

 

 

HORNCHURCH  0  HEREFORD  1

 

Hornchurch were denied a replay with a goal in stoppage time, which many considered to be offside, and which resulted from a move that was started by a player who had just a few minutes earlier escaped a second yellow card.

 

Hornchurch kicked towards the windmill end of the ground in the first half, and quickly came under pressure from the visitors. Inigo Echepare, rated by goalkeeping coach as the best outside of the Conference Premier, made a magnificent save to deny Eric Odihambo, and was again in action punching the resulting corner firmly away.

 

George Purcell was booked early on for a tackle on Danny Leadbitter, whilst Hereford escaped punishment when Stefan Payne appeared to be brought down as he moved towards goal.

 

Payne was again unlucky with a shot which cannoned back off a defender, the loud appeal for handball from the East Side being ignored by the referee, perhaps correctly.

 

Echepare made another fine save, this time from Frankie Artus, and followed this up by saving from Odihambo who had eluded the home defence.

 

Leigh Bremner won a corner, but Joey May’s kick was firmly headed away by Rod McDonald.

 

Odihambo put a shot wide of the goal when well placed, though under pressure from Rickie Hayles, and Elliot Styles fired wide at the other end following a free kick by Joey May.

 

Rob Purdie then rounded Alex Bentley but put his shot into the side netting as Echepare came out quickly to narrow the angle.

 

Rhys Evans in the Hereford goal was almost caught by surprise when a May free kick sailed through the defence, and was again called upon to save a cross from Styles who had moved up for another free kick.

 

Michael Rankine had a good chance to put Hereford in front when he ran strongly towards goal, but Echepare came sharply off his line to make another excellent save.

 

Purcell had an attempt saved shortly before the interval, as the rain began to fall to supplement the already strong wind.

 

The rain was falling steadily as the teams came out for the second half, and Rankine went close for Hereford in the 46^th minute.

 

It was in the 50^th minute last week when Hornchurch were reduced to ten, and the same thing happened again today. Hornchurch had just been denied a free kick, the ball was cleared up the field, and Elliot Styles received a straight red for a mistimed tackle in midfield.

 

Hereford tried to take full advantage of the situation, but Echepare saved well form Jonathan Brown following the resulting free kick.

 

Hornchurch now pressed forward, but missed a chance to take the lead when Bentley played through to Payne, who flicked on to Purcell, whose finishing shot was placed weakly at Evans.

 

Payne then made a solo run which left defenders trailing, and his shot was deflected for a corner.

 

Rob Purdie was shown a yellow card for a foul on Joey May, and from the free kick Michael Spencer placed the ball narrowly wide of the far post.

 

Hereford came back strongly with two corners, after Echepare had turned a shot from Chris Sharp around the post.

 

Chris Bourne opened up the defence on the right but his cross went begging across goal, and then came the moment which may well have won the match for Hereford. Rob Purdie conceded another free kick – in total there were 21 free kicks against Hereford, compared to just seven against Hornchurch – and, with many expecting a second yellow, the referee, after a lengthy discussion with the linesman, decided to take no further action, to the consternation of the East Side and the surprise of the visiting officials.

 

And it was in the third minute of stoppage time that Purdie began the move which led to the only goal of the match, with a pass out to Dan Walker, who appeared to be in an offside position, but, with no flag from the linesman, played the ball across goal to JOSH O’KEEFE, who made no mistake from close range. Michael Spencer led the protests and was booked accordingly.

 

Hornchurch came back strongly n the final two minutes – Carl Rook went close despite being almost stripped of his shirt by a defender, and Stefan Payne fired over from a May pass in the last few seconds.