HENDON 0 HORNCHURCH 1

[Dagger03]

Please note - the scorer was STEFAN PAYNE - it is incorrectly shown as Dave Rainford on the Non-League Live web site.

 

 

Saturday 07-December-2013

 

HENDON 0  HORNCHURCH  1

 

Hendon – Berkley Laurencin – Chris Seeby – Jack Bennett – Casey MacLaren – Sam Flegg – Kevin MacLaren © (Dean Cracknell 84) - Tony Taggart (Michael Bryan 65) – Lee O’Leary – Jefferson Louis – Carl McCluskey – Anthony Thomas (Adam Wallace 74)

Subs – Max McCann – Dave Diedhiou

 

HFC – Inigo Echepare – Phil Starkey – Alex Bentley – Elliot Styles © - Dave Rainford -Frankie Curley – Carl Rook (Leigh Bremner 77) - Joey May – Stefan Payne (Billy Coyne 90+1) - George Purcell (Tambeson Eyong 72) – Michael Spencer 

Subs –- Billy Coyne –Chris Bourne – Sam Lechmere

 

Scorer – Payne 60

Bookings – Payne 24 (H) – Casey MacLaren 35 (Hen)

Attendance 141

Officials – Adrian Gillett with Ian Lowe and Paul O’Hare

Duration 46.26 + 48.40

Weather - 8 degrees, clear

Played at Harrow Borough FC

 

HENDON 0  HORNCHURCH  1

 

Hornchurch defended in depth for the final ten minutes, though Hendon were confined to just one shot on target, whilst it was Berkley Laurencin in the Hendon goal who was called upon to make a series of fine saves to keep his side in with a chance of saving a point.

 

Hornchurch could have achieved a comfortable three points as they dominated much of the match, setting the pace in the third minute when Stefan Payne opened up the defence to give George Purcell a shooting chance, with Laurencin making the first of his many saves.

 

Phil Starkey, who improves with every game in the right back position, gained possession and pumped the ball along to Purcell, who moved in, but fired in a right-footed shot which went high and over the bar – and out of the ground.

 

Purcell’s next attempt was worth a goal, only for Laurencin to dive and save his first time volley.

 

Hendon had rarely threatened, the best being a high centre from Tony Taggart, which Elliot Styles headed powerfully back up field. Their only attacking spell in the first half came when they won two corners in quick succession, Dave Rainford heading the first out, and Inigo Echepare punching the second clear.

 

Dave Rainford, who had taken over in the centre of the defence in place of Rickie Hayles, who was serving a one-match suspension, was supreme, both in this anticipation and his leadership, which seemed to inspire the rest of the defence into a solid performance.

 

Payne had earlier received a yellow card for a mistimed tackle, but he then was subjected to a very harsh tackle from Casey MacLaren, who was promptly shown a yellow card, though many would have preferred the referee to first call the physio on to the pitch to attend to Payne. Both Joey May and Purcell lurked, but the free kick was eventually fired into the wall of defenders and booted to safety.

 

The half ended with a Joey May corner which Styles headed wide.

 

Hornchurch continued to force the pace in the second half, and inside two minutes Carl Rook slotted the ball through to Payne, whose shot was kept out by an incredible save by Leurencin, who then proceeded to pluck the ensuing corner out of the air in a crowded goalmouth.

 

Laurencin then saved from Purcell, though the was soon after somewhat fortunate when he was beaten by a Purcell shot which then rolled agonisingly wide of the post, after May had opened up the defence.

 

Hornchurch took the lead thanks to a piece of brilliance by STEFAN PAYNE, who moved forward to take a pass from Alex Bentley, and fired a swerving shot past Laurencin.

 

Hendon briefly threatened, a cross from Michael Bryan going across the face of the goal, whilst a quick thinking Echepare came out of his goal to punch away a cross from Anthony Thomas. And Elliot Styles made a well timed tackle to thwart the only real scoring opportunity afforded to Hendon.

 

But it was Hornchurch who continued to create scoring chances. A Joey May corner found Payne, whose header was well saved by Laurencin, whilst Leigh Bremner, who came on for Carl Rook, gave Payne another opening, which Laurencin again saved.

 

Hornchurch became more defensive in the final portion of the match, but Hendon could not penetrate a sound Hornchurch defence, leaving Echepare with little to do, other than to gather some hopeful long balls aimed in the general direction of the Hornchurch goal.

 

In stoppage time both Tambeson Eyong and Leigh Bremner went close as Hendon piled players forward, leaving themselves open in defence.