LEISTON 4 HORNCHURCH 0 - home keeper player of the match

[Dagger03]

Tuesday 19-August-2014

LEISTON  4  HORNCHURCH  0

 

LFC – Danny Gay – Scott Mitchell (Blake Saker 26) – Stuart Boardley – Adam Tann (Michael Brothers 84) – Joe Jefford © - Tom Bullard – Tom Winter (Cliff Akurang 70) – Gareth Heath – Leon Ottley-Gooch – Craig Parker – Joe Francis

Subs – Patrick Brothers – Alex Rossis

 

HFC – Sam Mott – Phil Starkey  – Alex Bentley – Elliot Styles © - Omar Beckles – Frankie Curley – Junior Luke (Courtney Homans HT) – Tom Davis – Martin Tuohy (Elyon Marshall-Katung 75) - Moses Ashikodi - Junior Dadson (George Purcell HT)

Subs – Chris Bourne  –- Frank Griffin

 

Scorers – Heth 20 – Boardley 25 – Heath 90 – Akurang 90+4

Bookings – Luke 7 (H) – Jefford 45+3 (L) - Tuohy 75 (H) – Bullard 82

Attendance 192

Officials – John Steel with Paul Stearman and Richard Owen

Duration 48.50 + 51.07

Weather – clear, 19 degrees at start, 11 degrees at finish

L – blue / blue / red

H – yellow / white / yellow

 

LEISTON  4  HORNCHURCH  0

 

In a match where the home team wins by four goals, it is unusual for the home goalkeeper to be named as player of the match, but this is what happened tonight, when Danny Gay made several excellent saves to deny Hornchurch, who made a slow start after an over-long three hour journey along the A12.

 

Leiston had the better of the opening play – Junior Luke stopped Alex Rossis with a timely tackle to turn the ball out for the first corner of the match, and Sam Mott held another corner, taken by Stuart Boardley, who had directed the ball close to the goalmouth.

 

Martin Tuohy had the first opportunity for Hornchurch, but Danny Gay had no difficulty in saving his weakly hit shot.

 

Gay was again in action when he ran out of goal to kick away from Moses Ashikodi, who had moved onto a long clearance by Mott.

 

When Ashikodi made ground on the left, It was Gay to the rescue when he made a very good save to turn Frankie Curley’s shot around the post for a corner.

 

And Gay again, when Junior Luke’s long throw was headed on by Omar Beckles. Junior Dadson followed up and Gay saved on the line, whilst Tuohy’s follow up shot lifted over the bar.

 

This proved to be the turning point, as, two minutes later, Craig Parker crossed from the left and GARETH HEATH slotted home from close range.

 

Worst was to follow, when Ton Davis conceded a free kick, which was taken by STUART BOARDLEY in the wrong place, but which ended up firmly in the net.

 

It could easily have been three just two minutes later when Boardley’s cross went begging across the face of the goal.

 

Hornchurch briefly rallied, Elliot Styles heading wide from a Davis corner, and at the other end two Boardley corners were cleared as the home side piled on the pressure.

 

Junior Luke was booked on 37 minutes, making it four bookings in four games, and thereafter he was reluctant to make a tackle.

 

Towards half time Hornchurch regained some composure, and Leiston defended three corners, all from Tom Davis.

 

Joe Jefford became the first home player to be booked, seconds before half time.

 

Jim McFarlane made two changes at the interval, Junior Luke and Junior Dadson being replaced by Courtney Homans and George Purcell, and the effect was immediate.

 

Two Davis corners created confusion, but the seemingly unbeatable Danny Gay rose to avert the danger with a fine catch. A long ball from Homans found Purcell, who ran forward and fired in a shot which beat Gay but which also went narrowly wide of the post.

 

Leiston were forced to defend for long periods, although when Omar Beckles conceded a free kick, this led to two corners, the second of which Sam Mott gathered at the second attempt.

 

Then followed the save of the match, possibly the save of the season, when Danny Gay denied what appeared a certain goal from Moses Ashikodi, from a Davis corner, tipping the ball over the bar. And Gay then repeated the process, which time when Davis picked out Elliot Styles, whose header was turned around the post.

 

Alex Bentley sent Moses Ashikodi away on the left, and Gay saved for what was another two corners, and Martin Tuohy placed his shot wide following good work by Ashikodi.

 

Mott made a good save at the other end, and then came another substitution, when Martin Tuohy was booked in midfield and immediately replaced by Elyon Marshall-Katung.

 

Six minutes were added for stoppages, and in this spell Hornchurch conceded two further goals, first when GARETH HEATH scored his second of the night from a cross by Michael Brothers, and then when CLIFF AKURANG had a simple header after the Hornchurch defence were opened up n the right.