RECORDS AT REDBRIDGE - AND MATCH REPORT

[Dagger03]

I think I am correct in saying that George Purcell's four goals last night equalled the record individual scoring feat in an away league match.

 Ian McLean scored four at Hemel Hempstead in August 1954.

And Martin Quinton scored four at Tring Town in March 1996

 

Record number two - we have now been to three senior grounds in the league this season where they have not had a tannoy in operation. (Yes i know that Redbridge did use it once last night but that was to announce the result of the raffle).

 

 

 

Tuesday 25-August-2015

REDBRIDGE  0  HORNCHURCH  6

 

RFC – Jack Avery – George Winn – Aj Adelekan – Tyron Thomas © - Vinny Murphy (Stephen Good 62) – Rigers Kabashi – Joe Gent – Daniel Jones – Ronnie Winn (Jay Knight 62) – Michael Ogboin – Lewis Francis (Lawrence Amadi 32)

Subs – Mark Nougher – Tommie Turner

 

HFC –

1 – Sam Mott

2 – Billy Coyne

3 – Jed Chouman – Leon Smith 73

4 – Danny Johnson

5 – Elliot Styles ©

6 – Tobi Joseph

7 – Abs Thompson – Joey May 62

8 – Tom Pennells

9 – David Knight

10 – George Purcell – Calvin Poku 74

11 – Junior Luke

subs –

Dave Collis

Paulius Ditkevicius

 

Officials – M Mellor with C Chittendon and P Evans

 

Scorers – Purcell 9 – Purcell 12 – Purcell 35 – Knight 49 – Styles 70 – Purcell 72

Bookings – Murphy 14 (RFC) – Thompson 26 (H)

Attendance 108

Duration 47.06 + 47.36

RFC – all blue

H – red an white stripes / black / black

 

REDBRIDGE  0  HORNCHURCH  6

 

Would the match go ahead? That was the question in the minds of many of the travelling supporters, who made up the majority of the crowd. They needn’t have worried, as the pitch, despite two days of heavy rain, was in very good condition, and ideal for what was about to follow.

 

In the first minute Billy Coyne’s long throw found David Knight who touched home, but the goal was disallowed and an indirect free kick awarded to Redbridge.

 

Knight ran on to a long ball from Tobi Joseph but play was pulled back for a free kick, but Redbridge did not hold out for much longer, as David Knight, out on the left side, crossed to George Purcell, who made no mistake with a powerful drive on nine minutes.

 

And when Abs Thompson, three minutes later, left defenders trailing as he sped down the right wing, George Purcell was waiting to calmly slot home the cross.

 

Redbridge were by no means out of contention and there were chances at the other end, which led to some hectic defending, but it was almost three when Tobi Joseph set up Purcell, but his volley was wide of the goal.

 

Tom Pennells went close and home keeper Jack Avery saved well from an Elliot Styles header following a Thompson corner. Purcell went clear a minute later and shrugged off defenders before hipping the keeper, only for the ball to come back off the post.

 

The third goal came on 35 minutes when Thompson again opened up the right wing, and his centre found Knight, whose header was well saved by Avery. Knight regained possession, slipped the ball through to George Purcell who rounded Avery and guided the ball into the net.

 

Purcell then sent in a cross from the left to Knight, but his shot went into the side netting.

 

There was no let-up after the interval, and Thompson was just a fraction away from a Junior Luke centre. A minute later Purcell played the ball to David Knight who glided the ball past Avery for the fourth goal.

 

Purcell hit a free kick wide of the post, and David Knight was fouled inside the area, but sent the penalty high and wide as the pressure mounted.

 

Joey May replaced Abs Thompson who had been running riot down the right, and on 70 minutes the fifth goal arrived when Elliot Styles headed home goal number four from a May corner. After failing to score since October 2013, Elliot has now scored in his last three matches, although one of these was at the wrong end.

 

Purcell again went close from a Tobi Joseph cross, and Junior Luke narrowly missed from a Knight cross.

The sixth goal came after George Purcell won possession, weaved through and after seemingly being crowded out, he rounded Avery and touched the ball across the line.

 

Purcell was denied the chance to become the second player to score five this season when he was replaced by Calvin Poku, and Leon Smith also came on, for Jed Chouman.

 

Joey May went close, Joseph almost set up Knight, but he could not get a touch as the ball came across, Pennells hit a shot wide, Joseph made a good run on the right but his cross went across the face of the goal, and Leon Smith sent a headed into the side netting, as Hornchurch tried hard to make it seven, but the Redbridge defence held out despite the constant pressure in the last fifteen minutes.

 

The six nil win was the best away win in the league since November 2006 when they won 7-0 at Witham Town. They also scored six in August 2013 when they beat Cray Wanderers 6-1 at Bromley.