HORNCHURCH 2 SOHAM 1 - George Purcell equals the record

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Saturday 23-January-2016

HORNCHURCH 2  SOHAM TOWN RANGERS 1

 

HFC – Mott – Chouman – Luke – May (Collis 84) – Cooper – Goodacre – Knight (Coyne HT)– Styles © - McKenzie – Purcell – Bentley (Thompson 79)

Sub – Dove

 

ST – George Lawton – Swinton – Townshend – Will Lawton – Gent – Sharman – Bexfield © (Russell 81) - Chadwick – Hammond (Relizani 73) – Darling (Hall 64) – Patterson

Subs – Chizari - Theobald

 

Officials – John O-Brien with Craig Kissi and Andrey Lashchikov

 

Scorers – Purcell 4 (H) – Hammond 32 (ST) – Luke 67 (H)

Attendance 171

No bookings

Duration 46.00 + 48.00

Weather – 9 degrees, cloudy

No bookings

 

HORNCHURCH 2  SOHAM TOWN RANGERS 1

 

Hornchurch kicked towards the clubhouse end and when after just four minutes a George Purcell free kick crashed into the net, via a slight deflection, thereby equalling Allan Noonan’s all time goal scoring record, the scene was set for a comfortable home win.

 

But Soham had not read the script, and Hornchurch had to concentrate on defence for much of the first half, as the visitors, led by Luke Chadwick, took control in midfield. Chadwick signalled the comeback with a well-flighted free kick after a Junior Luke foul, the ball being headed away by Paul Goodacre.

 

And a long throw from Josh Townshend was headed away for a corner, which Nathan Cooper dealt with.

 

Back at the other end, George Lawton saved from Leon McKenzie and then from Purcell, before Craig Hammond headed over at the windmill end of the ground.

 

Luke intercepted a long ball out of defence and sent the ball through to Purcell, but David Knight was unable to reach the ball as it sailed invitingly across goal.

 

Soham drew level after Luke had neatly broken up a move on the right, only for his long clearance to be played back and out to the left, where Craig Hammond directed his shot past Sam Mott to equalise.

 

Close to half time Luke conceded a free kick in a dangerous position with a mistimed tackle on Chadwick, but Soham could not find a way past the home defence, and Mott saved from Chadwick.

 

In stoppage time Paul Goodacre headed wide from a Joey May free kick.

 

Billy Coyne replaced Knight at the interval, and he was quickly in action with a well timed block after Chadwick had played a good ball to George Darling.

 

And it was Coyne who then sent a cross field pass out to the left, which allowed Jed Chouman to get in behind the defence, only for his shot to be blocked by a defender.

 

Lawton made an excellent save to deny Purcell, and shortly afterwards saved well from McKenzie.

 

Hornchurch regained the lead midway through the second half, in a move which started with Purcell, and ended when Junior Luke gained possession and crashed the ball home from outside the area.

 

Luke almost increased the lead with a fine run and cross which was deflected for a corner, and Goodacre sent in a header from a May corner which was cleared off the line.

 

Soham came back strongly in the final fifteen minutes, though without looking capable of breaking down the home defence.

 

Soham then introduced Callum Russell, whose sole purpose appeared to be to take some extremely long throws – four in total – none of which created any danger, as Mott calmly gathered three of them and the fourth was headed away by Goodacre, and Hornchurch held out to take all three points, despite a stoppage time penalty appeal which failed to impress referee John O’Brien – nor did it impress the East Side.