HORNCHURCH 0 TILBURY 0

[Dagger03]

Tuesday 26-January-2016

HORNCHURCH 0  TILBURY 0

 

HFC - Mott; Coyne, Cooper, Goodacre, Chouman; Luke, May, Styles, Bentley (Thompson 77); McKenzie (Knight 62), Purcell

Unused subs: Collis, Dove, Gayle

 

TFC -  Bogard, Mead, Glozier, Smith, Nightingill, Game, Babalola, Carlile, Aiken (Elsom 87), Martin, Smith

Unused subs: Cook, Webb, Pooley, Jaggs

 

Officials - Aji Ajibola with Glen Childs and Jack Owen

Bookings – Luke 50 (H) – Game 51 (T) – Purcell 59 (H) – Bentley 69 (H) – Styles 78 (H) – Luke 89 (H) OFF

Attendance 191

Weather – 10 degrees, wind speed up to 40 mph

Duration 48.00 + 48.00

 

HORNCHURCH 0  TILBURY 0

 

Hornchurch extended their unbeaten run to seven matches in a match where it was crucial to win the toss. And it was Tilbury who chose to kick towards the windmill end with the 40 mph wind in their favour, and blowing straight down the pitch.

 

Hornchurch struggled against the gale and spent most of the first half defending against a well-drilled visiting side, who could have taken an early lead when Kurt Smith broke through, only to send his shot wide.

 

And when Jack Carlile played the ball into the area, Tony Martin headed narrowly wide of the post.

 

The gale featured strongly in the next Tilbury attack, when Junior Luke’s clearance was blown back, and Conor Mead promptly played the ball hard back at goal, where Sam Mott made the first of many fine saves to tip the ball over the bar.

 

Hornchurch were denied an opening when Conor Mead fouled Jed Chouman, and Mead was very fortunate to escape with a lecture when a card seemed the only possible decision. The promising move was thwarted and Paul Goodacre’s well-flighted free kick was cleared.

 

Sam Mott then made two excellent saves in the space of a minute, to keep his goal intact as Tilbury took full advantage of the increasing gale. Emiel Aiken broke through, and Nathan Cooper blocked the first shot. Aiken followed up but could only put his shot wide.

 

Hornchurch had the best chance to open the scoring when they were awarded a free kick for handball ten yards outside the area – again no card was waved – and George Purcell’s hard shot beat the defence, only for the ball to hit Leon McKenzie and deflect wide.

 

Hornchurch had another free kick, when Joe Nightingill fouled Chouman – no card – but the ball was too far out for one of Purcell’s specials.

 

Hornchurch came out for the second half to find that the wind had decreased slightly, but it was now Tilbury’s turn to defend desperately, and when a Joey May centre was headed away for a corner, the resulting cross was headed over the bar.

 

Junior Luke was the first player to go into the book, when he fairly challenged goalkeeper Clark Bogard, who had fumbled the ball. Tilbury players over-reacted, and so did the referee, and this booking was to prove costly later in the game, when Luke was sent off for a second yellow.

 

With one card now waved, more quickly followed, and Matt Game was next into the book for afoul in midfield.

 

Purcell went close with a shot from outside the area, which was deflected for a corner, and David Knight came on in place of McKenzie as Hornchurch stepped up the pressure.

 

Tilbury still looked dangerous and Sam Mott made another excellent save, when he tipped Tony Martin’s header over the bar.

 

But it was Hornchurch who went closest to opening the scoring after Luke had opened up the defence and centred to Knight, who out-jumped the defence, but his header hit the bar and rolled slowly wide.

 

Throughout the second half, yellow cards had been waved with monotonous regularity, and it culminated when Junior Luke was sent off for a second bookable offence though one must seriously question the validity of the first ‘bookable’ offence.