THURROCK 2 HORNCHURCH 0

[Dagger03]

Tuesday 03-January-2017

THURROCK 2  HORNCHURCH 0

 

TFC - Mason, Morgan (Goode 12) (George Winn 90+3) , Sutton, Halle ©, Inyemah, Dunn, Clark, Poole (Ronnie Winn 51), Stimson, Christou, Cowley

Subs - Wheatley, Cook

 

HFC - Mott, Bentley, Da Cruz, Lee, Cooper, Chouman, Thompson (Coley 77), Styles © (Joseph 59), McKenzie, Wall, Luke

Subs: May, Morrish, Hussain

 

Officials - Jason Richardson with Ahmad Rafique and Jonathan Was

 

Scorers - Christou 31 - Clark 63p

Bookings - Luke 10 (H) - Halle 10 (T) - Christou 13 (T) - Goode 17 (T) - McKenzie 23 (H)

Attendance 219

Duration 49.00 + 49.00

 

THURROCK 2  HORNCHURCH 0

 

Hornchurch’s unbeaten run came to an end at Thurrock in the first match of 2017.

 

Two changes from the team that started at Brentwood - Elliot Styles and Junior Luke came in for Gary Cohen and Joey May.

 

Hornchurch got off to a lively start, with Leon McKenzie firing into the side netting from a narrow angle.

 

Thurrock replied, forcing a corner, with Alex Bentley playing the ball out for a second corner inside thirty seconds.

 

Ross Wall then dispossessed Mark Onyemah, but Bobby Mason saved well.

 

Junior Luke and Richard Halle were both booked following an incident on the far side of the ground, and Joe Christou then became the next player to go into the book three minutes later, when he brought down Junior Luke in full flight.

 

. He was followed by James Goode, who had only just replaced Reece Morgan, again for a foul on Luke, who once again was speeding down the left wing.

 

 

On 17 minutes a corner found Junior Luke a few yards outside the area, and his hard shot was turned into the net by Elliot Styles, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

 

Leon McKenzie became the fifth player to be shown a yellow card, and we expected more to follow, but this proved to be the final booking of the match.

 

Thurrock took the lead on 31 minutes when David Cowley centred from the left, and Joe Christou volleyed home from a narrow angle.

 

A Jed Chouman free kick was deflected for a corner as Hornchurch tried hard to get back on level terms, but Thurrock began to get on top and could have increased their lead in the final ten minutes of the half, when Abs Thompson conceded a free kick ten yards out, but the shot was high and wide.

 

Hornchurch started the second half confidently, and McKenzie put a shot narrowly wide following a Thompson run and cross from the right.

 

Five minutes later Junior Luke broke through but directed his shot a fraction too high and the ball skimmed the bar.

 

Mason saved well from a Chouman free kick, and Tobi Joseph then came on in place of Elliot Styles.

 

But two minutes later Nathan Cooper conceded a penalty and Jordan Clark made it two nil from the spot kick, and from then on Thurrock took control and did not look like losing.

 

Hornchurch still created chances, with Mason saving from Thompson and then from McKenzie, but Thurrock were in control of the midfield, and had the better of the territorial play.

 

Ayrton Coley came on for Thompson, but apart from two good runs by Tobi Joseph, the home defence looked in command whenever Hornchurch came forward.

[cup of tea]

No complaints on the scoreline unfortunately, beaten by the better team on the night. We did have our chances, we hit the crossbar and Leon (who put in a shift last night) did get a good chance but the ball came to him too quickly. Thurrock did well in midfield, moved the ball well and used the width of the pitch effectively. Good crossfiield ball to the far post for their first goal. My only gripe with them is there was a lot of playacting going on there which was a shame as they are a good enough side not to have to do that.

 

Write this one off and move onto Saturday.

[obis]

We found it difficult to get past the sometimes 6 across the back that Thurrock adopted when we were attacking. Perhaps a bit predictable when in possession.