BURY TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 4

[Dagger03]

Saturday 26-August-2017

 

BURY TOWN 1  HORNCHURCH 4

 

BT - Tibbles - De’Ath (Jolland 82) - White - Canfer - Fenn - Clements - Wales (Ramadan 65) - Read (Mills 76 - Hughes - Barber © - Aitkens

Subs - Cooper - Yaxley

 

HFC - Mott - Bentley (Hursit 66) - Porter - Lee - Cooper - Chouman - Joseph - Styles © - Wall - Purcell (Tuohy 82) - Warner (Fairweather-Johnson 76)

 

Officials - James Turner with Dario Matthewson and Mark Ames

 

Scorers - Joseph 14 (H) - Mott 38 (og) (BT) - Warner 54 (H) - Joseph 71 (H) -Fairweather-Johnson 82 (H)

 

Bookings - Purcell 31 (H) - Wall 63 (H) - Warner 66 (H)

Attendance 301

Duration - 47.00 + 49.00

BT - all blue

HFC - all yellow

 

BURY TOWN 1  HORNCHURCH 4

 

It was in December 2015 that Tobi Joseph suffered a badly broken leg, in two places, against Bury. And it is fitting that twenty months later he made his first start for Hornchurch since that time - and it is doubly fitting that he marked his comeback with two goals.

 

Manager Jim McFarlane was unable to take charge of this match, and Colin McBride took over for one match as his replacement.

 

The match took a long time to get going with neither team able to create any openings in the first ten minutes, with the main tactics for the home side being a series of very long throws into the Hornchurch goalmouth by Darcy De’Ath, though they offered little threat, apart from one that Ollie Hughes headed wide of the far post.

 

Hornchurch took the lead with their first attack of the half, when George Purcell ran along the left wing, and Tobi Joseph neatly glided his low cross into the goalmouth home.

 

Bury began to press forward; Bradley Barber put a free kick several yards wide of the target, and Sam Mott tipped over a header from a Liam Wales cross, but it was Hornchurch who again came closest to scoring when Purcell was just beaten to a Joseph through ball by Luis Tibbles.

 

Alex Bentley made a timely tackle on the ever-dangerous Noel Aitkens, and at the other end Ross Wall flicked on to Purcell, whose shot produced a good save by Tibbles. From the resulting corner, Brad Warner played the ball to Purcell on the edge of the area and his hard volley went wide of the upright.

 

Warner sent a low cross into the middle where Tibbles just grabbed the ball as Wall moved in, and in quick succession Elliot Styles and Nathan Cooper both headed over as corners were floated into the goalmouth.

 

Mott made an excellent save from a Hughes header, and two minutes later, on 38 minutes, Bury drew level when Bradley Barber sent in a long free kick towards a packed goal area, and Sam Mott could only help it over the line.

 

Towards the end of the first half Hornchurch began to regain control, and when Mott launched a long kick upfield, Wall flicked on, and Tibbles just beat Purcell to the ball. Almost on the interval, following sustained pressure, a Brad Warner shot came back off the post.

 

Nine minutes into the second half a Barber free kick was cleared out to the right to Wall, who quickly played the ball forward to Purcell on the right wing. Purcell crossed to Brad Warner who neatly slotted home to put Hornchurch into a lead that they never looked like losing.

 

Hornchurch were now in command of the midfield, and the third goal followed on 71 minutes. Jay Porter centred from the left and the ball was headed out for a corner. Warner took the corner and this led to another corner, which Warner again took, and Tobi Joseph headed home for his second goal of the day.

 

Purcell went close with a good run and shot, and Purcell then scored with a magnificent volley into the far corner of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside, perhaps a very harsh decision.

 

But the fourth goal quickly followed, when the Bury substitute was dispossessed and the ball ran to Theo Fairweather-Johnson, who rounded the keeper, then, under pressure from a defender, took the ball out towards the edge of the area, where he turned and neatly lobbed it over the keeper and into the net.

 

In stoppage time Mott saved well from Hughes, and then from Barber, but by then the result was never in doubt.

[Little Titchmarsh]

Well done Tobi, gone full circle from anguish to elation. Just goes to show you should never give up in life.

[Dagger03]

It's also congratulations to Alex Bentley, as this match was his 200th for Hornchurch.

[Dagger03]

STRONG AT THE BACK, QUICK IN MIDFIELD AND DEADLY UP FRONT.

 

FROM THE BURY TOWN WEB SITE

 

A game of two halves as AFC Hornchurch take a comfortable win in the end.

 

After an even first half AFC Hornchurch controlled the game from the start of the second half and took a comfortable win at the final whistle. A bright start from the Blues as Liam Wales got down the wing on 4 minutes and crossed in to Noel Aitken but the cross was just to long for the header. Darcy Death’s long throw in on 10 minutes was perfect for Luke Read to head goalward, Read’s header went the wrong side of the far post. AFC Hornchurch were solid at the back and were quick in the attack and took the lead early on. Tobi Joseph fired the visitors ahead on 13 minutes with a low strike from close range. On 17 minutes Bradley Barber put a good free kick in to the danger area for Ollie Hughes jumping for the header, the ball hit his shoulder and went wide. Hornchurch broke forward on 26 minutes and George Purcell went through on goal, a great tackle from Ollie Fenn denied the visitor a second. Purcell was through again on 29 minutes but a class save from Bury keeper Luis Tibles again denied Purcell. The half was end to end and the pressing from Bury payed off with help from Sam Mott the Hornchurch keeper. On 38 minutes Mott Jumping to catch a corner from Barber saw the unfortunate keeper dropped the ball and it hit his leg and trickled over the goal line before it could be cleared. Bury had a chance to take the lead on 42 minutes from another Barber corner, this time Fenn rose at the far post to head in to the top of the net but a one handed save from Mott tip the ball over the bar. Hornchurch hit the bar just before the break with Ross Wall’s cracking strike hitting the woodwork.

 

Half Time: Bury Town 1 AFC Hornchurch 1

 

Second half was all about a well-organized Hornchurch performance. Strong at the back, quick in midfield and deadly up front. Bury had the first real chance on 52 minutes with Ollie Hughes getting down the wing and putting a decent pass in to Luke Read but the defence read it well and cleared the ball. Hornchurch started to control the play and on 54 minutes they were back in front. Brad Warner smashing the ball past the Bury keeper after a mistimed tackle at the back from Bury left him clear. On 56 minutes Purcell launched a rocket of a shot which flew past the Bury keeper and into the net only to be ruled offside. Tobi Joseph helped himself to second on 71 minutes with a well taken goal. Bury were struggling to get in to their stride as Hornchurch stayed organized and were in no mood to give anything away. In a rare Bury attack on 73 minutes Hughes and Barber linked up well on the edge of the box but the defence had it covered and cleared the ball. Barber tried his luck from a free kick for Bury on 74 minutes but the keeper was equal to the curling strike. Another free kick this time at the other end on 81 minutes saw Purcell hit a blistering strike inches past the far post. Hornchurch went further ahead on 82 minutes. Substitute Theo Fairweather-Johnson made it four after some calamitous defending from Bury from the keeper stranded and Fairweather-Johnson accepted the gifted of an open goal. A sound second half from Hornchurch made sure the visitor took the win and continue their unbeaten start to the season. Bury suffer their first league defeat of the season against arguable one of the best teams in the league and this was on show throughout the second half.

 

Full Time: Bury Town 1 AFC Hornchurch 4