Ryman League - Maidenhead United 1 Hornchurch 1

[Urchins]

We made a great start to this game and we got some reward when we were awarded a penalty in the 14th minute when John Keeling was brought down in the area. Usually you would put a lot of money on Vinnie John putting a spot kick away but this time keeper Phil Wilson got down quickly enough to save. 6 minutes later Bertie Brayley hit a first time long range volley just wide after a long diagonal pass and with 15 minutes to go before the break Vinnie John had an effort cleared off the line after a John Martin shot through a forest of legs was half blocked. Play was waved on after loud claims that the ball had crossed the line. Maidenhead took the lead though, pretty much against the run of play, and it came on the stroke of half time. It began with a slow build up from a counter-attack and finished with Ryan Ashe touching the ball over Scott Gooding on the corner of the penalty area and smashing a curling shot first time into the far corner.

 

Mark Graham and new signing Gary Abbott came on at half time for Bertie Brayley and Ollie Adedeji and we pressed for an equaliser. Ashe headed narrowly over 12 minutes in but we equalised 6 minutes later. A Mark Graham free kick near the touchline was swung into the penalty area, an attempted clearance was blocked and Abbott pounced to put the loose ball away. Maidenhead's Ben Hammond shot wide when well placed in the 68th minute although he was under pressure from Lee Matthews but although the game continued at a frantic pace which promised goals no more were forthcoming.

 

Line-up:- Gay, Gooding, Kerrigan, Adedeji (Graham 45), Matthews, Williams, Keeling (Douglas 58), Southon, John, Brayley (Abbott 45), J Martin. Subs not used:- Locke, McCartney (GK)