MU 2 HORNCHURCH 4

[Dagger03]

A magnificent performance, in pouring rain, on a sloping pitch, and on the oldest ground in the country.

 

And congratulations to Matt, proprietor of Rainbow Tours, who single handedly silenced the home crowd with his advice to the referee on how to referee a match.

 

 

Tuesday 02-October-2012

MAIDENHEAD 2 HORNCHURCH 4

 

MU – Billy Lumley – Leon Soloman – Derek Duncan – Daniel Brown © - Leigh Henry – Devante McKain – Martel Powell (Alex Wall at half time) – Paul Semakula (Alex Tokarczyk 56) – Reece Tison-Lascaris (Bobby Behzadi 65) – David Pratt – Harry Pritchard

subs – Kyle Lucas – James Regis

HFC – Joe Woolley – Michael Spencer - Alex Bentley – Simon Glover - Paul Goodacre – Reiss Noel – Tambeson Eyong - Frankie Curley © - Martin Tuohy (Elliot Styles 84) - Lewis Smith (Wayne Gray 74) – Ben Bowditch (James Love 66)

Subs – Joey May – Leon McKenzie

 

Scorers – Tuohy 21 (H) – Bowditch 37 (H) – Brown 42 (H) – Pritchard 52 (MU) – Tuohy 59p (H) – Wall 72 (MU)

Attendance 245

Bookings – Eyong 25 (H) – Lumley 55 OFF (MU) - Brown 55 (MU) - Curley 83 (H)

Officials – J Busby with R Cox and S Jack

Duration 45.35 + 48.51

Weather – 14 degrees, rain, wind speed 10 mph

 

MAIDENHEAD 2 HORNCHURCH 4

Conditions were difficult, with rain and a strong wind, and a sloping pitch. Hornchurch took the initiative and almost took an early lead, when Tambeson Eyong weaved his way along the right wing and fired in a low cross, which eluded everyone on its way across the face of the goal.

 

Maidstone threatened when a long kick up field forced Joe Woolley to race out of this goal to kick clear from Reece Tison-Lascaris, but it was Hornchurch who had the better of the territorial play, and it was Eyong leading the way with a series of runs on the right, and he was brought down when in full flight. Lewis Smith took the free kick but hit the ball high and wide.

 

Maidenhead made a good move on the left, the ball being played back inside to Harry Pritchard, whose hard shot from outside the area was tipped over the bar by Joe Woolley, who then promptly made another excellent save when the resulting corner fell to Tison-Lascaris, whose shot seemed certain to end up in the net.

 

After Eyong was again brought down, Lewis Smith put the free kick a fraction lower but still too high.

 

Eyong and Smith combined well to send the ball inside to Ben Bowditch whose left footed shot went just past the post.

 

Controversy followed when David Pratt raced through and appeared to take a highly spectacular dive, which had the scattering of home supporters howling for a penalty, but the referee ignored the protests and play continued with Reece Noel clearing. And from the main stand, came a volley of advice from the proprietor of Rainbow Tours, who was adamant that the forward should be booked for diving. But once again the referee ignored the advice, delivered loudly and succinctly – but it certainly silenced the home crowd. The ground is the oldest in the country – football has been played there since 16-February-1871, but never before has such advice been given so clearly, without a microphone.

 

Hornchurch took a deserved lead after Eyong won the ball which he then slotted through to Bowditch, who played it across the goal to MARTIN TUOHY, who promptly hammered it into the net.

 

Eyong went close with a shot shortly afterwards, the ball rebounding off a defender, and Eyong was promptly booked – just why a player should be booked for taking a shot at goal remains a mystery.

A Simon Glover free kick fell neatly to Lewis Smith, whose shot was deflected for a corner.

 

With Hornchurch attacking in force, Eyong and Smith again opened up the defence and from Smith’s centre Frankie Curley directed his header just inches wide of the post.

 

The second goal soon followed, and it was again Eyong and Smith who combined, to open up the defence and BEN BOWDITCH finished off the move when he placed the cross firmly into the net.

 

A minute later Martin Tuohy was played clear of the defence and keeper Billy Lumley made a good save to prevent a third goal, and when Lewis Smith was brought down en route to goal, it was Lumley again who came to the rescue of the home side when he tipped Lewis Smith’s free kick over the bar.

 

Maidenhead were in chaos at the back and such was the confusion that when Lewis Smith sent another ball into the goalmouth, DANIEL BROWN neatly slid it into the net from ten yards out.

 

The second half started with a loud penalty appeal after Smith had sent Tuohy clear, and Tuohy was brought down as he was about to shoot.

 

Maidenhead came back more into the match as an attacking force and pulled a goal back thanks to a good solo run by HARRY PRITCHARD whose hard drive gave Woolley no chance.

 

Hornchurch came back strongly and when Lewis Smith was put through he took the ball past keeper Lumley and was brought down. Result – red card for Lumley, a booking for Daniel Brown, and of course a penalty. There was a lengthy wait, but eventually Paul Semakula went off, Alex Tokarczyk came on, and MARTIN TUOHY calmly planted the penalty firmly into the net.

 

Maidenhead were a player short but came forward strongly, and forced several corners, and James Love came on for Ben Bowditch. Love was quickly in the action though not quite in the way intended, as he needed lengthy treatment for a head injury, and returned to the field with a thick bandage on his head.

 

And whilst all this was going on, Maidenhead forced the pace, a shot was blocked and ALEX WALL followed up to score.

 

Wayne Gray came on for Lewis Smith, and when Elliot Styles replaced Martin Tuohy Hornchurch were left with just one player up front, though in the short time that Gray and Tuohy were together some clever off the ball running by Gray had twice created openings in the home defence.

 

A well earned three points, and the score could easily have been higher. Tambeson Eyong had caused havoc on the right, the home side had no answer to Lewis Smith and his somewhat unpredictable cross field runs, whilst at the back Michael Spencer, Reiss Noel, Alex Bentley and Paul Goodacre confidently dealt with anything that came their way. An excellent all round performance.

[DiamondGeezer]

Sounds good. Well done lads