Billericay blitzed - report and line ups

[Dagger03]

Tuesday 16-October-2012 – Essex Senior Cup

HORNCHURCH 3 BILLERICAY 3 – PENS 4-1

HFC – Joe Woolley – James Love - Alex Bentley – Simon Glover – Paul Goodacre – Reiss Noel – Tambeson Eyong – Frankie Curley – Martin Tuohy (Andy Tomlinson 75) – Lewis Smith – Wayne Gray (Leon McKenzie 79)

Subs – Joey May – Ben Bowditch – Sam Cutler

 

BT – Alex Bonnard – Junior Luke – Joe Anderson – Craig Edwards (Rob Swaine at hald time) – Duran Reynolds – Chris Wild – Sam Lechmere (Greg Oates 71) – Glenn Poole © - Joe Benjamin (Alex Osborn 71) – Charlie Taylor – Nathan Green

Subs – Richard Halle – Josh Hutchinson

 

Scorers – Noel 18 (BT) – Curley 22 (H) – Eyong 33 (H) – Poole 81p (BT) – Taylor 87 (BT) – Smith 90+2 (H)

Penalties – Smith (H) – Tomlinson (H) – McKenzie (H) – Anderson (BT) – Glover (H)

 

Bookings – Eyong 50 (H) – Bentley 80 (H) OFF – Smith 88 (H)

Officals – R Hyde with G Maskell and S Franklin

Attendance 140

Weather 8 degrees, clear, wind speed zero

Duration 45.00 + 48.00

 

HORNCHUHRCH 3 BILLERICAY 3 – PENS 4-1

The counter attraction of England on TV kept the crowd down, and there were only a handful of travelling supporters in attendance. Billericay started well, and Joe Woolley made a fine save from Charlie Taylor, one of four ex-Urchins in the visiting squad.

 

Hornchurch kicked towards the windmill end of the ground and Simon Glover opened up the defence with a lengthy run before slipping the ball inside to Wayne Gray, whose first time shot was deflected wide for a corner.

 

It was Billericay who forced the pace for the first quarter, and Reiss Noel and Paul Goodacre both conceded corners in quick succession.

 

The opening goal came when JOE ANDERSON was allowed too much room on the wing and he took full advantage, before playing the ball into the centre, where Reiss Noel turned the ball into his own net.

 

The second half started with a good run from Alex Bentley, who made ground along the left wing before firing the ball across, where Martin Tuohy just failed to get the touch into the net.

 

And then Wayne Gray headed on a long clearance from Woolley, into the path of Eyong, who rounded Anderson and powered towards goal, only for Bonnard to make an excellent save, the ball rebounding high and around the post for a corner. Smith floated the ball over and Gray placed his header narrowly over the bar.

 

And Anderson was again influential in the equalizer, when he gave the ball away, and this allowed Lewis Smith to set off on one of his weaving cross field runs, which culminated with a well placed pass to FRANKIE CURLEY who promptly hammered the ball firmly into the net.

 

And it was Anderson again who had his part in the second Hornchurch goal, this time being totally unable to cope with TAMBESON EYONG, who had created havoc on the right, and Tam shrugged off two challenges and attempted a shot from a very narrow angle which keeper Alex Bonnard scooped out from the net, but, thanks to new goal line technology, namely the raising of his flag by the alert linesman, the referee correctly awarded the goal.

 

Wayne Gray went close to adding a third with a first time drive, whilst at the other end Woolley did well to catch a corner from Duran Reynolds under pressure from the visiting forwards.

 

Billericay began to push forward, but were unable to make any headway down the right flank, where Alex Bentley was supreme, and Jim McFarlane went defensive, bringing on Andy Tomlinson for Martin Tuohy. To counteract this, on came Leon McKenzie for Wayne Gray.

 

Billericay equalized in controversial circumstances, when the ball ended up in the net following a massive goalmouth scramble, during which the ball had hit Alex Bentley, who was on the goal line, on the hand. When a player handles the ball, but does not prevent a goal the correct decision is to award the goal and show the offending player a yellow card. But this did not happen. Instead the referee, perhaps too hastily, appeared to have already made his mind up, and awarded a penalty, plus a red card – and hence a one match ban – for Alex Bentley, whose performance tonight was outstanding. GLENN POOLE, who rarely misses a penalty, calmly place the ball past Woolley to level the score.

 

Who could possibly replace Bentley at left back? The answer was quickly apparent – Andy Tomlinson, who again shut out any threat from that side of the field.

 

But with two minutes to go, it seemed all was lost, when CHARLIE TAYLOR finished off a goalmouth scramble to put Billericay in front.

 

All over? No. Lewis Smith started the rally, with a booking, for presumably expressing his feelings a little too often to the referee.

 

But an inspired Hornchurch, with Tommo now leading the charge, powered forward, and Bonnard turned a goal bound shot out for a corner. LEWIS SMITH raced over the take the kick, only for the ball to be flighted too low and it came back to Lewis, who set off towards goal and his shot eluded everyone, including Bonnard who could only help the ball across the line.

 

The final whistle followed almost immediately.

 

No extra time – why bother with extra time? – why bother with 90 minutes if they cannot be bothered with extra time?

 

Penalties to be taken at the windmill end.

LEWIS SMITH first up, and ball in net, keeper nowhere near it.

Glenn Poole next, and Joe Woolley dived to his left to save.

ANDY TOMLINSON – remember his penalty at Thurrock last season? – same again, giving the keeper no chance.

Charlie Taylor, once a Hornchurch player – Joe Woolley again dived to his left, pushing the ball onto the post.

LEON McKENZIE – Leon had not taken a penalty before for Hornchurch, but he confidently placed the ball to the keeper’s right.

JOE ANDERSON – loud booing from the terraces, and total silence when the ball went in.

SIMON GLOVER – straight in, cue celebrations.