HORNCHURCH 0 KINGSTONIAN 0

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Saturday 13-December-2014

HORNCHURCH  0  KINGSTONIAN  0

 

HFC – Sam Mott – Billy Coyne – Chris Bourne - Alex Bentley - Billy Roast – Elliot Styles © – Joe Christou – Danny Johnson – Martin Tuohy – George Purcell  – Michael Malcolm (Tobi Joseph 64)

Subs – Elyon Marshall-Katung – Courtney Homans – Thomas Gogo – Joey May

 

KFC – Rob Tolfrey – Aaron Goode – Dylan Casey – Dan Sweeney – Sam Page – Alan Inns © - Chris Henry – Steve Laidler – Elvis Hammond (Jesse Darko 66) – Pico Gomez – Josh Casey (Jake Kempton 90)

Subs – Tommy Kavanagh – Jordan Adekunle – Festus Lori

 

Officials –

Rob Smith – March-2009 at Dover Athletic, April-2009 v Horsham, January-2010 at Harrow, October-2010 at Tonbridge, September-2013 at Enfield Town, March-2014 at Wingate & Finchley, February-2010 on line at Wealdstone, January-2013 on line v Tonbridge

Peter Smith – September-2007 on line v Cheshunt, March-2011 on line at Hendon

Michael Mackey – 19-August-2006 on line at Enfield Town, on line November-2007 v Boreham Wood

 

Bookings –

Casey 48 (KFC)

Laidler 74 (KFC)

Tuohy 90+2 (H)

 

Attendance 188

Duration 46.41 + 48.44

Weather – sunny, 1 degree

 

HORNCHURCH  0  KINGSTONIAN  0

 

For the second season in succession the home league match against Kingstonian finished goalless.

 

On a bright sunny day, where temperatures dipped towards the zero degrees mark, Hornchurch kicked towards the windmill end in the first half. Frankie Curley was suspended, and Chris Bourne came back into the starting line up at left back, with Elliot Styles playing in midfield.

 

Kingstonian made the first attacking move of the match when Josh Casey sent over a good centre from the left wing, which found Dan Sweeney whose shot was straight at Sam Mott.

 

Mott made a good save from Chris Henry, with Chris Bourne completing the clearance, before Hornchurch moved up field and Joe Christou directed his shot a fraction too high, after he had followed up on a shot from Martin Tuohy which had re bounded off a defender.

 

Mott saved from Henry turning the shot out for a corner, and a first time volley from George Purcell was well saved by Rob Tolfrey at the other end.

 

Both Billy Coyne and Danny Johnson conceded corners when Josh Casey was allowed space to move in from the left wing, and ten minutes before half time Hornchurch were somewhat fortunate when a Pico Gomez shot came back off the post.

 

Two minutes later a header from Henry landed on the top of the cross bar, and Hornchurch quickly moved to the other end, where Christou and Coyne combined well, before Coyne’s shot was deflected wide for a corner.

 

As the first half moved into stoppage time Roast blocked a shot from Sweeney, whilst Tolfrey saved a free kick by Christou.

 

Kingstonian had had the better of the play in the first half, but were forced to defend for much of the second period. Dylan Casey was booked for handball, and from the free kick Purcell’s shot beat the defensive wall but went wide of the post.

 

Keeper Tolfrey did well to hold a swerving centre from Chris Bourne, and Roast headed wide from a Christou free kick.

 

Tobi Joseph replaced Michael Malcolm, and Hornchurch won two corners, from the second of which Purcell fired narrowly wide.

 

Tuohy created an opening for himself, turning around two defenders, but Sam Page blocked his shot at the expense of a corner.

 

Steve Laidler was shown a yellow card for a badly mistimed tackle on Billy Coyne, and an excellent pass by Christou found Purcell, who beat a defender but could his shot went wide.

 

Kingstonian rallied, and Mott made two good saves in quick succession, the latter from a dangerously flighted corner.

 

Martin Tuohy took a good pass from Tobi Joseph and moved in towards goal, but, with two defenders closing in, he was forced to shoot hurriedly and ball went over the bar.

 

In the final few seconds of stoppage time Tobi Joseph broke through, only for Rob Tolfrey to make an excellent save to deny Hornchurch a second home win.

 

And congratulations to the match officials, all of whom have had previous experience of matches involving Hornchurch, and whose handling of the match was the best we have had this season.