HORNCHURCH 1 ASHFORD 2 - report and stats

[Dagger03]

 

 

Saturday 22nd December 2007

HORNCHURCH 1 ASHFORD 2

HFC – Dale Brightley – Donny Barnard – Andy Tomlinson – Jordan Bostock - Jim McFarlane –– Eilliot Styles – Des Boateng – Dean Green - Harry Elmes – Simon Parker - Mark Janney

Subs – Kris Lee for Elmes 45 - Frankie Curley for Green 52 – Joe Keith - Richard Halle – Richard Goddard for Bostock 52

 

AT – Paul Burgess - Vinnie O’Sullivan - Darren Deggan - Rick Wellard – Stuart Bamford - Adam Logie - Paul Johnson - Gavin Bamford © - Scott Harris – Scott Todd – Warren Harris

Subs – Russell Canderton – Paul Timba for Scott Harris 86 – Scott Weight for Johnson 78 – Jason Milletti for Todd 78 – Craig Ross

 

Scorers – Scott Todd 45+6 (A) – Des Boateng 70 (H) – Weight 90+3 (A)

Attendance 302

Weather – 11 degrees at start, clear, 3 degrees at finish, slight mist, wind speed 5 mph

Bookings – Logie 19 (A), Curley 58 (H)

Officials – A Begnarain with G Gray and M Barnes

Duration – 55.04 + 48.49

 

 

HORNCHURCH 1 ASHFORD 2

 

A clear day, slowly turning misty as the second half wore on, an injury to the referee which completely turned the course of the game, four penalty appeals turned down, and Simon Parker hacked down when through on goal, and a last second goal by the visitors – not a good day. Prior to the start someone came into the shop and offered £2.50 for Mark Janney – this appeared somewhat on the low side, but it was eventually established that it was his photo she wanted. All the Harrods pies, Gallows Corner branch, were sold before the kick off.

 

Urchins kicked towards the windmill end and almost fell a goal behind in the first minute, when Scoot Todd’s shot was blocked by Bostock, the ball rebounding back to Todd whose cross found Scott Harris, whose header looped over the bar. But for the next twenty minutes it was all Hornchurch, and Simon Parker thought he had scored when he ran through, neatly headed on to Harry Elmes, took the return touch and slotted the ball home, the goal being disallowed by the referee, who made the first of all too many controversial decisions. Parker created an opening for Mark Janney with a first time pass through the defence, Janney’s shot from the left side of the field going wide of the post.

 

Scott Todd, outstanding for Ashford, then hit a long range shot over the bar, but it was Urchins who came close to scoring when Dean Green made a good run into the penalty area, where he appeared to be brought down, though the loud penalty appeals were rejected by the referee. To add insult to this decision, only second later Simon Parker was sent racing away, and was clear on goal and looking certain to score when Adam Logie, with Stuart Bamford just a fraction behind, sent Simon crashing to the ground with a disgraceful tackle – a red card was seemingly a certainty, regardless whether Bamford or Logie was the last line of defence, no attempt at all appeared to have been made to play the ball, but the referee instead vigorously waved his yellow card, to the anger of the home following and the amazement of the away directors. Parker took the free kick, and his shot rebounded off the wall of defenders, seemingly being handled, but the loud penalty appeals were ignored, the ball running back to Parker whose shot was again blocked,

 

And what was the referee doing, just yards away from the most blatant hand ball which the entire EastSide had seen? He was more interested in calling for the trainer, having sunk to the ground clutching his shoulder, which he had dislocated, presumably when waving the yellow. The unsympathetic EastSide let him know their feelings, and nine minutes later the referee, having had his shoulder popped back, decided he could continue.

 

This long delay proved to be in Ashford’s favour, as Urchins had lost their momentum. Ashford won two corners in succession, both taken by Wellard, one headed away by McFarlane, the other by Bostock, and Warren Harris put a good pass in front of Johnson, whose shot was well saved by Brightley, A free kick then found Warren Harris, with Styles tackling to concede a corner, and it was Styles who headed away Wellard’s swerving kick

 

A centre by Warren Harris was headed goalwards by Scott Harris, Brightly getting a hand to the ball and turning it onto the post, and McFarlane completed the clearance, whilst a Wellard corner was punched away by Brightley and Boateng hammered the ball up field to safety. Urchins regained control Parker sending Green away, whose shot appeared to be handled by a defender, the penalty appeal again being ignored. A high ball into the middle found Boateng and his touch on reached Kris Lee, on for Harry Elmes who had received an injury seconds earlier, and Lee’s shot was turned away by Burgess for a corner, which Boateng took and Bamford cleared.

 

A Barnard free kick was headed goalwards by McFarlane, Burgess saving, and from the clearance, SCOTT TODD was allowed to make ground unchallenged, the defence retreated and the resultant shot eluded Brightley and finished up in the net, in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Green almost pulled the goal back with a solo run, his shot going over the bar, and a high ball saw Simon Parker racing goalwards, only to be brought down, with appeals for a penalty being once again ignored.

 

At half time the main conversation was about the referee and the four penalty appeals, whilst in the shop Trigger and Minty made a guest appearance, but despite this, sales were brisk, mainly because no one was allowed to leave the shop without buying something.

 

Urchins nearly levelled the score right after half time, Burgess punching away from Parker’s cross cum shot, and Kris Lee hitting a hard shot over the bar. A free kick into the area found Goddard who nodded back to Curlie, whose shot was blocked by a massed defence. Ashford quickly resorted to blatant and ill concealed time wasting, the referee doing nothing to prevent it, and play got bogged down by a succession of minor stoppages. McFarlane went close from Tomlinson’s cross, and Barnard sent a good ball into the area which Deegan headed away, only as far as Boateng, whose shot went a fraction too high. A corner from Wellard came to nothing, and Urchins drew level when Brightley punted the ball deep up field, Simon Parker flicked on, and DES BOATENG calmly ran on to lob the ball slowly over keeper Burgess.

 

Ashford looked likely to collapse as their defence began to kick anything away wildly. Parker to Janney and his cross reached Parker who had moved forward to the edge of the area, and he played the ball on to Lee who was tackled by Bamford, the ball being played back to Lee and this time it was Burgess who saved. A Boateng run and cross found Goddard, whose header was stopped by Bamford, with keeper Burgess unable to reach the shot. A Janney run and cross was headed on by Goddard to Parker, who was well placed, but who then slipped over as he was about to shoot, and another Parker run saw him round two defenders before losing his footing, Lee went close with a snap shot, Parker made a long run before appearing to be brought down, and then, in the third minute of stoppage time, ironically added on for time wasting by the visitors, Warren Harris was allowed far too much room on the right, and he swung the ball into the middle, and it ended up in the net, via the head of SCOTT WEIGHT, with the final whistle going seconds later, to give Ashford the three points which they had never expected to get.

 

 

 

NLP report – by Tony Middleton

HORNCHURCH 1 ASHFORD 2

An injury to the referee, Mr Degnarain, caused a long hold up in the first half and also completely turned the course of the match. Prior to the injury Hornchurch had stormed forward and were unlucky not to be in front, especially when Simon Parker went clear and was brought down on the edge of the area by Adam Logie, who escaped with a booking, when a red card looked more likely. Parker had earlier got the ball into the net, but play was pulled back for an infringement. Ashford took advantage of the long delay and tightened up in defence, before having their best spell of the half when they won four corners in quick succession, and then took the lead when SCOTT TODD took advantage of a retreating defence to make ground and fire his shot past Dale Brightley in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Urchins, hit by an injury to Harry Elmes who had to leave the field, came out strongly after the interval, but found themselves up against a packed visiting defence. Kris Lee and Simon Parker both went close, until non stop pressure brought no reward until DES BOATENG ran on to a long kick by Brigbhtley, which was headed on by Parker, and he ran on and lobbed the ball over Paul Burgess and into the net. Three penalty appeals were rejected, two for hands and one for a foul on Parker, before Ashford, in the third minute of stoppage time, played the ball along the left wing where Warren Harris sent over a high cross and the home defence allowed the ball to elude everyone, and it ended up in the net via the head of an Ashford forward. The final whistle went seconds later to give Ashford the three points, much to their obvious surprise and delight. Entertainment value 2/5 – Player of match Des Boateng of Hornchurch

 

 

The other paper report – by Jay Middleton - sorry forgotten its name

HORNCHURCH 1 ASHFORD 2

On a cold and murky December day, visitors Ashford found themselves struggling to contain the home side, and Adam Logie was fortunate to stay on the field when he pulled Simon Parker down in full flight, preventing a goal. The referee Mr Degnarain received lengthy treatment when he dislocated his shoulder midway through the half, and this gave Ashford the space they needed to change their tactics, but it was something of a surprise when they took the lead in the sixth minute of stoppage time, when SCOTT TODD made 50 yards in the face of a retreating defence, and then fired in a low shot past keeper Dale Brightly. Urchins forced the pace in the second half, and levelled the score when DES BOATENG raced on to a flick on by Simon Parker and lobbed keeper Paul Burgess. Three penalty appeals were rejected as Hornchurch forced the pace, but in the third minute of stoppage time, Ashford’s Warren Harris floated the ball over from the right and it ended up in the net for the winning goal via several deflections.

 

 

 

 

[thegroundhopper]

As a neutral I thought I'd add my views to this report. This is a great webite by the way, which I've only recently discovered.

 

I think Ashford can count themselvs fortunate to have come away with 3 points today, however you have to congratulate the fact that they never let Hornchurch pull away from them. They certainly enjoyed some good fortue along the way with a refereeing performance which can be, at best, described as interesting.

 

I was unsure what the early goal was disallowed for - can anyone shed any light? The yellow card given to Logie was also a strange decision, as I felt it was a certain red. I was near the Ashford Town club officials at the time and they were equally surprised. I wonder whether officials think that by not giving these kind of decisions they can win favour with the clubs, but this won no favour with the AT guys as they felt their man should have gone.

 

The injury situation to the referee was also farcical. Surely if he has dislocated it, he must go off - for his own good as much as anything. I felt the players lost further confidence in his ability as he was no longer 100% fit in their eyes.

 

It certainly allowed Ashford into a game though, that they hadn't previously been in. The several penalty appeals could have, from my position, seen at least two decisions given in favour of Hornchurch.

 

I am a believer that the team that wins, generally deserves it on the basis they scored more goals and conceded fewer (which is what football is about!) but I think Hornchurch can count themselves unlucky today.

 

There is a great atmosphere at Hornchurch and you would (as I am sure you will again) grace a higher division without shame. I found the songs from the crowd throughout the game to the referee most amusing - I take it you have had him before? Sadly for him, he probably thinks he'll get the GC for his bravery in carrying on, but from what I heard from both sets of officials at the end, he would be marked poorly by both clubs. I didn't want this post to be all about the ref but sadly he made the game that way, in what I thought was an entertaining affair.

 

I tend to go to a lot of Conference South or Conference National games, and have found the standard of refereeing fairly good. Was today a typical performance for a referee on this league?

 

One final thought - I like the atmosphere in the ground, I like the bar area, bought a couple of souveneirs from the club shop (there aren't enough club shops left imo), and felt it was a very friendly club, which is not bad for my first trip! I'll definitely be coming back.

[Eastside Urchin]

good to hear,cheers for coming too the bridge

[Dagger03]

>>>bought a couple of souveneirs from the club shop

 

What did you buy?

And why only a couple?