STAINES 1 HORNCHURCH 1 - stats, line up, reports

[Dagger03]

Saturday 23rd February 2008

STAINES TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 1

 

ST – James Courtnage – Marcel Nugent – Dave Sargent – Francis Duke - Matt Flitter © - Leigh Mason –– Kerem Bashkal - Adrian Toppin – Richard Butler - Marc Charles-Smith – Lewis Cook

Subs – Gareth Risbridger for Cook 82 – Andre Scarlett for Bashkal 71- Mark Nwokeqi – Jon McDonald - Dwain Clarke

 

HFC- Dale Brightly – Donny Barnard – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © - Richard Goddard – Andy Tomlinson – Frankie Curley – Mark Janney – Kris Lee – Harry Elmes - Elliot Styles

Subs – Jamie Richards for Elmes 68 – Michael Brothers for Tomlinson at half time - Dean Green – Jim McFarlane – Des Boateng for Barnard 61

 

Scorers – Kris Lee one minute and 38 seconds, (H) – Butler 73 (S)

Weather – 9 degrees, cloudy, wind speed 20 mph first half rising to 30 mph gusts in second half.

Officials – E Mackrell with R Ellis and J Flynn

Duration – 50.56 + 49.16

Attendance 331 – 99 Urchins plus Lawrence

Bookings – Styles 44 (H) – Toppin 45+4 (S) OFF – Mason 53 (S) – Boateng 84 (H)

 

 

 

STAINES TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 1

Hornchurch supporters may not be universally popular, but never in the history of HFC has a local council tried to prevent them attending a match. But it happened today, when the local council totally and utterly screwed up on whatever it was trying to do as you left the A308 towards the town centre. Road closures, motionless traffic, but very nice lighting – red, red, red, red and amber, green, then quickly back to red and more red. Unc was stuck, so much so that his SatNav gave up in disgust. Despite their evil intentions, most made it before the start, The pitch at first looked to be a seas of liquid mud, but on closer inspection this turned out to be the river Thames, packed with swans as it flowed gently past. The pitch itself was excellent, and the view from the steepest main stand in the world was excellent. Pity about the gale force wind which swept downfield.

 

No Simon Parker, and a return to the starting line up for Mark Janney. For Andy Tomlinson, it was his one hundredth appearance for the Urchins.

 

Urchins kicked away from the Thames in the first half, and started strongly, Kris Lee flicking on for Harry Elmes, with Nugent tackling. Back again, this time Donny Barnard to Lee, and again on to Elmes, with Nugent once again tackling. A dubious free kick for the home side saw Barnard hammer the ball away, up the field, and Frankie Curley steamed in to fire in a shot which hit a defender and came back out to KRIS LEE, who from a narrow angle turned and rifled the ball home to send one hundred Urchins wild with delight. Time was one minute and 38 seconds, which meant even more delight for Nette who held the winning golden goal ticket, despite Unc’s claims that it was really her birthday, mother’s day and Xmas present all rolled into one. Sir Gary, who usually wins every raffle at every away ground, resplendent in his new limited edition Urchins red and black bobble hat, tore up his own tickets in disgust.

 

Staines, roared on by a virtually silent crowd, came back when Sargent opened up the left side to send over a good centre to the unmarked Cook who hit his shot high over the bar, scattering the swans in the Thames in the process. A corner to Urchins saw Ton-up Tomlinson swerve the ball across goal, one hundred Urchins called loudly for hand ball, but the referee was having none of it, and awarded a goal kick, when the only possible decision, in the absence of a penalty, had to be a corner. It was then Urchins turn to defend when the ever dangerous Butler broke away, and Dale Brightly rushed way outside his area to head away, then carried on to head over the next attacker, then carried on again, before deciding to let Danny Glozier take up the move.

 

Staines nearly took advantage when Purdie slipped as he went to clear, and this allowed Butler to race clear, with Goddard clearing at the second attempt. Andy Tomlinson needed lengthy attention but was eventually able to resume, and then Frankie Curley was badly by Duku, but no action was taken other than to award the free kick, which Janney put too close to keeper Courtnage. Then it was Mason’s turn to bring down Kris Lee, again no action taken, and Janney this time touched the kick short to Glozier whose centre was headed goalwards by Harry Elmes, with Courtnage tipping the header over for a corner, which Tomlinson sent over to Barnard, whose return cross was headed away by Duku.

 

Staines came back, Bashkel’s cross being turned out by Goddard, and Nugent’s corner being well held by Brightly. Another free kick, Styles being fouled, followed by yet another, this time Lee on the receiving end from Tappin, who was fortunate to escape without a booking, and Goddard went close from Janney’s kick. Staines had one particularly outstanding forward in Richard Butler, whose run earned a corner, with Barnard having done well to tackle, and Cook sent the ball over, Goddard headed out, back to Cook, who sent it promptly back again, and Goddard again headed away. Staines wasted a free kick, hammering the ball high and very wide, and Lee then saw his first time shot parried by Courtnage to Elmes, with Courtnage again saving. A long range Elmes shot almost caught the home keeper out, and almost on half time Adrian Tappin was sent off in an incident which left Elliot Styles prone on the ground. And if the Rush Green recorder wants to get in its usual little dig, this was the 12th red card against Urchins this season – so there is now no need to buy the local paper.

 

The wind gained in intensity at the interval and Urchins found themselves playing into the teeth of the gale, and it was the home side who first came forward, Nugent and Cook combining well, only for Michael Brothers to come back to clear the cross. A good run by Curley saw him slot the ball out to Janney, thence up to Kris Lee, who was thwarted by keeper Courtnage who dived at his feet to save. Then it was Brothers up to Elmes who appeared to be fouled as he went towards goal, and the ball was hacked upfield for Bashkel to run on, with Brothers running back to tackle well. a tactical switch saw Des Boateng on for Donny Barnard, with Curley dropping to right back, and it was Boateng who found Janney who in turn played the ball up to the non stop Harry Elmes, with the dominant Flitter hard clearing to Glozier who turned the ball on to Brothers, whose cross found Lee whose header was saved by Courtnage. Harry Elmes was replaced by Jamie Richards, who made space up front which allowed Janney to slot through to Brothers who touched inside to Boateng, whose first time flick skimmed the bar. A Lee pass to Boateng was cut out by the alert Courtnage, and Curley then sent Lee clear with Flitter tackling well.

 

A Charles-Smith cross was headed out for a corner by Purdie who then headed away Cook’s inswinging kick, but just as the danger appeared well and truly over, the ball was quickly played upfield and RICHARD BUTLER was allowed to run 40 yards unchallenged, and he hit his shot low between Brightly and the near post for a goal which sent the handful of home supporters wild with delight and possibly surprise, as Urchins had looked to be well in control. For a shot time Staines were rampant, and a Cook inswinging corner was headed away by Goddard for another corner, and Cook trotted across to swing this one over, the ball eventually being cleared by Styles after a huge scramble in front of goal.

 

Urchins regained their composure, but a Janney corner was wasted when the ball was played far too short and Flitter cleared. Styles sent over a magnificent pass to Brothers, right in front of goal, but he could not control the awarding bouncing ball and it ran out of play, and in a break away a Sargent corner was headed away by a defending Jamie Richards off the line for another corner. The corner was cleared by Goddard, up to Janney, on to Brothers, again in front of goal, and once again the bounce of the ball deceived him, and an excellent chance was missed. With almost the last kick of the match, Janney found Richards out on the left, and he raced in, homed in on goal, and with Mark Janney completely unmarked right in front of goal, Jamie chose to shoot instead, and keeper Courtnage made an incredible save to deny Urchins the full points. Without any question, it was two points thrown away, not one point gained, but an excellent performance by the Urchins against one of the best sides in the league. And compliments to the home officials who their friendly welcome and excellent set up.

 

 

 

 

 

[waggamick]

Without a doubt the best match reports on the net.

Always a good read.

[Eastside Urchin]

birdwatch monthly and razzle are slightly better reads but only because they both have bald birds in them

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

So does Women's weekly "the alopecia chronicles" but I ain't buying that either.

 

Good work Dagger!