Essex Senior League Cup Group C Match
Tuesday 25th October 2005
	Tilbury	0 - 2	AFC Hornchurch
		H/T 0-1 Att:109	D Cowley 36', Burbridge 82'

Match Highlights

Tilbury

AFC Hornchurch

	36	GOAL - D Cowley
	45	OFF - D Cowley ON - Kite
Talbot - OFF Izzet - ON	55
Mold - OFF Cobb - ON	60
Hart - OFF Johnson - ON	70
	75	OFF - Springer ON - Gill
	82	GOAL - Burbridge

Match Report by Tony Middleton

With the M25 at a standstill, and the A13 doing a good imitation of a car park, getting to the ground proved to be very difficult, and two of the Hornchurch team, Sean Dear and Billy Drake, were unable to reach the ground on time. Debuts were given to Luke Longman and Russell Williamson, with Bradley Kite named as substitute. With a strong wind playing havoc with any attempt at ball control, the soft pitch quickly cut up badly, especially in the goal mouth. It was Tilbury who were first on the offensive, when Talbot pumped the ball into the area, where Collier came out to catch cleanly and clear upfield, to Burbridge who headed on to Danny Cowley who had moved out of defence. Cowley touched the ball out to the right where Russell Williamson tricked his way around Talbot, who however recovered well to clear.

But when Danny Cowley went down in midfield following a very heavy tackle for a 50-50 ball, it was something of a surprise that he was able to get up and continue, Tilbury were awarded the free kick, and Talbot forced Collier into a good save, the ball rebounding out to the right wing where it was returned into the middle, where Harris’ header was saved by Collier. Terry Everett created the first scoring opportunity with a hard shot from the edge of the area, which Johnson fumbled around the post for a corner. Golby took the kick, swinging the ball dangerous in towards goal, where Johnson did well to hold on to the ball under pressure from Springer and Burbridge, whilst shortly afterwards a long clearance by Michael Collier had Johnson back peddling to keep the ball out of the goal at the other end. Williamson, put clear by Makitu, and then played a long high ball out to the other wing for Everett, who cut inside, but Andrews came back quickly to concede a corner. This was played short to Bostock, who had moved up, and his centre found Burbridge, whose header was well held by Johnson. Then when Everett won a free kick, Longman placed the ball deep out to Everett who appeared on the right wing to centre the ball back across into the middle, where Johnson again saved.

Tilbury looked dangerous and the Hornchurch defence came under quite a lot of pressure, with Makitu prominent and with Golby equally dominant on the other side of the pitch, but when Deakin found Mold with a very good cross, it was Bostock who cleared from under the bar, with Thomas then playing the ball upfield to safety. Andrews next put Urchins back onto the defence with a long deep pass to Mold , who exchanged passes with Wilson and ran through, with Bostock coming back to clear. Andrews again, this time up to Deakin, and then out to Port. A quick pass into the middle followed by a hard shot, which cannoned out off the underside of the bar, with Makitu quick to complete the clearance, setting Longman clear in the process. Longman quickly played a short pass to Cowley , who turned defence into attack with an excellent pass to Springer, and Johnson rushed out to smother the ball at Springer’s feet as he was about to shoot.

Collier came almost to the half way line to take a free kick which fell to Cowley who flicked on to Springer, with Johnson again saving well, but it was Tilbury who were next to threaten when Collier, seemingly in no danger at all, slipped over and this let in a Tilbury forward, who was tackled by Collier, but at the cost of a free kick, which Bostock cleared off the line, as far as Hart, whose shot was turned around the post by Collier for a corner. The corner went only as far as Makitu who played the ball upfield to Springer, then to Burbridge, who in turn found Golby moving up on the left. Golby long hard drive had Johnson scrambling the ball out for a corner, which Johnson outjumped Burbridge to catch as the ball swerved in dangerously. Williamson was next to create an opening, thanks to a piece of quick thinking by Thomas which enabled him to make a long run down the right wing, then a quick interchange of passes with Springer, followed by a long cross to Everett, who was not able to get in his shot as Hattam moved in to tackle.

When Everett combined with Golby, Burbridge was sent away on the left and his persistence won a free kick, which Burbridge took, and his long curling centre hit the bar, and DANNY COWLEY was first to react, with a bullet like header into the net – is this the goal of the month?

A free kick taken by Makitu threatened briefly but came to nothing when Hattam cleared, whilst a solo run by Everett saw him ghost past two defenders, but his shot was wide of the near post. Shortly before half time, Danny Cowley turned his ankle and limped off at the interval, with Bradley Kite coming on for his first team debut in midfield. The second half started promisingly, as the Tilbury gateman came around offering free programmes to the crowd, which numbered 105 and was made up almost solely of Urchins supporters, who had been entertained at half time by the fireworks from one of the houses nearby.

Burbridge started the fireworks on the pitch with a hard drive which Johnson could only parry, Springer followed up, and Johnson again saved but could not hold on to the ball, which ran out to Kite, who hit his shot over the bar. Everett then dispossessed a Tilbury defender – their numbers were virtually unreadable from a distance – and sent an excellent cross field pass to Williamson, who was tackled by Fox, but the ball ran loose to Kite, who was also tackled by a very quick thinking Fox, who had spotted the danger and had raced back into the middle. Golby then took a free kick which Burbridge controlled, turned, and hammered in a shot which rebounded off a defender and was prodded wide of the post in the ensuing melee.

Springer had moved out to the right to take a pass from Williamson, who in turn had been set clear by Makitu, and Springer weaved his way into the middle, beating three defenders in the process, but his shot was turned out for a corner, which Everett took, and which Fox headed out only as far as Longman whose shot went over. Makitu broke up a move on the left, and started upfield, eventually picking out Everett in the middle, and Everett fired in a shot which went across the goal with no one to touch it home.

Then Makitu’s centre was turned over for a corner, which Everett took and Springer’s shot was blocked by Fox. A good run by Williamson saw him send Springer away, and another corner followed, which Longman took, and found Everett in the middle, but his shot was wide, whilst Makitu then decided to go it alone and ran forward, with Johnson doing well to save the resulting shot. And then on came Paul Cobb, and the effect was startling, as Tilbury suddenly found gaps in the Urchins defence where previously there were none. However the best chance fell to Cobb, but he slipped and shot wide, whilst another Cobb chance, from a free kick only yards outside the area, went over the wall, but also over the bar, although Collier was covering just in case it dipped in late. Collier then made the save of the match when Harris moved in, and Collier again saved the rebound, diving to push the ball round the post. Pressure was relieved however by Makitu who sent Williamson away, with Gill drawing a defender out of position and allowing Williamson space to continue his forward run, which ended in a corner. Longman came across to take the kick and swung the ball over to the far post, where RIKKI BURBRIDGE’s header was handled by a defender on the line but still had force enough to trickle into the net. Gill threatened soon after, with a good run on to meet a pass by Thomas, but he could not create an opening and the danger was cleared. In an exclusive post match interview, Danny Cowley explained that whilst his own header was best described as bullet like, Rikki’s only trickled in.

Barring a very high score by London APSA, both teams now go through, the draw already having been made, and pairing Hornchurch with Tilbury, in what the Tilbury programme editor described accurately as a farce in tonight’s match programme

Video Highlights by Rob Monger

- 36mins. Danny Cowley heads in the opening goal (430KB)
- 61mins. Rikki Burbridge makes the points safe (460KB)

  Teams

Tilbury Glen Johnson Joe Andrews Paul Talbot Lee Hattam Jeff Fox Michael Hart Bobby Port Terry Harris Simon Deakin Danny Mold Keith Wilson SUBS Dave Webster Rob Pudney Jay Izzett Scott Johnson Paul Cobb

- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 * 12 14 15 16 17

AFC Hornchurch Michael Collier Ket Koka-Makitu Paul Golby Gareth Thomas Luke Longman Jordan Bostock (c) Russell Williamson Danny Cowley Lee Springer Rikki Burbridge Terry Everett SUBS Glen Golby   Danny Gill Nicky Cowley Bradley Kite

Man of the Match Nominated by ...

Weather Conditions:  cloudy 13 degrees - wind speed 20mph with gusts to 30mph

Match Duration: First half 45mins 53secs, Second Half 46mins 47secs

Match Officials:
 

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