Gordon Brasted Trophy Quarter Final
Tuesday 10th January 2006
	AFC Hornchurch	1 - 0	London APSA
Burbridge 6'		H/T 1-0 Att:211

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

London APSA

Burbridge - GOAL	6
Sontag - BOOKED	72
Longman - OFF Philip - ON	87
Heale - OFF Drake - ON	90+7
	90+13	BOOKED - Mokechan

Match Report by Tony Middleton

Nicky Cowley was absent with an ankle injury and Danny Cowley had flu, whilst both Steve King and Luke Longman returned after illness. Rikki Burbridge was in the starting line up, whilst Timmy Hambley took over as captain in the enforced absence of Jordan Bostock. Danny Heale got Urchins off to a good start when his overhead kick reached Holland on the left and he touched the ball back to Thomas, the resulting cross being cleared by Shah. A Thomas pass then gave Daniel Rafis a worrying moment, before he turned the ball out for the first corner of the match, and Tiffin’s low inswinging kick was cleared off the line by Elms. With Urchins dominant, Tiffin played a neat through ball up to Holland, who, under pressure from Patel, hit his shot just over the bar. At this point Craig Dennis accidentally switched the lights out, as he left the gym, leaving the terracing without lights and the tannoy without sound, with Jon Smith wondering where on earth the tannoy supply had gone. APSA’s first attack stemmed from Mokechan, who found Daniel Rafis running in onto goal, and his shot was deflected by King for a corner, which Saue took and which King header powerfully upfield, and Hambley quickly played the ball out to Tiffin, took the return and fed it back again. Tiffin’s centred was almost casually touched home by RIKKI BURBRIDGE for what turned out to be the only goal of the match. Somewhat belatedly the goal was announced when the power came back on.

Urchins should have increased their lead when Thomas sent Heale through, and Adam Rafis rushed out to save at his feet. Then Heale slid the ball through to King, moving upfield on the right, but the resultant cross ball was neither a shot nor a pass and the ball drifted out of play. APSA nearly scored a spectacular own goal when a defensive slice had Adam Rafis punching the ball wildly out of play, and Heale headed over from Longman’s corner. Michael Collier got briefly into the picture, his long upfield kick finding Holland, whose show was turned over the bar by Adam Rafis for a corner, which Longman played short, took the return, but his hard and low cross was blocked by Chuck.

With the East Side in full falsetto voice, in answer to the deep baritone vibrations from the Riverside, Holland was suitably encouraged to launch a solo run, ending with a shot which went wide, and this was followed by a Greg Tiffin corner, which went begging across goal. APSA surprised everyone with a break away when Chuck raced clear following a defensive slip and Collier turned the shot around the post, the corner being headed out by King to Hambley, who was fouled but carried on to glide the ball in front of Holland, with Adam Rafis saving well. Burbridge then touched a short pass in front of Holland whose final shot was weak and the ball was easily saved. Burbridge gained possession in midfield and set off on a long run and his shot was fumbled by Adam Rafis, with Petal hammering the ball away to safety. A wild back pass beat Adam Rafis but went out for a corner, taken by Tiffin and Chuck came back to clear the ball as it came over, whilst Sontag moved up on the left and crossed, but Heale miskicked in front of goal.

Saue, whose mega-Afro is no more, won a corner on the left, and Dakri’s centre was headed out by King, with Thomas completing the clearance. Golby tackled well when Saue threatened to break clear and his pass found King, who played the ball long to Tiffin on the right. Tiffin sent the ball at the first bounce into the middle, where Burbridge chested it down, turned, and his shot was saved by the diving Adam Rafis, who palmed the ball out for a corner, which Tiffin took, and though the ball was over hit, King returned it into the goalmouth where Elms headed away. Almost on half time Tiffin’s quick throw found Heale, who turned and shot, but Patel had dropped back to cover and was able to clear.

At half time, about the only question was how many should it have been, and who was the Urchins supporter wearing the Burberry coat? Second half started well, with Burbridge sending an excellent pass inside to Holland, who turned, and then hooked in a great shot which was off target. Hambley, playing an inspired game as captain, sent Sontag away on the left , and his low cross was only part cleared by Hughes, back to Sontag who this time chipped the ball in front of Holland, with Adam Rafis racing out of goal to save at Holland’s feet. Golby found Sontag with a neat pass and Patel kicked the ball out for a corner, which Tiffin had to wait ten minutes and 24 seconds to take, as the linesman was limping badly and a replacement was called for – fortunately the tannoy was working again. Over came the corner, and APSA survived a loud hand ball appeal, before Hughes touched the ball out of play and Tiffin crossed over to take another corner on the left, which King headed on to Heale, whose shot was well saved by Adam Rafis. Thomas and Golby then combined to sent Longman clear, his centre being hammered hard over the bar by Burbridge.

APSA then took advantage of a King slip in midfield which allowed Hughes a chance but Thomas covered, and then King lost possession to Saue who raced clear, but hit the ball high over goal as Collier advanced rapidly. King then needed treatment following a tackle and from Longman’s free kick King headed goalwards, where Adam Rafis saved. Golby played Holland though and he cut in from the left but his hard cross beat everyone and ran out of play. Hambley intercepted from Daniel Rafis’ upfield pass and Timmy moved along the left wing, before switching play to the right where Tiffin ran in and hit the ball first time, the shot going wide of the post. Holland to Heale, who chipped the keeper only for Hughes to clear off the line, for a corner, and Longman’s kick was met by Hambley with Elms doing well to prevent the ball going into the net.

Dakri angered the East Side when Sontag was booked, Dakri’s ironic bow to the crowd not being well received, but the yellow card was waved despite protests from several of the Urchins team that the APSA player had dived, Hughes took the free kick, to loud booing, and Burbridge hammered the ball away. Sontag then sped down the left wing, and passed to Heale, who quickly played the ball on to Holland, whose shot was too high. Holland then ran clear, drew Adam Rafis, but then hit the shot straight at the keeper. Saue, outstanding as he invariably is against Urchins, then rounded Sontag and found the popular Dakri in a shooting position, with Collier turning the ball out. From the corner Hughes, unmarked and in front of goal, headed wide.

Nathan Philip, on for Longman, moved up the right, found Tiffin, whose hard drive was well saved by Adam Rafis, touching the ball out, and Tiffin’s corner was touched on by Drake, on for Heale, to King, who nodded the ball on to Holland, whose overhead kick was spectacular but just too high. Saue tried a long range shot but it lacked power, and then Collier punted the ball up for Drake to race through the middle, where Shah pulled him back. It had to be a red card. No, the referee waved play on. With the jeers of derision still sounding, Hambley immediately gained possession and sent Nathan Philip racing through the middle, where he was pulled back by Mokechan. It had to be a red this time, there was no other possible decision. Yes there was, it was a yellow, waved to a background of noise from the East Side. The final whistle went immediately the free kick was taken.

Video Highlights by Rob Monger

- 6mins. Rikki Burbridge gives us an early lead (690KB)

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch Michael Collier Luke Longman Lee Sontag Glen Golby Steve King Gareth Thomas Greg Tiffin Timmy Hambley (c) Billy Holland Danny Heale Rikki Burbridge SUBS Nathan Philip Paul Golby Charlie Bull Billy Drake Rhys Madden

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

London APSA Adam Rafis Fahim Shah Antony Chuck Daniel Rafis John Elms Kelly Hughes (c) Reza Saue Mohammed Dakri Luke Pain Neil Mokechan Imran Patel SUBS Hastings Banda Daryl Gannon Daniel Higley   Zabir Ibrahim

Man of the Match Nominated by Warmbrite Gareth Thomas

Weather Conditions:  6 degrees and cloudy. Wind gusting up to 15mph

Match Officials: Wade Norcott with Gareth Spicer and Laurie Mallyon

Match duration: First half 46mins 33secs. Second half 58mins 20secs
 

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