Westview Essex Senior League
Tuesday 4th April 2006
	AFC Hornchurch	1 - 0	Sawbridgeworth Town
Holland 78'		H/T 0-0 Att:272

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

Sawbridgeworth Town

Springer - BOOKED	19
G Golby - BOOKED	37
	45	BOOKED - Hayter
P Golby - OFF Baldwin - ON	56
Makitu - SENT OFF	73
Heale - OFF Hayes - ON	75
Holland - GOAL	78
Hayes - BOOKED	90+1

Match Report by Tony Middleton
 

Urchins took the field for their last home match of the season with an unbeaten run of 19 matches, and with 20 clean sheets. Sawbridgeworth took the field without their captain, Chris Dorrian, who had pulled a muscle in the pre-match warm up, substitute Danny Crook coming into the starting line up. It was a much changed starting line up for Urchins, with six changes made from the previous match, and with Steve Baldwin making his squad debut. Jordan Bostock returned to the team after his extremely long suspension.

Urchins kicked towards the clubhouse end of the ground, and made a slow start, and found that the visiting defence was well drilled, with Pike dominant in the middle. Danny Cowley took two free kicks inside a minute – and a lot more were to follow – the first of which was headed out by Szajwaski, whose name had a different spelling in the first match, and the second was headed over by Glen Golby. Urchins won a corner, which Heale floated over and Pike headed out for a corner on the other side of the pitch. Springer played the corner short to Nicky Cowley, whose first time cross into the goalmouth was headed away by Lund. Heale had a half chance and was brought down by Crook, and Danny Cowley’s third free kick of the night was a vicious drive from 30 yards which came back off the stanchion of the goal.

And then a first for the season – two cormorants flew over the ground, at great speed. Danny Cowley was in action again for another free kick, but hit the ball too long into the middle and Glen Golby was unable to reach it before it went out of play. Smith played in a good free kick from near the half way line which Glen Golby headed away, and Nicky Cowley promptly won the ball and played it quickly through to Heale, whose run was halted by an offside flag. Lee Springer was booked for a tackle which never looked remotely bookable and Smith hit the free kick wide of the goal, and then Pike moved forward for the visitors to send in a long free kick which Hickman held easily.

Paul Golby took a neat pass from Bostock, turned quickly and fed Heale, and he touched it back to Dennis, whose dangerous cross came to nothing, the flag being elevated to indicate offside. A Danny Cowley free kick, his sixth of the match saw Holland turn and hook in an excellent shot which clipped the bar, being deflected by a defender out for a corner. Springer took the kick, and Pike headed out for a follow up corner, which Springer swerved across, and Danny Cowley went close with a full length diving header. Springer was thwarted by Smith’s illegal challenge and from yet another Danny Cowley free kick O’Neil grabbed the ball at the second attempt, with Holland moving in rapidly. Paul Golby, playing further upfield than normal, hit a hard drive across goal, and Bostock played Holland through, with Szajwaski and Hammink combining to block the shot. Smith, a favourite with the Eastside, embarked on a good run, which Glen Golby covered well, and Ket Makitu then played Holland clear on the right, but Szajwaski tackled well to clear.

O’Neil did well to punch away a long throw that dropped invitingly amid a crowd of players in the goalmouth, and Dennis sent in a hard shot which skimmed the bar, and then Nicky Cowley was fouled by Hammick as he went through, Danny’s free kick rebounding out to Ket Makitu, whose pass was too far forward for Springer to reach. With the visiting goal under pressure, a long throw from Glen Golby saw O’Neil kick clear, and another throw into the middle ended with an excellent shot which Bullock cleared from off the line, with most of the crowd thinking the ball was over the line. Makitu was victim of a bad tackle by Hayter and Danny Cowley picked out Dennis with the free kick. Pike attempted to pass the ball back to O’Neil and the keeper had to kick wildly away as Holland zoomed in on goal.

At half time it was tea and insults as per usual in the shop, where the general opinion was that Urchins were totally dominant in the first half, but that the visitors were resilient in defence, and were occasionally looking dangerous up front, though they had failed to get in a direct shot at goal. But would Urchins score? They had threatened, one was cleared off the line, one hit the bar, but none had gone in.

Urchins made a much more positive start to the second half, Springer playing Holland through and he weaved past two defenders, before a third touched the ball out for a corner, although a goal kick was awarded. A Danny Cowley free kick was back headed over the bar by Holland, and Craig Dennis then sent an excellent through pass to Springer, with strong appeals for hands being ignored as a defender tried to take the lace out of the ball, and Springer continued and was bundled over – no foul said the referee. On came Steve Baldwin for his debut, his first touch being a throw in to Springer. Steve is not eligible to play in either of the finals, as the regulations require a player to have had two matches prior to the semi final. Yes, Urchins have only been in the league for one season, but they know the rules.

The visiting number eleven, listed as R. Steve on the team sheet, but listed as Steve Robins in the first match, almost caught Hickman by surprise when he moved on to a defensive lapse, but there was no power in the shot. Urchins still threatened only spasmodically but a nice touch to Makitu created an opening, with Lund cutting across to tackle. Heale then showed excellent control with two defenders crowding him out, and he twisted and turned to put over a pin point cross which reach Holland who went close with his header. Danny Cowley took a free kick on the edge of the area and hit his shot a fraction too high, and Springer and Heale then combined to set up Holland, with O’Neil saving well.

Ket was left in agony on the ground after a terrible tackle by Hayter which many thought merited a straight red, but which the referee chose to ignore. Ket was scarcely back on the pitch, when a linesman waved his flag wildly for nearly half a minute before the referee noticed it. After a brief discussion, Ket was called over and shown a red card, for apparent retaliation, which, had the referee taken a firm grip just seconds earlier, would never have been needed. The injured player, R. Steve, (as listed), made a miraculous recovery and was able to continue. Down to ten, and with the Eastside chanting ‘the referee’s a waster’ (it sounded something like that), McAteer (listed as Macatter on the visiting team sheet), tried to take advantage with a rapid run on the left into the hole left by Ket, but Hickman went racing yards outside his area to power the ball upfield, where Swajwaski turned it into a Dracula ball. And then at last – justice was done – and needless to say it started with a free kick by Danny Cowley, to Nicky, whose header was punted upfield, and the ball was immediately hit back again, and BILLY HOLLAND raced in to lob the keeper. And that’s why the Urchins are champions – they know when to score, how to score and how to overcome adversity.

Springer won the ball but was pulled back by a free kick, and Holland then sent Springer away, but offside was flagged. A Danny Cowley free kick was well held by O’Neil, whilst a Nicky Cowley pass to Holland was ruled offside. The player of the match was announced as Craig Dennis, the sponsor being one-in-the-tree – there were also two in the river and three in the gardens. Holland then went racing through and appeared to be scythed down by a mistimed Swajwaski tackle, but no action was taken presumably as the referee was unable to spell his name. Sawbridgeworth threatened when ‘R. Steve ‘ crossed, and Pike just missed the ball as he flung himself at it, and Matt Hayes then went close at the other end, and then almost on time Holland sent Hayes clear and he lobbed the keeper but the ball went over the bar.

Twenty games unbeaten, 21 clean sheets, champions, but credit to Sawbridgeworth for not giving up.

What is a Dracula ball? – it’s one which gets hit into the gardens behind the stand and which sometimes comes back with a stake through its heart.

Video Highlights by Rob Monger

- 78mins. Billy Holland scores the winner (590KB)

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch John Hickman Ket Koka-Makitu Craig Dennis Glen Golby Lee Springer Jordan Bostock Nicky Cowley (c) Danny Cowley Billy Holland Danny Heale Paul Golby SUBS Greg Tiffin Matt Hayes Rikki Burbridge Steve Baldwin Michael Collier

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

Sawbridgeworth Town Shaun O'Neill Danny Crook Stefan Szajewski M Lund G Pike Paul Hammick Tony Smith M Hayter C Bullock Dan McAteer Steve Robbins SUBS J Day R Longley Greg Hughes

Man of the Match Nominated by and 1 in the tree Craig Dennis

Weather Conditions:  Clear. 7 degrees at start, dropping to 3 degrees at finish

Match Officials: Bernard Morss with Jeremy Mott and Roger Nutbrown

Match duration: First half 47mins 14secs. Second half 48mins 32secs
 

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