Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 19th August 2006
	Enfield Town	1 - 2	AFC Hornchurch
Hammett 59'		H/T 0-1 Att: 371	Cross 37', Janney (pen) 53'

Match Highlights

Enfield Town

AFC Hornchurch

	37	GOAL - Cross
	45	OFF - A Parker ON - Wareham
John - BOOKED	52
	53	GOAL - Janney (pen)
Velandia - OF Mackey - ON	55
Hammett - GOAL	59
Campbell - OFF Caicedo - ON Smith - OFF Highes - ON	68
	73	OFF - S Parker ON - Holland
	79	OFF - Lee ON - Burbridge
	83	BOOKED - Burbridge

Match Report by Tony Middleton
 

The last time the Urchins won on the opening day of the season was way back in pre-historic times – fourteen years ago – but the main talking point prior to the match was just who would be in the squad today. We soon found out, and it was John Purdie to led the new look Urchins out onto a bumpy and in parts threadbare pitch. The strong wind had an adverse affect on the Urchins flag behind the goal, as it was erected upside down at the first attempt, but with over 150 Urchins in the ground there was no lack of support on the terraces – it would have been on the terraces had there been any, so technically it was along the sides and only on the terraces behind one goal.

A slow start to the match, with both teams experiencing difficulties with the swirling wind and the bumpy and uneven pitch, but the pattern of play soon emerged – Urchins coming forward, and the home team defending. A Janney flick almost reached Simon Parker, only for Tickner to intercept, and then the first real moment of danger, when Lee touched a short pass back to Adam Parker, to played the ball across to the right for Fletcher, whose run ended when Smith tackled to concede a corner, which Glozier came across to take, but he played the ball far too deep and it ran out of play on the far side. Lee was next to break through and he was promptly stopped by Tickner, resulting in a free kick for the Urchins. From Janney’s flighted kick, Adam Parker stole in and glanced his headed just a fraction wide of the post.

And then it was Simon Parker, wearing his lucky headband, on the left and he picked out Adam Parker, who homed in but slipped as he was about to shoot, leaving a relieved John to gather the ball. By this time Simon Parker had been down on the ground so many times that even Danny Cowley would be envious, but he almost found the net with his next touch, a low ground shot that had John scrambling to save at the foot of the post.

And then, sensation, Enfield Town won a corner with their first move of the match. Urchins failed to pick up Tickner to came upfield late, but he was just unable to get his head to Velanda’s slightly overhit corner. Back at the far end, and it was Simon Cross who fed a magnificent pass out to Adam Parker on the left, only for the offside flag to be raised, a decision which did not go down well with the travelling support. Mark Janney needed lengthy treatment following which he resumed without a number of his back, and it was the numberless Janney who began to take the home defence apart. Yet another free kick, and Adam Parker slipped the ball out to Janney whose cross was diverted out for a corner by Smith. Glozier took the corner and again flighted the ball too long and it went out of play. Down went Simon Parker yet again, as he raced on to a Bostock pass, and from Adam Parker’s free kick , Janney went away on the right, his cross being turned around the post by John. Glozier this time took a short corner, to Janney but everyone in the middle missed the ball as it came over..

At last the goal came, and it was GARRY CROSS the scorer, with a penetrating run down the middle, followed by a shot hard and low past the keeper. You’re not singing any more, sang the Urchins – not too sure why as the home crowd had not been singing anyway. A minute later it could have been two, for Simon Parker was again away, his shot being parried by John, the ball rolling back to Simon Parker, who turned it out to Janney, whose centred reached Kris Lee, whose header was touched over the bar. Janney with the corner, out on the left, and John just managed to flick the ball over for another corner. Glozier this time on the right and John grabbed the inswinging ball under the bar. Another free kick, up went Adam Parker and he was left prone on the ground, on the six yard line, with what appeared to have been a head butt with an elbow. No action from the officials, but loud and angry protests from behind the goal, and the linesman was left in no doubt as to what some of the Urchins players thought, whilst the Enfield player involved stood innocently 30 yards away. The only action taken was to ask the Town player to wipe the blood off his elbow.

Adam Parker resumed wearing a head bandage but was soon replaced by Ross Wareham. Shortly before half time, Simon Parker dispossessed Tickner, who was being loudly booed, and fed a first time pass to Cross, whose shot was blocked and the ball rebounded to Janney, who played it instantly back to Cross, whose shot went just past the post.

At half time the crowd was announced as 371, which brought a shout of delight from one Urchins supporter, until his wife pointed out to him that it was the attendance being called out and not the winning raffle ticket number.

‘Here come the Town’, said the announcer as the teams came out for the second half, ‘there’s extra work to do, but we’re gonna do it.’ This brought a chant of ‘Are you Enfield in disguise’?

Wareham, out on the left, was soon in action, taking a pass from Southon’s well placed headed clearance but being stopped by Campbell as he homed in on goal. At the other end, Town won a corner, but the ball was overhit – in all six corners from that side of the pitch were hit far too hard across goal – and then Fletcher made ground on the right, and put Lee away. Lee turned inside of Ticker, found Simon Parker, and Jerome John did well to save at his feet. Velanda at the other end set up Black from a corner kick, but the shot was saved by Brightly who for the most part had not had a great deal to do. Goal number two soon came – Fletcher started the move, laying a cross pass out to Glozier, who played the ball upfield for Simon Parker, who raced goalwards, rounded John, and was brought down – penalty, unquestionably, red card, well not in this league it seems, just a yellow, but it made little difference, as MARK JANNEY neatly slotted the penalty home low to the keeper’s left.

A minute later and it could have been three, Janney out on the right, and his pin point centre found Cross, only for John to make yet another excellent save. Janney, now with a number on his back again, this time running on to Purdie’s pass, after Bostock had broken up a home attack, and his centre found Lee, who touched the ball to Wareham, and John did well to save the low shot at full stretch.. Brightly got into the act with an enormous upfield kick which saw Simon Parker striding clear, and he was pulled down by the last player, with the referee incredibly allowing play to continue. Another long kick by Brightly and Lee played the ball back to Simon Parker, and thence out to Wareham, and the shot went wide.

With Urchins totally dominant, the match then changed dramatically with the appearance of James Mackey as substitute, as his first pass found BRYAN HAMMATT whose piledriver of a shot screamed into the net. Travelling supporters, please note that the announcer gave out the wrong scorer.

Town came back strongly and a Hunt cross from a corner found Black, whose header was saved by Brightly, with Bostock completing the clearance. Purdie came upfield, Magona missed his tackle and Lee was away, but a great opportunity was lost when the ball bobbled on the uneven surface and Lee miskicked, the ball being gathered by a grateful John, grateful both for the relatively easy save, and grateful for still being on the pitch. Back at the other end a corner kick swerved onto the inside of the post, Southon whipping it away upfield, whilst a Fletcher free kick then found Janney, who sent Simon Parker away, and down he went again, play continuing. Janney was fouled by Mackey and from the free kick the ball was touched to Ronnie Fletcher who cut inside but Smith tackled to concede a corner. Back to the other end, as play swung back and forth and Caicedo’s corner was played short to Black, and Brightly turned his shot out for another corner. Caicedo took the kick again and Crace thundered in a shot which hit the bar.

Urchins brought on Billy Holland and Rikki Burbridge and the Town threat was virtually over, as they again had to concentrate on defence. Holland hammered a shot inches wide from a Janney free kick, and then Burbridge was harshly booked as he raced after a long pass from Southon and reached the ball at the same time as Adam Gant. Janney yet again, through to Holland, who was away like a rocket past Tickner, but offside was given. There was still time for Caicedo to overhit a corner, and then there was almost another Urchins goal, when Holland shielded the ball and laid it out to Cross, but John saved once again. A Burbridge shot was well saved by John, and in stoppage time Brightly fielded Town’s final chance, a free kick by Caicedo.

So, fourteen years on, and at last the Urchins have won on the first day of the season. Player of the match? Good performances all round, with Mark Janney being particularly outstanding, with John Purdie, Ron Fletcher and Jordan Bostock looking sound in defence.

Video clips by Rob Monger

- 37mins. Garry Cross scores the opener
- 53mins. Mark Janney makes it 2-0 from the spot
- 59mins. Enfield's Bryan Hammett pulls a goal back

  Teams

Enfield Town Jerome John Paul Campbell Lee Smith Adam Gant Simon Tickner Steve McGona Steve Velandia Michael Black Ricci Crace Bryan Hammett (c) Dave Hunt SUBS Jamie Mackey John Caicedo Dean Nyman Gary Fitzgerald Neil Highes

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

AFC Hornchurch Dale Brightly Ronnie Fletcher Danny Glozier John Purdie (c) Jordan Bostock Adam Parker Garry Cross Mark Janney Kris Lee Simon Parker Jamie Southon SUBS Billy Holland Ross Wareham Rikki Burbridge Greg Tiffin Andy Tomlinson

Man of the Match Nominated by ...

Weather Conditions:  20 degrees - sunny - wind speed gusting up to 15mph

Match Officials: Simon Long with Michael Mackey and Jamie Baxter

Match Duration: First half 47mins 9secs. Second half 47mins 43secs
 

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