FA Cup Preliminary Round
Saturday 2nd September 2006
	Biggeslwade United	2 - 4	AFC Hornchurch
O'Dell 30', Goldsmith 49'		H/T 1-1 Att:	Janney 38' (pen), 64', Lee 47' Cross 55'

Match Highlights

Biggleswade United

AFC Hornchurch

O'Dell - GOAL	30
	33	GOAL - Janney (pen)
	47	GOAL - Lee
Goldsmith - GOAL	49
	55	GOAL - Cross
	64	MISSED PEN - Janney
	64	GOAL - Janney
Catmur - OFF Newton - ON	66
	75	OFF - Sadler ON - Wareham
Stillwell - OFF Manning - ON	83
	84	OFF - Lee ON - Thomas

Match Report by Tony Middleton

With injuries to Adam and Simon Parker carried over from the Aveley match, Greg Tiffin returned to the starting line up, whilst Dave Sadler was in the starting line up for the first time, with both Gareth Thomas and Ainsley Gasper coming into the squad for the first time this season. Urchins were well supported, with over 300 making the trip up the A1. Admission was £4 although this appeared to be optional, as there was free entry via the public footpath at the side of the ground, whilst anyone using the car park alongside the river found that they could simply walk into the ground via the old Biggleswade Town ground.

Heavy rain in the morning had left the ground fairly soft, and a gale force wind was blowing straight downfield. Urchins won the toss and chose to kick with the wind in their backs, but this meant they were playing uphill as the pitch had a noticeable slope towards the river end of the ground. By start time the grandstand and terracing was packed to capacity, and 300 Urchins were left speechless when Buchanen cut in from the right in the first minute and forced Brightly to make an excellent save at the foot of the post. Urchins quickly came back, Lee playing the ball to Janney on the hedge side of the ground, and from Mark’s cross Stillwell could only play it back to the wing, and Janney crossed to Lee, whose header was tipped over by Bull for a corner. Janney floated the ball over, Lee shot, back came the ball off a defender on the line, and it was promptly hit into the net, but the goal was disallowed .

Tiffin got into the action, breaking up a home move and laying a pass out to Sadler, whose shot went for a corner, which Janney took and Catmur headed away. Then it was Sadler, out on the left, who teed up a perfect ball for Lee, but Kris miskicked and sliced the ball wide with only Bull to beat. A Glozier free kick saw Bull beat Lee to the high cross, and then a quick throw out by Brightly to Fletcher saw him play the ball upfield to Sadler, who ran through but his lobbed shot went wide. Plenty of chances, but poor finishing, and Urchins nearly paid the price when Goldsmith was allowed to run through the middle, his shot being beaten away by Brightly. Then Goldsmith again, picking up O’Dell, who hesitated too long and was crowded out by McFarlane and Bostock.

Janney gained possession inside his own half and made a long run down the right wing, before playing the ball in to Cross, whose shot went into the side netting. And then Biggleswade went ahead. Goldsmith took a free kick about ten yards inside the Urchins half, and the ball was played low towards goal, where ROBBIE O’DELL flicked it past Brightly and into the net. At first it appeared it had gone into the side netting, and it was only when the two Biggleswade supporters packed behind the home goal jumped up and down in ululation that the majority of the crowd realised it was a goal. The scorer was mobbed, and the ground stunned into silence.

This woke the Urchins up, and within seconds Janney almost found the net, with Bull fumbling the shot and grabbing it at the second attempt. Tiffin came upfield, won the ball and slotted it through to Sadler, whose first time flick had Bull making yet another fine save. The onslaught continued and Lee was fouled inside the area, and up stepped MARK JANNEY to score from the penalty. Urchins began to press strongly, Sadler was crowded out as he tried to find an opening, the ball running back to Tiffin with Bull saving. Southon came up, Bull saved again, then Bostock, Lee and Janney all combined, with Lee winning a corner, which Janney put behind as the wind picked up in intensity. Janney found Lee with a good centre, but a massed defence held firm. Fletcher made fifty yards through the middle but could not get a shot in as once again the defence in depth paid dividends, and almost on half time McFarlane headed over from Janney’s free kick.

At half time, the wind grew stronger, coming all the way down the A1 from the north and sweeping into the ground, and it did not look promising for the Urchins. The locals explained that by their standards, this was merely a gentle breeze, and they were also keen to point out that their one time neighbours, Biggleswade Town, no longer played in Biggleswade, leaving United as the undisputed number ones. The east side, stationed on the north side of the ground, sang Hedgeside give us a song, but got no reply.

Urchins came out at full speed, and went ahead when Sadler made a good run, laying a pass out to Tiffin on the left, and Greg played the perfect pass to KRIS LEE, the goal being greeted with such a volume of noise that the people shopping at nearby Sainsbury’s ran for cover. This was it, the opening of the floodgates, but no it wasn’t. A controversial incident almost on the half way line saw Dickie Harper out on the pitch, whilst home captain Jackson was somewhat fortunate to escape a card. The free kick was awarded to United, and the ball was pumped deep into the penalty area. Up jumped WAYNE GOLDSMITH, the ball looped high into the air, and completely fooled Brightly, dropping under the bar for the equaliser, with the scorer again being mobbed, whilst howls of delight came from the handful of home supporters.

Urchins however did not look even remotely like losing. Sadler played Janney through and Mark went down inside the area under a heavy tackle, though the referee allowed play to continue, and Tiffin dispossessed Stillwell and forced Bull into a fine save, at the expense of a corner. Glozier took the kick and McFarlane headed wide. A goal simply had to follow, with United by now struggling to maintain the pace, and it was GARRY CROSS who started the move, collecting a poor clearance, and laying an inch perfect pass out to Lee, and then Cross finished the move with a hard low shot into the net.

Biggleswade were now confined to the occasional breakaway though Stillwell hit a good shot from 30 yards which Brightly saved, whilst Urchins almost went further ahead when Cross found Lee and Bull saved at full stretch. Buchanen then made a good run on the left and his chip eluded Brightly but went over bar. And then it was four – a complex build up involving Cross, Southon, Sadler and Tiffin saw Janney move along the wing, and from his centre the ball went out to Tiffin on the far side, and from Greg’s attempted cross, a defender handled, and up stepped MARK JANNEY for his second penalty of the match. Bull dived to save, but Janney followed up to score.

A Janney free kick was played short to Fletcher who returned the pass to Janney and the cross found Lee, whose header was saved brilliantly by Bull, who shortly afterwards saved in a similar manner, this time from Sadler. Stillwell then sent a good pass to Newton who brought a good save out of Brightly at the other end, and then Janney’s free kick was headed over by McFarlane. Gareth Thomas made a good run, laying a pass ahead of Cross, who found Janney, whose centre was headed narrowly wide by Wareham. Biggleswade tried hard to get another goal, with home keeper Bull joining in the action upfield and then playing almost on the half way line as a sweeper. Their persistence almost brought a consolation goal, when English’s free kick dipped alarmingly and Brightly tipped the ball over the bar.

A good win, and a convincing win, after a few worries in the first half. For Biggleswade, Michael Scarisbrook was outstanding, although keeper Dean Bull contributed greatly in keeping the score down. For Urchins, once again a good all round performance, with Garry Cross being dominant thoughout. For Biggleswade a record crowd, even if a lot of them did get in for free.

  Teams

Biggleswade United Dean Bull Nick Stillwell Michael Scarisbrook Sam Brown Simon Catmur Danny Bennett Gary Jackson (c) Stuart English Robbie O'Dell Wayne Goldsmith Graeme Buchanen SUBS Derek Newton Shane Harnett Dan Manning Andy North Bobby Smith

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

AFC Hornchurch Dale Brightley Ronnie Fletcher Danny Glozier Jordan Bostock Jim McFarlane (c) Greg Tiffin Garry Cross Mark Janney Kris Lee Dave Sadler Jamie Southon SUBS Ross Wareham Adam Parker Elliot Styles Gareth Thomas Ainsley Gasper

Man of the Match Nominated by ...

Weather Conditions:  17 degrees. Wind speed gale force up to 40mph

Match Duration: First half 46mins 25secs. Second half 48mins 3secs

Match Officials: Olixandra Sally with Mark Glading and David George
 

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