Essex Senior Cup Semi-Final
Tuesday 30th January 2007
	AFC Hornchurch	3 - 0	Grays Athletic
Fletcher 27', Lee 78' S Parker 79'		H/T 1-0 Att:507

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

Grays Athletic

Fletcher - GOAL	27
	55	OFF - Williamson ON - Petts OFF - Turner ON - Elonga
Collins - OFF Bostock - ON	57
Lee - GOAL	78
S Parker - GOAL	79
Tomlinson - OFF Sadler - ON	85

Match Report by Tony Middleton

Programmes all sold fifteen minutes before kick off, a cup tie atmosphere, Dave Collins in place of Danny Glozier, otherwise unchanged, Garry Cross still out injured. And ex-Welling player Matt Bodkin was in the away line up. Could Urchins pull off the shock of the season? Mark Janney made a good run down the right to start proceedings off, but Grays were well on top in the first twenty minutes, Wareham being put away on the left by Smith, and playing a great ball to Wright, who cut inside and hammered in a vicious shot which Brightly saved brilliantly. Wareham again, on the left, and this time it was Purdie who tackled. Bodkin, found Wright, and he pumped the ball over to Turner, McFarlane dealing easily. And then it was Jamie Southon, running back to tackle when Wareham once again threatened, and Collins intercepted a dangerous cross to concede a corner, which Bodkin took and Robinson’s shot was saved by Brightly.

Urchins stemmed the pressure when Fletcher stopped Bodkin, and fed a through pass up the wing to Janney, who gained 60 yards before Turner managed to get in a last ditch tackle. Up to the other end, and a corner to Grays, Bodkin floating the ball over, McFarlane heading out, and Wareham playing it straight back, only for Purdie to clear. But Urchins were stemming the flow, and Fiddes played a long pass out to Janney, and then to Lee, whose first shot was saved well by Knowles, who did equally well to deal with the second goal bound follow up. Fiddes brought a good save out of Knowles, who was by now beginning to come under some pressure, as a goal began to look inevitable, and the inevitable came about when RON FLETCHER headed home from Janney’s corner. Grays came straight back and Bodkin fired in a shot which came back off the post, Brightly gathering the rebound. Janney created an opening for Fiddes soon after, but Alex mis-hit his shot wide of the goal when well placed. Collins cleared from Bodkin’s corner, and Fiddes played the ball along to Parker, who sent Janney away. A goal looked certain but Knowles made an excellent save to keep his side in contention. Parker to Lee, who hit the shot hard but wide, whilst O’Connor headed over the bar at the other end. Fiddes again, this time his long pass finding Lee, who controlled the ball well but placed his shot narrowly over. A Wareham cross went for a corner, which Bodkin took, and Turner powered in a great header, and Brightly saved, right on the stroke of half time.

At half time Mark Bridge walked away from the Bridge with the £80 fifty fifty jackpot, and Jon Keeling, arguably Urchins’ favourite Urchin, was present, to bring back more than a few memories. Main discussion point was the news of Garry Hill’s on off move to Grays, whilst the packed Grays side of the directors box must have wondered how they could ever get back into a match which was rapidly slipping away from them.

Grays got into a complete muddle at the start of the second half when Turner, under pressure from Lee, mishit a back pass to keeper Knowles, who did well to kick clear. A Janney corner fell to Tomlinson who plied the ball into the middle, where Knowles saved well. and then Wareham’s free kick was powered back upfield by Purdie for Tomlinson to send Parker clear, Knowles saving well. The best chance so far came when Bodkin, out on the right, made ground and swept upfield, cut inside and then screwed his shot inches wide of the far post.

Mawer was booked for a bad challenge on Collins who soon after was replaced by Bostock, who conceded a corner when Bodkin tried to home in. Bodkin took the kick and Turner jumped high but Tomlinson played the ball out, and although the ball was played back in again, Brightly fielded well. a great run by Lee saw him slide the ball out to Parker, who outpaced his marker but hit his shot wide of the goal. And with Urchins putting non stop pressure on the visitors, there followed two goals in 28 seconds. Firstly KRIS LEE took a pass from Janney, turned and hammered the ball home, and then Janney powered down the right, and chipped to SIMON PARKER, who had eluded his marker and in turn neatly chipped the ball home. ‘Can we play you every week’ sang the East Side. ‘Good luck in the final’ said Micky Woodward, and it could have been four when Bostock broke up a move on the right, chipped through to Sadler, who found Lee and Knowles did well to save. Grays almost pulled back a consolation in the last few seconds, Bodkin hitting his shot narrowly over the bar.

And then it was all over, leaving Grays with just the Trophy to concentrate on

Video clips by Rob Monger
- 27mins. Ronnie Fletcher heads us into the lead
- 78mins. Kris Lee puts us further ahead with a wonder strike
- 79mins. Simon Parker puts the result beyond doubt
Post match interview with man of the match Ronnie Fletcher

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch Dale Brightly Ron Fletcher Dave Collins John Purdie (c) Jim McFarlane Andy Tomlinson Alex Fiddes Mark Janney Kris Lee Simon Parker Jamie Southon SUBS Amos Foyewa Ainsley Gasper Billy Crowther Jordan Bostock Dave Sadler

- 1 15 2 20 3 17 4 26 5 12 6 24 7 27 8 8 9 18 10 37 11 14 * 12 GK 14 36 15 39 16 40 17 16

Grays Athletic Danny Knowles Cam Mawer (c) Jay Smith John Turner Tom Williamson Mark Wright Vincent Fernandez Aaron O'Connor Matt Bodkin Anton Robinson Dave Wareham SUBS Daniel Spendlove Luke Woodward Jamie Petts Milton Elonga Pierre J-Dubois

Man of the Match Nominated by Sir Gary Hall Ron Fletcher

Weather Conditions:  5 degrees - wind speed zero

Match Officials: Simon Essex with Michael Smith and Graham Atkins

Match duration: First half 47mins 15secs. Second half 48mins 15secs
 

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