Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 17th February 2007
	Enfield	1 - 3	AFC Hornchurch
Standen 61' (pen)		H/T 0-2 Att:166	McFarlane 25', Gasper 36' Fiddes 68'

Match Highlights

Enfield

AFC Hornchurch

	25	GOAL - McFarlane
	36	GOAL - Gasper
Thomas - BOOKED	53
Sanuga - OFF Hughes - ON	57
Standen (pen) - GOAL	61
Judge - OFF Young - ON	64
	68	GOAL - Fiddes
	69	OFF - Cross ON - Tomlinson
	74	OFF - Sadler ON - Collins
	80	OFF - Gasper ON - Oakley
Thomas - SENT OFF	84

Match Report by Tony Middleton

Injuries, suspension and unavailability meant that it was an unusual starting line up at a well sanded Ware FC, delays on the M11 and closure of the M25 junction with the A10 meant that whatever route was taken, it was not going to be straightforward, and many Urchins arrived only just in time for the kick off, as did the travelling Enfield support.

Urchins kicked off, down the slope, into what would have been the setting sun had the cloud not come across at that moment, but it was Dale Brightly who was first in the action, punching away a long swerving free kick from Beale. Urchins created a good chance soon after when Southon fed Fiddes who turned the ball inside to Cross, whose shot skimmed the post. Sadler almost broke through but was fouled by Sonuga, and Glozier hit the free kick over the wall but wide of the post. Foyewa was operating out on the right and he sent in a perfect pass to Gasper, playing at centre forward, who in turn touched the ball low to Sadler, who was tackled by Gilbert. Gilbert was commanding in the middle, winning most of the balls in the air, but he then mistimed a tackle on Gasper to concede a free kick ten yards outside the area. Cross stepped up, but with the pitch sloping steeply at this point, he put his shot too high and over the bar.

Enfield were struggling to stay in contention and they conceded another free kick, which Glozier took and Gilbert headed away upfield, only for another free kick to be conceded. Glozier took the kick, played it short, ran forward to take the return out on the left wing, and sent over a well flighted ball, and JIM McFARLANE headed home, for his sixth goal of the season. Enfield came back quickly, and Brightly did well when he had to rush way out of his area to kick away when Stander found himself clear, whilst a 30 yard shot from Thomas lacked power and Brightly gathered easily. Glozier then sent a good pass over to Sadler, who controlled a very difficult bouncing ball, and forced Daley into making a very good save, and then Gasper linked with Sadler, who cut inside from the left and hammered in a hard shot which went inches the wrong side of the post. Urchins were well on top, and Oslin mistimed a tackle on Foyewa, whose speed was causing the home side a lot of problems, and Foyewa took the kick, finding Southon, whose pass into the goalmouth was headed out by Lancaster. The ball was quickly played to Sadler, out on the left wing, and he made ground, and laid the ball back neatly into the middle, where AINSLEY GASPER finished off.

From a Foyewa corner McFarlane again went close with a header (what else?), the keeper diving full length to turn the ball out. Amos trotted over to the other side of the pitch to take the corner, and this time it was Sadler who rose well, the ball going just wide of the post. Almost on half time, Cross picked out Gasper who powered through the middle and hammered in a shot which skimmed the bar.

‘I like this place’ said Sir Gary, ‘full of nice birds’. He was of course referring to the huge flock of rooks and jackdaws swarming overhead, or even to the blackbirds singing in the bushes outside. A nice gesture from some Enfield followers who said to the visiting officials that Hornchurch are far and away the best team they have played this season. An unusual feature was that there was a supporters’ shop open – unusual because it was the Ware FC shop and not Enfield’s.

No changes at the interval, apart from the Urchins army, who had changed ends. It was Enfield, kicking down the slope away from the wheeling rooks, who made the early pace, with Brightly having to punch away a corner which swerved dangerously towards goal. And then followed an excellent save at the other end, when Cross made a long penetrating run, his hard shot being palmed over the bar by Daley for a corner, which Foyewa took and McFarlane almost reached. With Enfield more confident, they pulled a goal back when Hughes made a good run to send Beale away, and from his low cross, Southon just failed to clear and the ball reached Thomas, who was brought down by a mistimed tackle. Up stepped MARTIN STANDER to take the penalty, and his shot hit the post, bounced over Brightly, and just crept into the net at the other side of the goal.

Enfield looked dangerous when Thomas cut inside from the left, but Fletcher tackled well, to send Foyewa away on the left. Amos, well inside his own half, made ground, took the ball past two players and then homed in on goal. With Sadler unmarked in the middle, Amos instead hit in a hard shot and Daley made yet another good save, touching the ball away for a corner, which Amos took and Gilbert headed away.

Urchins regained their composure and it was Amos who created the third goal with a long run on the right, and he turned the ball hard into the middle, where Sadler touched on for ALEX FIDDES to finish off. Enfield went upfield from the restart and had the ball in the net, but the flag was up for offside. Tomlinson came on, for Cross, and it was his pass to Gasper which Ainsley flicked on to Sadler whose shot was deflected out by Senuga for a corner, which Foyewa again took, and McFarlane once again headed goalwards, where Daley made a remarkable save on the goalline.

Another Amos corner was headed away by the impressive Gilbert, and Collins, on for Sadler, sent Foyewa away once again, with Lancaster tackling. Enfield’s Dean Thomas was shown the red card for a second bookable offence, appearing to have spoken out of turn, and from Glozier’s resulting indirect free kick we nearly had the own goal of the season when a defender almost backheaded the ball into his own net from 30 yards, as he mistimed his header. Brightly saved well from Young, and Collins then sent Foyewa away again, to win yet another corner. And it was McFarlane again who went close. Shane Oakley came on for the final ten minutes and made several telling passes, one of which sent Foyewa away once again, Amos being stopped by a heavy tackle which led to a free kick, with Daley, outstanding throughout, making yet another good save.

So it is now 19 matches without defeat, and a remarkable record of only one away defeat in the league in 19 months.

Video clips by Rob Monger
- 25mins. Jim McFarlane scores the opener
- 36mins. Ainsley Gasper makes it 2-0
- 61mins. Enfields Martin Standen pulls a goal back from the spot
- 68mins. Alex Fiddes scores his first goal for the club
Post match interview with goalscorer Alex Fiddes

  Teams

Enfield Paul Daley Gebenge Sanuga Louis Doncaster Paul Oslin Dean Gilbert Nick Turner Sam Judge Jon Stevenson Martin Standen Dean Thomas Owen Beale SUBS Oliver Stroud Sam Anfossy Neil Hughes Martin Young Elvis Balic

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

AFC Hornchurch Dale Brightly Ron Fletcher Danny Glozier John Purdie (c) Jim McFarlane Garry Cross Alex Fiddes Amos Foyewa Dave Sadler Ainsley Gasper Jamie Southon SUBS Shane Oakley Andy Tomlinson Billy Crowther Dave Collins

Man of the Match Nominated by ...

Weather Conditions:  10 degrees at start, 6 degrees at finish. Wind speed 10mph

Match Duration: First half 45mins 55secs. Second half 47mins 41secs

Match Officials: JP Magill with J Taverner and E Forlemu
 

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