Ryman League Division One North
Monday 9th April 2007
	AFC Hornchurch	2 - 1	Canvey Island
Janney (pen) 78', K Lee 85'		H/T 0-0 Att:751	Halle 79'

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

Canvey Island

	26	BOOKED - Kreyling
Tomlinson - BOOKED	36
Sadler - OFF Foyewa - ON S Parker - OFF K Lee - ON	55
Southon - OFF R Lee - ON	68
	69	OFF - Bourne ON - Reade
Janney (pen) - GOAL	78
	79	GOAL - Halle
K Lee - GOAL	85

Match Report by Tony Middleton
 

A bright sunny day, and the highest crowd of the season in the division. All had come to see the champions and their 30 match unbeaten run. Elliot Styles in at left back for the injured Danny Glozier, and Dave Sadler starting up front. A noisy colourful crowd, including a smaller than expected following from Canvey. Canvey, playing towards the restaurant end of the ground with a strong wind at their backs, began strongly, though Stuart’s long range speculative shot was easily fielded by Brightly. Urchins made a slow start, though Cross gave Janney an opening, which was quickly covered by Kreyling. Canvey pressed forward, a high centre from West being played out for a corner by Styles. The swirling kick curved goalwards, and Purdie headed away, McFarlane completing the clearance. Roberts won a free kick in midfield,
Which Edgar took, placing the ball far too long and it drifted out for a goal kick. Urchins first real chance came when Styles slotted a free kick to Parker, who quickly turned inside his marker and opened up a route for Sadler, who shot was blocked by a defender.

It was Styles again who sent Parker away on a long weaving run, which saw his cross headed back across goal by Cross to Sadler, who returned the ball into the goalmouth where it crossed the goal and went out of play. A long punt upfield enabled Bourne to race goalwards, forcing Brightly to streak out of his area to kick away, whilst at the other end Parker found Sadler who was just beaten to the ball by Kreyling. A Canvey corner by Edgar was headed away by McFarlane, the ball running out to Sadler who was chopped down by Halle. With the East Side screaming for the yellow card, the referee took no action other than to award a free kick, which Fletcher took, Styles returning the ball back across goal and Cross heading just over the bar.

At this point the mystery of the away support was resolved when another hundred turned up, having been seriously delayed on the A13. This included a huge drum, bigger in girth than the drummer. They were just passing the East Side when a Canvey corner was cleared by McFarlane. Janney was then stopped in full flight by Kreyling who was booked and from Janney’s free kick Tomlinson headed back across goal, no one being able to touch home. Canvey again came forward Halle’s hard free kick being well saved by Brightly, and then Curran returned the ball into the middle where Southon played it out for a corner, which Bourne took and Brightly dealt with. An excellent chip by Southon to Parker almost saw Simon breaking through, and a minute later it was Southon again, this time finding Sadler, whose shot was turned out for a corner by Stuart. Tomlinson put over a long kick which McFarlane headed back and Wall cleared. Urchins came under a spell of pressure, during which the ball was cleared off the line following a free kick and from the resulting corner, Wall managed to get in a shot amid a crowd of defenders which Fletcher stopped. Edgar then floated a free kick wide of the far post, and almost on the interval Parker broke through and was tackled by Kreyling.

The championship trophy arrived in a big wooden box, and Max tried without success to give away the £100 to the holder of the winning 50-50 ticket. The biggest talking point was why so few Canvey supporters had purchased a programme, thereby missing the chance to read the league’s programme of the season. The refreshment kiosks took a battering from the Canvey following, presumably not being used to such a high quality of cuisine, and supplies of almost everything ran very low.

The wind dropped at half time, and Canvey continued to enjoy the better of the play, a hard drive by Stuart was saved by Brightly, whose long upfield kick was then headed away by the same player. Edgar opened up the left wing with a good pass to Bourne whose centre was turned out by Styles for a corner, and a huge goalmouth scramble ensued, Fletcher finally easing the ball out for another corner. Canvey had a good chance when Jay went through, with Brightly racing out to head away, and then Brightly, under pressure from Curran, could not hold a high ball and Purdie banged the ball hard upfield to safety. At last Urchins began to recover their composure, a Tomlinson corner finding Cross, who prodded the ball on to Foyewa, and Amos saw Wiseman make a good save from the resulting shot. Foyewa and Kris Lee were now on, for Sadler, and Parker, the latter having returned at half time with a large head bandage, and soon after Ryan Lee came on for Southon. The new look forward line began to open up a tiring visiting defence, and Kris Lee sped down the left wing , his cross being turned out by Wiseman for a corner from which Foyewa went close with a hard ground shot. Foyewa again, on a long 50 yard run which ended when he stumbled as he rounded a third defender, and the ball was punted back upfield where a corner resulted, which Brightly caught well, Cross broke through but put his shot behind. Brightly made the save of the match from a Wall shot, and Ryan Lee then won a midfield ball to send Foyewa away on the right. Amos raced past two defenders but hit his shot inches over the bar.

McFarlane then headed off the line from a corner, but by now it was the Urchins looking the more dangerous, and with the visitors defending desperately, it was perhaps too desperate, for Foyewa was scythed down in the penalty area and up stepped MARK JANNEY to place the ball low to the right of the keeper to put the Urchins ahead. Within a minute Canvey were level, when a free kick was awarded, perhaps very harshly, just five yards out from the edge of the penalty area and right in front of goal. Bourne lingered, but RICHARD HALLE took the kick, the ball streaking into the net. Cue hysteria all in yellow, for surely this was the highlight of their season – they had scored against the number one team in Essex. Their supporters jubilated, the drum thumped, the entire Canvey team raced across to their dug out, with the referee hot in pursuit. They had scored. They could not believe it. Nor could the East Side.

A Canvey free kick was cleared, and Hornchurch decided enough was enough and they stepped up a gear. Amos went racing down the right wing, but he placed the cross just a little too far ahead of Kris Lee. Amos again, this time winning a corner, which Ryan Lee took and Wiseman did well to keep out, and then a long free kick was touched on to KRIS LEE, who, in typical Kris Lee fashion, turned and rocketed the ball home – and then the Canvey support found out what real support was like, as the ground trembled and swayed under mass hysteria, and chants – all unrepeatable – reverberated around the ground. Thirty one unbeaten, and we all knew it. Canvey tried to come back again with Edgar’s shot being turned around by Brightly and then Wall heading wide from Edgar’s corner. But it was now one way traffic, and Kris Lee, running on to a pass from Foyewa, was tackled by Kreyling who had just a minute earlier conceded a free kick also against Kris Lee. Amos again beat three players only to lose the ball to the next defender, and Ryan Lee almost gave Kris Lee an opening as the final whistle went. The Canvey drummer slowly disappeared into the distance, beating out his Te Deum, but many Canvey supporters stayed to watch the presentation of the trophy to the undisputed number one team in Essex.
 

Video clips by Rob Monger
Pre match interview with fans from the Eastside
The two young mascots lead the Champions onto the field
- 78mins. Mark Janney gives us the lead from the spot
- 79mins. Canvey's Richard Halle equalises almost immediately
- 85mins. Kris Lee gets an amazing winner
John Purdie lifts the Division One North trophy
Post match interview with match winner Kris Lee

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch Dale Brightly Ron Fletcher Elliot Styles John Purdie (c) Jim McFarlane Jamie Southon Garry Cross Mark Janney Dave Sadler Simon Parker Andy Tomlinson SUBS Amos Foyewa Kris Lee Ainsley  Gasper Ryan Lee Adam Parker

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

Canvey Island Ricky Wiseman Andrew West Jon Stuart Colin Wall Dave Kreyling (c) Clyde Roberts Richard Halle Ryan Edgar John Curran Lee Jay Chris Bourne SUBS Matt Reade George Blewer Mitchell Lowes Stuart Batch Glen Johnson

Man of the Match Nominated by ... Jim McFarlane

Weather Conditions:  17 degrees and sunny. Wind speed 15mph reducing to 5mph in second half

Match Officials: G Jerden with R Ellis and G Weston

Match duration: First half 46mins 11secs. Second half 48mins 32secs.
 

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