Thursday 28th February 2008 – Capital League
HORNCHURCH 3 LEIGHTON TOWN 0
HFC – Elliot Packham – Bradley Thompson – Charlie Clark – Jim McFarlane – Spencer Harrison – Des Boateng – Jamie Richards © - Tony Fraser – Ross Wall – Dean Green – Michael Brothers
Subs – Jack Joyce for Brothers at half time – Alex Harris for Boateng at half time – Nick Judd for Green at half time

LT – Liam Jahn – Shane Rush – Martin Cook – Adam Goodwin – Simon Jackson – Alex Green – Jarnam Santano – Dan Wright – Mitch Hamilton – John Bentley – Paul Copson
Subs – James Grey for Copson at half time – Richard Osbourn for Green 75 – Darren Cook for Martin Cook 59

Scorers – Green 14 – McFarlane 26 – Richards 66
Bookings – none
Weather – 9 degrees at start, 5 degrees at finish, wind speed zero
Officials – C Overall with C Manley and G Mathias
Duration – 44.52 + 44.48
Attendance 27 including Annie

HORNCHURCH 3 LEIGHTON TOWN 0
The visitors were delayed en route and the match started ten minutes late. The crowd were entertained in the interim by a singing robin, whilst Annie searched the surrounding area for snakes. The Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground, and took the lead when DEAN GREEN turned to hammer the ball home from the edge of the area. Two further chances followed, Ross Wall creating space for himself and firing the ball narrowly wide, and Jim McFarlane going close with a header from Jamie Richards corner on the right. Leighton, from the Southern League, could have levelled with their first attacking move of the match, John Bentley racing clear, only to be stopped by a well timed tackle from Charlie Clark.

Urchins went further ahead when Jamie Richards sent over another corner from the right, and JIM McFARLANE came in with what must rank among the most powerful headers ever seen at the Bridge. It was Jim McFarlane again a few minutes later with another similar header, again from Jamie Richards corner, and this time the ball cannoned back off the post. And it was Jim McFarlane once again, this time deflecting a shot from Dan Wright around the post at the other end of the pitch..

Three changes at half time, but a similar pattern in the second half, with Leighton rarely breaking out of defence. Ross Wall sent over a good cross for Jamie Richards, whose glancing header saw keeper Jahn touch the ball around the post for a corner, and it was Ross Wall again, this time seeing his shot deflected around the post for another corner, and keeper Liam Jahn held Richards inswinging kick. Jack Joyce made a good run along the left side, his centre found Wall, whose header skimmed the post, and the third goal followed when JAMIE RICHARDS ran clear down the middle of the pitch to fire the ball low past Jahn. With almost non stop pressure on the visiting goal, both Ross Wall and Tony Fraser went close, as Urchins ran out comfortable winners against a team who in their previous match had beaten Chelmsford 5-1 away from home. And the robin was still singing loudly, from the tree behind the club shop.