TOOTING AND MITCHAM 2 HORNCHURCH 0
A nightmare journey for anyone who tried to go via London, a roadworks nightmare for those who went via the junction 7 M23 turn, and a nice easy trip for those who went via junction 8 of the M25. Tooting’s new ground has two nice banks of terracing at each end, a large stand, but no cover down the side. Refreshment facilities were adequate, just, the surface good, and the floodlights not so good.

Hornchurch were stretched to the limit with injuries and were minus McFarlane, Goodard, Simon Parker and John Purdie. Frank Curley took over as captain and Scott Grange came into the squad for the first time.

A scare in the first few seconds, when Dale Brightly went to deal with a harmless low cross from the right, and collided with Elliot Styles, and needed lengthy attention for being able to continue. the physios were both called back on soon after and then again a minute later, and it took ten minutes to play the first five minutes, although only one minute was added on for stoppages by the replacement referee. When play was able to get settled down, Billy Coyne caused havoc with a long throw into the goalmouth, which Walker held right under the bar, and then at the other end Byatt tried to repeat the performance with a similar throw into the middle, which Brightly had to touch out for a corner, which Byatt took and Brightly saved as the ball swerved alarmingly in the wind. Dean Green made a good run and hit in a hard shot, which came back out to Green, and his follow up was well saved by Walker, and Curley then played Boateng through and Walker again saved well.

A short corner at the other end saw Byatt play the ball into the middle, and the ball eventually bounced out for a goal kick, with several players almost getting a touch as it rolled across the goal. A Styles free kick found Green who won a corner, and Boateng floated the ball over, to Mark Goodfellow, whose header skimmed the post. A Tomlinson cross was parried by Walker and Ball played the ball back to Green, and Walker saved again.

The best chance of the half fell to Steffan Ball, who charged down Goode’s attempt at a clearance, raced through the middle towards goal, drew Walker off his line, and then Steffan slipped the ball wide of the keeper, and the Hornchurch support behind the goal looked on in disbelief as the ball then rolled wide of the post. Goode, Hunt and Hartburn combined well to work the ball up field, but the move came to nothing when the ball ran out of play, and a Green pass sent Kris Lee away, with Vines conceding the corner. Boateng took the kick and Lee went close with a low drive through the defence.

Then came an incident which turned the game. Billy Coyne’s long clearance saw Steffan Ball race goalwards as the ball dropped. Keeper Walker raced way out of this goal area to punch clear, colliding with Steffan in the process, and appearing to be due for at least a yellow, more likely a red, for handling outside the box. The referee decided he was inside the area, and gave a dropped ball instead. Walker was again fortunate a few minutes later when Mark Goodfellow, 20 yards inside his own half, hit a long ball upfield, and Walker had to back peddle rapidly to grab the ball right under the bar.

Brightly saved well from Hartburn’s free kick, whilst another free kick was allowed to go across the goalmouth before the ball was booted high over the bar. The half ended with Boateng’s corner which was held by Walker.

Tomlinson created danger at the start of the second half, with a long free kick which led to a massive goalmouth scramble, before Hamlin played the ball away for a corner, and Walker did well to punch Boateng’s swerving corner kick out. A Coyne run on the right wing almost came unstuck when the ball was hit back up field by Byatt and there was no one covering on the left. Stevens carried on, but hit the shot high and over the bar. Urchins were looking dangerous and were stopped at the cost of a free kick ten yards outside the area. Barnard touched the ball sideways to Ball, whose hard drive hit a defender and dropped invitingly in front of Dean Green, who had followed up and Dean’s shot cannoned back off a defender to safety.

MARTIN GRANT gave Tooting the lead when he was left unmarked and headed home from a good centre from the left, and Mark Janney came on for Coyne, with Barnard switching to right back. Janney was soon in action, from a midfield role, and slipped a pass to Boateng, with Walker saving well. A Janney free kick was then deflected out for a corner, which Boateng took and Green headed wide. Lee Hodges came on, and fired over a free kick for which Hartburn was booked, and Wall headed over. Ross Wall won a throw in on the left and Tomlinson’s long throw into the middle caused havoc in the defence, until Walker grabbed the ball. Lee Hodges was scythed down in full flight, and the free kick, taken by Hodges, was too high and went over the bar. Two minutes to go, everyone up searching for the equaliser, and the ball was cleared down the left. A good centre, and JAMIE BYATT saw his shot rebound high off a defender and over Dale Brightly and into the net. In the four minutes added on, Urchins played some of their best football. Lee and Wall combined with Barnard, and two successive corners resulted, both taken by Hodges, but in the third minute of stoppage time, Hamlin appeared to hold on to the ball after a free kick was awarded, Mark Goodfellow raced in to try to take the kick quickly, the home team reacted as only a home team can do, and the referee showed Goodfellow a straight red, whilst only belatedly waving a yellow card at Dean Hamblin.