BOGNOR REGIS 4 HORNCHURCH 2

Jau Murray – forward – played for Barking and East Ham Utd in 1999-2000, then joined Leyton Orient, where he played twice for their first team. Had loan spells at Chelmsford City and Sutton United before joining Barking in February 2002. Joined St Albans City in October 2003 and then Redbridge in the summer of 2004. Signed for Hornchurch in September 09 and scored in his first match, a friendly at East Thurrock, on 2nd September. Made his squad debut at Bognor three days later.

Bostry Bansende – midfield – played for Weymouth in 2008/09. Signed for Hornchurch September 09 and made his debut at Bognor on 5/9/09.

With Mark Janney injured, Colin McBride introduced two new signings into the squad, Jay Murray and Bostry Bansende. Bognor gave ex-Brighton player Lewis Ide his debut appearance.

Rocks played with a strong downfield wind in their favour and Billy Coyne did well to tackle Demetriou to concede what we thought was a throw in. instead a corner was awarded, and Oatway floated the ball across . Purdie headed away, but Norgate was first to the ball, which he fired high over the bar, and into the houses behind the goal. A Rocks free kick, taken by Birmingham, was headed away by Goodfellow, and the ball was played forward to Gary Bowes who touched on to Sam Higgins, who appeared to be pulled down inside the penalty area. The ball ran back to Bowes who cut inside and hit a hard shot narrowly wide of the post.

The Rocks took the lead in the seventh minute. Elliot Styles won the ball to head away and inexplicably the referee awarded a free kick to the home side, which led to Goodfellow conceding a corner. Birmingham swung in a corner, which was only partly cleared, and TIM BOND who hooked it into the net from six yards. Lewis Ide then hit a shot into the gardens behind the goal, where the local residents waited anxiously, and Demetriou again sent the locals scattering with shot way too high from 15 yards after a neat build-up down the left.

Urchins were at last awarded a free kick, to ironic cheers from the fifty Urchins supporters who had made the 200 mile round trip. When Paul Shave was fouled by Tuck, but Andy Tomlinson hit his free kick too long and the ball landed in the burned out clubhouse behind the goal. Rocks could have increased their lead when Crane slipped the ball though to Gary Norgate who sped past John Purdie and he homed in on goal, and it took a magnificent fingertip save by Darren Behcet to deflect the shot out for a corner. Birmingham took the kick, and Purdie deflected Tucknott’s header out for another corner. Oatway took the corner on the other side of the field .and Behcet caught the ball. The ball was played up to Gary Bowes was promptly brought down. Tomlinson’s free kick curled goalwards and Ender touched the ball over the bar. Tomlinson took the corner and Joe Stevens went close with a well hit shot, which appeared to be deflected inches over the bar for another corner. Instead a goal kick was awarded and Joe was booked.

Lewis Ide was somewhat fortunate to remain on the pitch when his mistimed and very late tackle in the 20th minute caught Andy Tomlinson late near the halfway line. With most expecting a straight red, it turned out to be a rather battered yellow card, and Andy had to leave the pitch after lengthy treatment. Sam Higgins then found Bowes whose low cross was well held by Ender. Demetriou headed over from a Birmingham free kick, incorrectly awarded against Elliot Styles, who appeared to be penalised every time he went for the ball, and his booking was completely farcical for a perfectly legitimate challenge on Birmingham to the floor as he made a run for it down the left.

Tomlinson won a corner which he took himself, and Paul Shave powered a header inches over the bar. And just when the local residents thought they were save Demetriou sent a shot well wide and over. A Coyne free kick found Sam Higgins, whose cross was turned out by Crane. Tomlinson played the corner short to Higgins, took the return, but his centre was well held by Ender. The first half ended in farce for Bognor when the referee instructed Tucknott to change his sock, which had blood on it. For a full two minutes the home bench moaned and screamed at the referee, ably backed by a hostile home crowd, before the player reluctantly changed his sock, only for the half time whistle to blow as he tried to come back onto the field, having first tried to cover the blood with bandage.

Bostry Bansende came on for Joe Stevens, who had been on the receiving end of some heavy tackles. And within two minutes of the restart they were level when GARY BOWES received the ball from Sam Higgins, avoided a tackle by Bond, cut inside and hit his shot low past Anthony Ender at his near post.

Urchins were threatening to take control of the game and Tuck had to get a leg in the way of a dangerous low cross from Donny Barnard, to concede a corner, which Andy Tomlinson played too short and the ball was easily cleared. Bostry was creating havoc on the right, but this soon ended when he was scythed down – the referee took no action – and had to be replaced by Ross Wall, who was soon in the action with a good pass out to Bowes whose centre was held well by Ender.

There was a half-hearted claim for a Rocks penalty for handball when a corner caused a scramble in the box, but it wasn't given. Then Bowes was left limping after going down under a challenge and needing treatment.

An Demetriou cross found Tucknott whose shot was saved by Behcet, the ball rebounding to Oatway but he was crowded out, Tomlinson and sub Ross Wall combined to play Higgins in on 63 minutes but Ender saved comfortably.

A Barnard throw found Wall who won a corner, which Tomlinson took and Bond cleared, and Ross then hit a Coyne cross narrowly wide. It got worst for Urchins when John Purdie had to leave the field, following a mistimed tackle, with Ronnie Fletcher coming on, whilst. A long goal kick reached Norgate who found himself one-on-one with Behcet but the keeper saved with his legs. Bowes won a corner, which Tomlinson took, and Fletcher headed over.

The Rocks retook the lead with 11 minutes left when Tucknott was allowed to run across the field with the ball, before winning a free kick about ten yards out of the area. MICHAEL BIRMINGHAM calmly hammered the free kick over the wall and into the net. A Norgate corner was partly cleared by Bowes to Wood, whose shot was high and wide The Rocks looked to have made the points safe when CHARLIE OATWAY took advantage of some defensive hesitation following a left wing cross to force the ball over the line, despite Donny Barnard’s last ditch attempt to keep the ball out.

Hornchurch came back strongly and Sam Higgins weaved his way down the wing and crossed neatly for GARY BOWES to head the ball wide of Ender in the second minute of stoppage time. But as Urchins stormed forward it was the home side to scored again in totally farcical circumstances, when three home forwards were left unmarked, but it looked to be no danger as Behcet came out to kick clear, only to miss the ball and leave MICKEY DEMETRIOU with a simple tap in front of a vacant goal, which was greeted with near hysteria by the home team and supporters.