HORNCHURCH  2  HARROW BOROUGH   1

The match was held up for over 30 minutes as the referee was held up on the notorious A406 en route to the Bridge. Urchins kicked off towards the windmill end

And quickly found themselves on the defence, when Constant took a free kick which Dewayne Clarke headed powerfully goalwards, and Spencer cleared off the line for a corner. Constant took the kick and played the ball short to Clarke whose shot was deflected for another corner. Constant again found Clarke and this time it was Andy Tomlinson who deflected his shot out for the third corner inside a minute. Constant again, and Mark Goodfellow played it out for the fourth corner. Constant once again found Clarke who this time hooked his shot over to relieve the pressure. Urchins almost let in McGonigle when he charged down Tomlinson’s clearance and he fired his shot over the bar.

Urchins came back when Michael Spencer made a penetrating run on the left wing and was fouled. Tomlinson took the free kick and Elliot Styles went close with his header. A good pass by Donny Barnard found Michael Ramkin who quickly touched on to Goodfellow m onwards to Leon Antoine who raced on and saw his shot skim the post. A mistimed clearance by Browne was played back to Tomlinson who squared the ball to Antoine who went close with a first time shot. A high cross by Tomlinson, who had run on to Joe Steven’s pass, was cleared by Walters, and an Antoine centre saw keeper Karamoko collide with Ramkin and despite the loud appeals for a penalty, a drop ball was given instead, which Frempong hammered away.

A Donny Barnard throw was turned out for a corner by Frempong, and Tomlinson’s kick was punched away by Karamoko. There was a great deal of entertainment provided by the travelling directors who contested every decision which went against them. But even they were speechless when a poor clearance by Karamoko saw the keeper helpless in a one against one situation. The keeper pulled down the attacker and a penalty was awarded. The away directors watched in growing nervousness as the referee strode up, reached for his card, and after what seemed an eon, waved the yellow card instead of the anticipated red. Who would take the penalty? The choice was easy really. Donny Barnard was playing his 90th match for the Urchins, and his granddad Bryan had just joined the supporters association. So naturally it was DONNY BARNARD who eventually stepped up to slot the ball home, to score his first competitive goal for the Urchins. Such was the noise that it could be heard as far away as Biggleswade, and Hornchurch O rushed into the supporters shop to sponsor Donny for the rest of the season.

Harrow were awarded yet another corner and Constant as usual took the kick, took the return pass, and saw his excellent shot saved by Darren Behcet. When Micheal Spencer made his debut for the Urchins he scored at Harrow, and he almost scored a carbon copy goal when he met Tomlinson’s free kick and crashed in a shot from just outside the area, but this time keeper Karamoko flung himself to his left to tip the ball around the post. Tomlinson’s corner was then cleared by Browne.

Half time, and the club shop was filled to near capacity as many of the crowd forced their way in to sign up for the newly formed supporters association, whilst sponsorship money came in thick and fast. Everyone was pumped up, apart from Mentalist, who was still dreaming of the horned puffin he had seen the previous day.

The second half was delayed when a damaged goalnet was repaired, and when play eventually started Tomlinson saw his hard drive blocked, and play swung to the other end when Leech raced away, and Spencer tackled to concede a corner, which Constant put too close to Behcet. Behcet then punched a dangerous centre away and reacted quickly to dive full length to save the rebound from Clarke. Then it was Urchins who were awarded a free kick ten yards outside the area and Joe Stevens hammered the ball hard against the defensive wall, which did enough to deflect the ball around the post for a corner. Tomlinson found Elliot Styles with his kick and Elliot was just inches wide with his header. Antoine won a corner and Karamoko did well to hold on to the inswinging centre.

Darren Behcet did well to hold on to a hard shot from Clarke, and Urchins went further ahead when a long kick from Mark Goodfellow was headed on by Leon Antoine and Ricky Browne simultaneously, allowing DAVID GREY to carry on and neatly slot the ball home, to the delight of the East Side and the undisguised dismay of the away directors. Urchins began to dominate, and Antoine’s shot was deflected out by Browne, whilst Spender and Tomlinson combined to lay the ball back to Goodfellow whose cross was turned out for a corner. Tomlinson took the kick and Karamoko caught the ball under pressure. A hard shot from Watt brought a magnificent save from Darren Behcet  who touched the ball around the post. Constant took the corner and Ronnie Fletcher, totally in command at the back, cleared. Billy Coyne came on for Donny Barnard, who left he field to rapturous applause, and Paul Shave and Sam Higgins also came on.

Danny Leech broke clear but hit his shot over, and at the other end Paul Shave almost slotted the ball home, only to be denied by Karamoko, from Coyne’s cross. This led to a massive over-reaction by the visitors though surprisingly it was only Paul Shave who received a yellow card, whilst Ricky Browne, who had already been booked, escaped without any action from the referee, who had an excellent game throughout. In stoppage time a run by Freedom Piggot ended when a penalty was awarded, to loud disagreement from the East Side. DEWAYNE CLARKE stepped up to fire the ball home, but Urchins had no difficulty in playing out the remaining two minutes.

Recent matches against Harrow Borough
Played seven, won six, drawn one, scored twelve, conceded three  – not a bad record in recent seasons against Harrow Borough though statistics mean nothing once the match starts. For travelling supporters the match in January 2004 will be mainly remembered for the closure of the M25 for over six hours, which meant that many did not get home until after midnight.

 13-Sep-03,  Home, IL, won 2-1, att 400 - Gay, Gooding, Kerrigan, Adedeji, West, Martin J, Keeling, Sterling, John, Douglas, McGowan, Allen / 2, Martin A, Southon / 8, Cowley / 10, Collier – scorers West, B. Allen

 24-Jan-04,  Away, IL, drew 0-0, att 220 - Gay, Stephens, Kerrigan, Adedeji, Thompson, Locke, Graham, Martin J, John, Brayley, Keeling, Douglas, Allan B / 11, Cowley, Gooding, McCartney

 This match was Justin Thompson’s only appearance for Hornchurch.
This match was also Bertie Brayley’s debut appearance

 21-Oct-06, Home, FAT, won 1-0, att 440, Brightly, Fletcher, Glozier, Purdie, McFarlane, Tomlinson, Cross, Janney, Lee K, Parker S, Southon, Sadler / 10, Styles  , Collins / 6, Gasper / 9, Bostock, - scorer Simon Parker 48,

 25-Aug-07, Home, RPL, won 3-1, att 385, Brightly, Bostock, Glozier, Purdie, Goddard, Keith, Cross, Janney, Lee K, Elmes, Lee D, Oakley, Halle / 11, Tomlinson, Brothers / 7, Styles / 4 – scorers Goddard 33, Brothers 74, Elmes 80 
Richard Halle made his debut in this match

 22-Mar-08, Away,  RPL, won 2-0, att 184, Brightly, Barnard, Styles, Purdie, McFarlane, Tomlinson, Curley F, Janney, Elmes, Parker S, Green, Lee K / 9, Brothers / 10, Richards, Glozier, Boateng / 8 –
scorers Simon Parker 57, Dean Green 76
This match was played in a blizzard after starting in bright sunshine

 21-Feb-09, Away, RPL, won 2-1, att 158, - Behcet, Coyne, Spencer, Purdie, Goodfellow, Tomlinson, Curley, Janney, Wall, Green, Styles, Sadler / 10, McFarlane, Stuart-Evans / 8, Barnard / 2, Willis – scorers Michael Spencer 4, Ross Wall 12
Michael Spencer made his debut in this match

 16-Apr-09, Home, RPL, won 2-0, att 312, Behcet, Barnard, Styles, Purdie, Goodfellow, Tomlinson, Green, Janney, Wall, Parker   , Curley, Lee / 7, Coyne / 9, Spencer, Stuart-Evans / 8, Willis, - scorers Dean Green 49, Kris Lee 90+1

 Appearances
Prior to today’s match Andy Tomlinson leads the way with 165 appearances, three goals, which is also the highest for any Hornchurch player, followed by Mark Janney 151 (39 goals)m John Purdie 148 (one goal), Kris Lee 146 (56 goals), Elliot Styles 127 (7 goals), and Jim McFarlane 106 (8 goals). No other player has made over one hundred appearances, with Donny Barnard the closest on 89. then Ronnie Fletcher is on 56 (one goal), Ross Wall 55 (13 goals), and Billy Coyne 52 (one goal).

 Jamie Southon, who is now is a non playing capacity, is on 116 (7 goals).
Simon Parker was on 140 (66 goals)
Dale Brightly was on 146 appearances.