HORNCHURCH 1 HASTINGS UNITED 1
Heavy rain during the week had left the pitch heavily waterlogged, and
after several hours of work, it passed a late morning inspection, but
remained very soft and soggy. Hornchurch were without Mark Janney and
Jonathan Hunt, both injured, and with Ben Boyce, Mark Goodfellow and
Duane Jackman all being released, new signings Mervyn Abraham and Herve
Botshebe came into the squad. Mervyn had previously played for Bishop’s Stortford, Brimsdown Rovers and Harlow, and had a short spell at The Bridge in 2008m when he scored once in five appearances. Herve was signed from Harlow after some promising appearances in the Hornchurch Capital League side.
Urchins kicked towards the restaurant end in the first half, in bright sunshine and in springlike conditions, but it was the visitors who pushed forward, and a Russell Eldridge free kick drifted wide of the post, whilst an Eldridge corner was headed narrowly over by Nathan Russell. Hornchurch looked promising when Jo Flack sent Soz Yao away on the right but Tyrone Sterling came across to tackle. When Sean Pell played a good through ball to Ade Olorunda, Rickie Hayles reacted quickly to block the goal bound shot. Hornchurch came more into the match, and Flack sent Yao away, and Soz put in a hard shot which keeper Steve Williams saved in spectacular fashion.
Jamie Dormer then hit a free kick wide after Soz Yao had been brought down by a very physical visiting side, who seemed to revel in the heavy conditions. Williams again saved from Yao, touching the ball around the post and Andy Tomlinson’s corner was over hit and comfortably cleared. A long throw from Ross Treleaven was then dropped by Darren Behcet but Darren recovered well to grab the ball before anyone could reach it. And Rickie Hayles then charged down a shot from Treleaven and then got in an excellent tackle to prevent the same player shooting a few seconds later. Elliot Styles conceded a free kick from which Harry Pell hammered the ball high over the bar, but just before half time a first time opportunist lob from Ade Olorunda almost caught Behcet off his line, the ball dropping just over the bar.
In the second half Hastings took the lead when a long clearance was pumped up field after a Dormer pass was intercepted and SEAN PELL chased the ball and hit his shot low past Behcet. Pell was then perhaps very fortunate to remain on the field after a very badly mistimed tackle on Soz Yao. Dormer took the free kick and the ball was cleared for a throw, which Billy Coyne took, hurling the ball into the goalmouth where it was hammered away. Another Billy Coyne throw when saw the ball diverted out for a corner, and Tomlinson took the corner, floating the ball across the goal, and RICKIE HAYLES headed powerfully home to level the score.
Hayles was then controversially booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone, a very harsh decision as Rickie had already kicked the ball as the whistle was blowing. A good move involving Jo Flack, Ross Wall, Dormer and Tomlinson saw the ball played through to Michael Spencer, with Steve Elliott just managing to tackle before Michael could shoot. Williams did well to hold on to a long throw from Billy Coyne, whilst Ronnie Fletcher prevented Olorunda from getting in a shot after he had been played clear. Aldridge then turned the ball inside to Pell whose shot was inches wide, and Rickie Hayles then received a second yellow card for a tackle which at best only merited a free kick, and the inevitable red which followed was a direct result of the injustice of the first yellow.
When Pell then escaped any form of card for another tackle shortly afterwards, there was a sense of gross injustice around the Bridge. Manager Jimmy MacFarlane was then sent off for protesting. An Eldridge corner was cleared by Fletcher, and Hornchurch then played their best football of the match, and from Dormer’s free kick the ball rebounded to Tomlinson who shot narrowly wide. A magnificent run by Yao saw his cross reach Ross Wall, whose hard goal bound shot hit Jo Flack and rebounded to safety. With Urchins piling on the pressure, they were rewarded yet another free kick and Dormer floated the ball over, and Elliot Styles’ header was cleared off the line. Hastings defended frantically and a long ball from Michael Spencer was caught by Williams as Flack moved in. Mervyn Abraham and Mitchell Stuart-Evans both came on in stoppage time, but the visitors held out to take a share of the points. |
