Tuesday 29th April 2008 – Play off
WIMBLEDON 3 HORNCHURCH 1
WFC – James Pullen – Luke Garrard – Michael Haswell – Jake Leberl – Jason Goodlliffe – Marcus Gayle – Steven Ferguson – Rob Quinn – Luis Cumbers – Jon Main – Tony Finn
Subs – Lewis Christon – Andy Little – Chris Hussey – Karl Beckford – Elliott Buchanan

HFC- Dale Brightly – Donny Barnard - Jim McFarlane –John Purdie © - Richard Goddard - Elliot Styles - Frankie Curley - Mark Janney –- Kris Lee - Simon Parker – Dean Green
Subs – Harry Elmes for Lee 66 - Des Boateng for Styles 83 – Danny Glozier – Michael Brothers for Barnard 32– Andy Tomlinson

Scorers – Cumbers 12 (W) – Main 42 (W) – Elmes 74 (H) – Main 90+3 (W)
Weather – rain – 6 degrees, wind speed 5 mph
Duration – 46.03 + 49.04
Bookings – McFarlane 55 (H) – Finn 57 (W) – Purdie 63 (H) – Styles 82 (H)
Attendance estimated at 3000 – 300 from Hornchurch
Officials – S Phipps with P Faithfull, A. Neil. J Busby


WIMBLEDON 3 HORNCHURCH 1
Heavy rain on the motorway, and horrendous traffic jams, with the A3 turning closed most of the day. It took two and a half hours to get to Kingston, and not surprisingly the news came that the Staines v Ramsgate match was delayed – they had to go right through the chaos, at least we could turn off at the heavily congested junction 9. The heavy rain had eased to a light drizzle by kick off, leaving the pitch very soft and slippery, although the crowd looked far lower than expected, possibly due to the weather, possibly due to the traffic snarl up. Urchins kicked towards the packed home terrace in the first half, and started well, Barnard finding Janney whose run ended with a corner in the first few seconds. Janney swung the corner over, and Parker’s shot was saved on the line by keeper Pullen. Two minutes later Green slotted through to Lee who touched on to Parker, who ran on and fired inches wide, although offside was given. Wimbledon were pegged back into their own half, their only move coming from Main, whose through pass was neatly intercepted by Purdie. With Urchins looking confident, Wimbledon then scored with their first attack. Main appeared to have lost the ball, but the bounce carried it through to Finn and he touched the ball sideways to LUIS CUMBERS whose low drive eluded Brightly and went into the net.

Urchins came back quickly, Green to Janney and a neat pass in to Kris Lee, with Goodliffe tackling just as Kris was about to shoot. Jim McFarlane then played a long ball up to Lee on the left side of the pitch and the resulting cross found Parker, whose flick was tipped over the bar. Janney took the corner and Gayle played the ball out for another corner, which Janney again took, and Lee’s header was fumbled right on the line by Pullen, and the ball bobbled along the line before it was booted away. Donny Barnard went off with what looked like a knee injury and Michael Brothers came on, which caused a minor switch in defence, with Brothers playing more towards the left side. Dons rarely threatened but always looked dangerous when they did get forward, and from a free kick Cumbers’ header was tipped over the bar by Brightly for a corner, which Styles cleared. Disaster struck shortly before half time when a somewhat dubious free kick was awarded, and although the ball was cleared for a throw in, the long throw into the goalmouth ended in a scramble for the ball, with JON MAIN hooking the ball home.

Half time and a remarkable medley of Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Chile and Fat Man Snoop’s own version of the Dons theme song, easily the best musical mix of the season. Dons had gone in with a two goal lead thanks mainly to two excellent finishes, whilst Urchins had created the most chances but had not put them away.

Urchins had to take the match to Wimbledon after the interval, and that is just what they did. Lee out to Green and then on to Brothers, whose cross was well held by Pullen. A Purdie free kick, one of many awarded to the Urchins, saw Pullen just beat Richard Goddard to the ball, and Dean Green raced past Garrard, and turned and headed for goal, to be promptly chopped down by Leberl, who somehow escaped without a yellow card – it could easily have been red – and from Brothers free kick Goodliffe headed out for a corner, which Janney again took and Garrard cleared.

Dons took advantage of the Urchins pushing up field to make several breaks of their own, and from one of them Ferguson went off on a long 40 yard run which ended when Brightly saved the dangerous looking centre. Play was confined largely to the other end, and a Janney corner was headed on by Lee, with Pullen tipping the ball over the bar. Janney went across to the other side of the pitch to take the second corner and this one was cleared by a packed defence, just two Dons players remaining upfield. Styles, to Curley, to Green, to Parker, and Simon raced goalwards, and Pullen again saved well. with pressure intense, and with the home side booting the ball anywhere, Brothers made ground on the left, sent a long cross field pass out to Janney, and Mark’s low cross into a packed goalmouth was hammered home by HARRY ELMES.

Urchins came forward time and again, which twice allowed Ferguson to race away on the right, his centre being headed over by Cumbers, and the second time his cross found Main who was tackled by Curley. A Styles free kick was headed over by Elmes, and when Green was again pulled down, a far too hurried free kick came to nothing. A Brothers cross was turned out for a corner, and Janney once again saw his kick headed away by Goodliffe. Boateng on for Styles and he pumped the ball upfield, only for a quick return out of defence to lead to a corner for the Dons, which was quickly dealt with. Boateng then tried a solo run through the centre, and he carried on and hammered his shot just a fraction too high. Four minutes stoppage time was indicated, during most of which the home crowd were whistling for the referee to end the match, and in the final minute an all out onslaught saw Brightly ten yards inside the Dons half, hitting a free kick goalwards, where Green and Parker both had shots blocked almost on the line, and the ball was booted hard upfield, to JON MAIN, who ran on, made 40 yards, and fired the ball past Brightly for the third and decisive goal, the final whistle going immediately play was restarted.