Report

It was another disappointing performance from the Urchins as they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom of the table Wroxham. Martin Tuohy had given Hornchurch a half time lead but a 25 yard strike midway through the second half from Deeks restored parity for the Yachtsmen.

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Saturday 18-March-2017
HORNCHURCH 1 WROXHAM 1

HFC – Mott, Bentley, Nesbitt, Lee, Styles ©, Chouman, Thompson (Adeniji 84), Seymour, McKenzie, Wall, Tuohy (Joseph 72)
Subs – Easterford, Coker, Hussain

WFC – Pride, Baker, Rampling, Lewis © (Cook 72), Mallardo, Halliday, Newman (Guyton 56), Deeks, Gilfedder, Schaar, Kameneno (Plumstead 76)

Officials – Rick Bloy with Sam Everitt and Michael Scott

Scorers – Tuohy 29 (H) – Deeks 76 (W)
Attendance 161
Bookings – Thompson 30 (H) – Lewis 71 (W)
Duration 47.00 + 50.00

HORNCHURCH 1 WROXHAM 1

Hornchurch were expected to win comfortably against a team sitting at the foot of the table, but after an encouraging opening spell, they failed to press home their home advantage and eventually had to settle for a draw.

It could have been very different had Martin Tuohy found the net in the first minute. A Jed Chouman shot was blocked and Tuohy’s follow up was tipped over the bar by Elliott Pride.

Wroxham were forced to defend for long periods but they almost found a way through when Aristote Kameneno cut in from the left, only to be tackled by Alex Bentley.

On ten minutes Tuohy sent Leon McKenzie away on the right, but his shot was wide of the mark.

Abs Thompson created an opening with a good run along the right wing, and his cross into the middle reached Ross Wall, whose shot was deflected out for a corner. Two more corners followed in quick succession as the Wroxham defence struggled to hold out, but they again broke upfield, wining two corners of their own, both of which were taken by Tom Rampling, and neither of which offered any threat, although the second found Ross Gilfedder, who directed his header wide of the target.

Hornchurch took the lead on 29 minutes when Alex Bentley gained possession inside his own half and from the resulting attack, the Wroxham defence failed to clear a long ball into the goalmouth and Martin Tuohy gratefully accepted the gift of an open goal.

The anticipated goal rush did not happen, although a Teddy Nesbitt free kick was headed against the post in a packed goalmouth.

At the other end Elliot Styles covered well when Kameneno almost broke through on the left, conceding a corner in the process.

Close to half time McKenzie played a good pass out to Thompson, but his shot hit a defender and deflected out for a corner.

Hornchurch kicked into a strong wind in the second half, and found it difficult to find a way through a resolute defence. But they could have doubled their lead when Thompson took a cross field pass from McKenzie, and made a long run on the right, and then cut inside, his shot beating Pride but came back off the inside of the post.

But Wroxham slowly came more into the game, and Bentley did well to clear a difficult centre from Jack Newman.

Thompson again threatened when he ran on to a Tuohy pass, and his shot cannoned off a defender for a corner.

McKenzie went close with a long range shot when he found Pride off his line, but the ball was wide of the goal.

Thompson was denied a possible scoring opportunity when he was upended by Ben Lewis, who was injured in the process and was substituted, the referee waving a yellow card as he left the pitch.

Until now, Sam Mott had not had to make a save, other than to field some centres and long balls, but this changed on 76 minutes, when a free kick was deflected for a corner. Rampling sent the ball into the middle, where it was only cleared as far as Connor Deeks, who promptly fired it back pas the home defence and into the net for a surprise, albeit deserved, equaliser.

Tobi Joseph, on for Tuohy, went past three defenders in a good run along the left, but Wall could not take advantage from the cross, his shot being blocked by Stefano Mallardo.

The final fifteen minutes, plus five more minutes of stoppage time, saw both teams looking somewhat nervous, but it was Pride in the Wroxham goal who came under the most pressure, saving from Wall and McKenzie.

Two points lost against a team at the bottom of the league, but who played far better than their position in the table suggested.

 

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