Tuesday 21st August 2007
HORNCHURCH   0  BILLERICAY   2

HFC – Dale Brightly – Jordon Bostock – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © - Richard Goddard – Joe Keith – Garry Cross – Mark Janney – Kris Lee – Simon Parker – David Lee
Subs – Harry Elmes for Kris Lee 71 – Amos Foyewa for Janney 65 – Richard Halle – Michael Brothers – Andy Tomlinson

BT – Billy McMahon – Dave McSweeney – Danny Kerrigan – Darren Blewitt – Steve Heffer – Jamie Dormer – Paul Abbott – Leon Hunter – Bradley Wood-Garness – Joe Flack – Matt Game
Subs – Dave Wareham for Hodges 80 – Rikki Burbridge for Flack 70 – Lee Hodges for Game 29 – Rob Swaine – Jack Buckfield

Scorers – Hodges 53 – Wareham 90+3
Bookings – McSweeney 36 (B) – Blewitt 38 (B) – Parker 47 (H) – Goddard 69 (H)
Weather – 14 degrees – rain – wind speed 15 mph
Attendance 1030
Officials  D Bushell with C Roguez and R Wooding
Duration – 47.20 + 48.41

HORNCHURCH   0  BILLERICAY   2
Only change from Saturday was that Richard Goddard came in for Jim McFarlane, who is out with a broken  leg. Kris Lee passed a late fitness test and was able to start. All 500 programmes were sold out long before the start, and a light rain was falling. Urchins kicked towards the restaurant end of the ground which meant that it was easily possible to count the away supporters as they changed ends – away supporters count was 98, plus two more who were already down at that end.

A slowish start, with Joe Keith creating the first move of the match, a long ball toward Simon Parker, where an alert Blewitt moved sharply across to intercept. Billericay’s first attack came from a solo run by Flack, with Purdie managing to touch the ball back to Brightly, and a long upfield ball by McSweeney was cut out by Bostock as Game threatened to run clear. Bostock played a short ball to Purdie and thence to Goddard whose clearance was returned to Wood-Garness, whose first time shot was touched away by Brightly for a corner. Over came an outswinging ball and Hunter’s shot was well saved by Brightly.

Urchins came forward, Glozier to Kris Lee on the left side, and a quick header inwards to Parker, whose run for goal was stopped by a neat Heffer interception.. Urchins were getting on top, with Keith finding Parker who switched play to the left where Glozier made ground, then Danny put a short ball back to Keith whose excellent centre went begging. A goal then looked a certainty when Parker raced clear, flicked the ball around the outrushing McMahon, only to see it run away on the wet surface, and although Parker was able to reach the ball before it went out, his screwed back shot was saved well by McMahon who had managed to get back quickly into goal. At the other end a run by Wood-Garness was stopped by Bostock at the expense of a corner which was cleared by Goddard.

It was then Garry Cross’ turn to speed through the middle, but McMahon raced out of his area to boot the ball out of the ground, and it was McMahon again who kept the visitors in the match with a fine save from Danny Glozier when a goal looked certain. The keeper’s wild clearance hit Kris Lee and the ball looped high into the air but landed on the roof of the net.

Then it was Cross to Parker to Glozier and the centre was held by McMahon as Kris Lee came in at speed. Parker was again through and this time it was Blewitt who tackled, conceding a corner. And then a sickening crack was audible when Cross and Game went for the ball, and the Billericay player was stretchered off, the ambulance being called immediately. On came Lee Hodges who eventually was to be the pivotal figure in the match. Billericay’s McSweeney was booked for refusing to move away for a free kick, being less than a foot away when David Lee took the kick, with the East Side thoroughly and loudly enjoying the moment, and Blewitt soon followed into the book when he stopped Kris Lee, who was clear and heading for goal, with the home crowd shouting loudly for the red card. Joe Keith took the free kick, but the ball was too high and drifted out of play. Kris Lee fired over the bar from Cross’ pass and when Glozier found Dave Lee, a quick flick upfield saw Parker racing clear, only to be pulled back for a dubious offside. As half time approached Hunter almost broke though, Glozier tackling to concede a corner, and a Janney free kick swerved in late and was well held by the outstanding McMahon.

At half time it was time to play spot the celebs in the crowd – Garry Hill was seen by many, and Max did his best to give away the £100 jackpot, which went to a Riverside Urchin. The wind increased and Urchins faced the wind and rain in the second half. Janney sent Parker clear, only for McMahon to run out of goal to kick clear, the ball last being seen heading towards Upminster Bridge station. Brightly made a good save to tip a shot around for a corner, and McMahon’s corner was cleared by Purdie. Billericay broke clear again and Wood-Garness sped through a motionless defence, only for Brightly to rush out and just do enough to force the shot wide. And then the goal came, totally unexpected, when LEE HODGES took a pass well outside the area, and sent in a hard shot, which appeared to catch Dale Brightly completely wrong footed, and the ball flew into the net, the surprise goal being loudly celebrated by the away supporters, who had moved en bloc down to the other end at half time.

Urchins came back but found themselves up against a visiting defence who was quite happy to boot the ball into oblivion – in all nine balls went sailing out the ground. Janney tried to send Parker away but Kerrigan tackled well, and two Janney crosses in succession were held by McMahon, arguably the player of the match for Billericay. The East Side were getting very annoyed with some of the decisions, but they erupted furiously when Cross put Parker away and Simon was blatantly fouled by the defender, who pulled him back as he raced goalwards. A red card looked the only possible decision, but nothing was given, and this was the turning point, as Billericay tightened up in midfield, with Hodges dictating the play.

Glozier and Parker linked up to find Janney who was crowded out and could not get the ball over to the waiting Kris Lee. Kerrigan broke clear on the left and made ground, and then screwed the ball across goal, where Purdie cleared to Bostock, whose long ball found Cross, whose own shot appeared to be deflected out for a corner, although a goal kick was given. Amos Foyewa had been on the field for just a few seconds when he conceded a needless free kick which Hodges took, and Dave Lee headed out for the first of three successive corners, two on the left and one on the right and all taken by Hodges, with no time being added on as the player crossed leisurely from one side of the field to the other. The ball bobbed around the home goalmouth but Goddard eventually cleared, and for a time play remained in midfield with Billericay calling most of the plays.

Harry Elmes came on for Kris Lee, who at times appeared to be at less then full pace, following his injury at Ashford, and a corner from Dave Lee was well saved by McMahon with Elmes lurking. Lee Hodges went off to the relief of the home following, but his replacement, Dave Wareham, also caused a few problems on the left. Amos made a good run on the right but was felled by a very heavy tackle, though no card was waved, and another Foyewa run was stopped by the alert Kerrigan. When Parker found Dave Lee, a loud hand ball appeal for a penalty was ignored, and Dave Lee’s shot went wide, and another Amos run was again stopped by Kerrigan. A Bostock centre almost found Elmes, whilst a Dave Lee cross was cleared by McSweeney. With Urchins all up field,  the visitors broke away on the left to score in the third minute of stoppge time, when DAVE WAREHAM gained the ball on the half way line, found himself unmarked on the left wing, and he ran in to hammer in an excellent shot which curved past Brightly and into the net. So the unbeaten run, 36 matches in total, came to an end. Complaints about many of the decisions were loud and arguably justified, but Billericay are a very good side, who rode their luck, made the most of the many decisions in their favour, and they did what Urchins failed to do – they took their chances

Man of the Match: tba Sponsored by: Robin Prichard

Match Sponsor: Motorised

Match Mascots: tba

Weather Conditions: 14 Degs. C, - Rain - Wind Speed 15 mph

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. Dave Bushell, Assistants - Mr. O. Roguez & Mr. R. Wooding

Match duration: F/H 47 mins. 20 secs. S/H 48 mins. 41 secs.