Monday 28th August 2007
HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS   1  HORNCHURCH  1

HS – Ollie Morris-Sanders – Lee Townrow – Jack Wignall – Michael Shinn ©  - Ian Wiles – Tobi Jinadu – Daniel Tenkerang – Adam Gillespie – Stafford Browne – Craig Hughes – Kenny Kennedy
Subs – Robbie King for Tenkerang 90+3 – Danny Barber for Kennedy 84 – Danny Gabriel for Hughes 64 – Gary Bourgeois – Stephen Northwood

HFC – Dale Brightly – Jordon Bostock – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © - Richard Goddard – Joe Keith – Garry Cross – Mark Janney – Kris Lee – Harry Elmes – David Lee
Subs – Shane Oakley for Elmes 81 - Richard Halle for Keith 79 – Andy Tomlinson – Michael Brothers for Janney 64 – Elliot Styles

Scorers – Kris Lee 48 – Stafford Browne 67p (HS)
Officials – John Maghill with Darren Stobart and John Mitchell
Attendance 271 – away support 250
Weather 23 degrees rising to 27 degrees, sunny, wind speed 15 mph
Bookings – Wignall 59 (HS) – Goddard 66 – Brothers 77 – Wignall 84 (HS) OFF

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS   1  HORNCHURCH  1

Heat wave conditions once again, traffic stacked back all around Maldon and Heybridge, car park jammed to capacity over an hour before the match, and inside, decked out in red and white and blue and white, Urchins all waiting for the tea bar to open. Three minutes past two, tea bar opens – stampede. Winner is Grace, with Sir Gary plodding home second, despite having taken up a position less than one foot away from the sales point. Rob comes a dignified third, with Photo Urchin one of the many also rans. Disaster looms when my stop watch stops, back to car, retrieve back up stop watch, two retro-motorbikes glide by, one an Indian, the other an Aerial Hunter – sheer bliss.

Back inside, and no changes from Saturday –Amos, Jamie, Ron Fletcher all out with injury, and Simon on a college course, Ainsley on loan at Aveley – the squad is looking a bit thin. Jim McFarlane still on crutches,  he said his ankle turned under him as he came down after he had jumped to head away. Out they come, to a thunderous roar, which sent the remaining swifts heading back towards their winter grounds.

In the tropical conditions both teams start slowly, Urchins in blue and white, with nice clear numbers, and Swifts in black and white stripes, with no number panels which makes identification a nightmare – Kris Lee made the opening break but was tackled by Jack Wignall, who conceded the first free kick of the match, and Keith sent David Lee away, Townrow tackling well to give away an early corner. David Lee floated the ball over, and Morris-Sanders punched away as Goddard came in. Kris Lee then teed up the ball for Harry Elmes, but his shot lacked power and the keeper gathered gratefully.

Swifts were rarely in the match, but Kennedy was fortunate to escape without a card when he carried on after being given offside and booted the ball into the net. Kennedy then gave away four fouls – none of them really serious – in the next five minutes, but still escaped a yellow card. Keith dispossessed Tenkerang and then slotted the ball through to Kris Lee who was completely clear. Kris came in from the left, and instead of shooting, he played the ball inside to Elmes who could not reach the ball right in front of the goal, to the immense relief of the Swifts’ supporters. Keith to Glozier on the left, and Danny’s centre was well held by Morris-Sanders, and then a neat header by Elmes found Keith and then on to Glozier, with Wignall tackling. Janney and Elmes combined well, and Elmes hard shot was deflected out – for a goal kick. The 200 Urchins thought it was a corner, the players thought it was a corner, but the referee did not.

Elmes again, this time finding Janney, whose cross was grabbed by the alert Morris-Johnson, whilst a Glozier centre saw Kris Lee go up with the keeper, who dropped the ball, but recovered well to drop on the loose ball. Glozier to Elmes, and through to Kris Lee, who was clear, and offside was given. Swifts at last had a shot, a hard long range volley from Hughes which brought an excellent save out of Brightly, and then it was back to the same pattern – Urchins continually moving forward, Swifts retreating and conceding numerous free kicks, mainly through being caught out by the speed of the visiting forwards. But when Janney went through he was brought down by Browne, helping out in defence, and an excellent chance was stopped, with Keith’s free kick drifting wide.

David Lee to Kris Lee, who was through, and the dominant Wiles did well to tackle. Wiles had been winning virtually all the high balls, and Urchins began to play more to the wings, where Keith sent Cross away, and Garry’s low cross was deflected away by Shinn.  Then Elmes gave Janney a shooting opportunity, and Morris-Sanders made an excellent save to prevent the goal, and a minute later it was Elmes and Keith, with Elmes touch into the middle seemingly handled away – the massed Urchin ranks appealed loudly for hand ball, but play continued and Wiles hooked away to safety.

A David Lee free kick found Goddard whose header was saved, and a long Janney run ended with Morris-Sanders saving yet again. In a rare breakaway a long Townrow centre from near the half way line was held by Brightly, and Goddard tackled when Kennedy tried a solo run in from the wing. Kris Lee rounded Wiles and found Cross, whose hard shot skimmed the post, and it was then Cross again, this time going close with a diving header from Elmes centre after Janney had made the running.

Half time, and main talking point, at least for the younger Urchins, was whether the Heybridge Chicks would perform – no, they appear to have flown the coop. A lone house martin swooped by, but no swifts, and definitely no chicks.

Swifts came out strongly at the start of the second half, Tenkerang making the running on the wing and slotting inside to Hughes, whose shot was well saved by Brightly. But Urchins quickly regained control and Kris Lee won a corner on the right. Joe Keith came over to take the kick, Goddard back headed the ball on, and KRIS LEE headed home.  Swifts came back well, winning two corners in succession, Purdie clearing the first and Bostock, now recovered from his first half injury which needed lengthy attention, headed the second away, and up to Elmes, who raced clear and was impeded by Wignall – off off off was the chant. Referee completely unmoved, and only a yellow card resulted, and a free kick, when a goal looked likely. Keith then sent Glozier away and his centre found Cross, who hit his shot inches wide. Kris Lee then sent Glozier away again on the left, and from the cross, Morris-Sanders saved from Elmes, both players needing lengthy treatment before play could resume, Elmes having to go off as per the rules, whilst the keeper stayed on, also as per the rules.

Brothers came on for Janney and immediately made a mistimed pass which put the Swifts away on the right, where Purdie intercepted. On 67 minutes a mix up in defence ended when the referee responded to the home appeals and awarded a penalty after Goddard tackled, and promptly waved the yellow card. STAFFORD BROWNE stepped up to fire the ball home. One one, complete and utter silence. Even the announcer sounded apologetic. This inspired Swifts and Kennedy won a free kick, the ball coming over the defence for Townrow to head wide. Urchins slowly recovered their poise and superiority. Keith made a long and penetrating run but was crowded out, two long throws in succession from Brothers created havoc, Kris Lee’s header being saved from the first and the second being played out by Wiles to David Lee, and he picked out Cross, whose goalbound shot was cleared off the line. A defender then almost headed into his own goal from a David Lee corner, and from the second corner which resulted Harry Elmes had his shot blocked by a mass of defenders. On came Richard Halle and Shane Oakley, but it was Swifts who threatened, with Brightly saving from Browne.

Kris Lee then raced clear and was fouled by Wignall, and with 200 Urchins screaming off off off, the referee immediately obliged, but the chance had been thwarted. Swifts pulled ten players back, but surprisingly Urchins still played with five defenders. Cross found Kris Lee, but the ball ran out of play before Kris could screw it back to Oakley in front of goal. A David Lee corner was headed goalwards by Kris Lee, Morris-Sanders saving, and almost on time, Cross found Kris Lee, whose shot lacked enough power to beat the keeper. So one point won. Yes, but two more lost thanks to too many missed chances.

Weather Conditions: 23 to 27 Degs. C., Sunny, Wind Speed 15 mph

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. John Maghill, Assistants - Mr. Darren Stobbart and Mr. John Mitchell

Match duration: tba