Tuesday 23rd October 2007 – FA TROPHY
DARTFORD   0  HORNCHURCH  3
DFC – Tony Kessell – Jamie Coyle – Steve Norman – Adam Flanagan – Richard Avery - Alex O’Brien © – Ryan Hayes – Junior Kadi – Brendon Cass – Eddie McClements – Mark Green
Subs - Yohance Lewis for Ryan Hayes 76 – Dave Moore – Brad Potter for Adam Flanagan 86 – Tom Bradbrook for Mark Green 59 - Dean James

HFC - Dale Brightly – Jordon Bostock – Danny Glozier – Elliot Styles - Richard Goddard © – Joe Keith - Donny Barnard – Mark Janney – Kris Lee – Harry Elmes –Richard Halle
Subs - Garry Cross - Andy Tomlinson for Donny Barnard 78 – Shane Oakley for Kris Lee 75 – Ronnie Fletcher – Richard McKinney

Scorers – Kris Lee 32 – Harry Elmes 75 – Richard Halle 81
Bookings – none
Weather 8 degrees at start, 5 degrees at finish
Officials – John Lodge with James Mason and (sounded like) Adeboye
Duration – 46.16 + 48.32
Attendance 575 (150 from Hornchurch)

DARTFORD   0  HORNCHURCH  3
A gridlocked Dartford Bridge – staff at the toll booths could not cope with the masses of Urchins pouring over. Large car park – packed solid. Programmes £2 – that’s a bit steep. Inside, a brand new stadium, steep terracing, good seating – but little atmosphere. Main talking point was the massive 30 foot lump of oak imported from Wiltshire – it was holding up the roof – what was it? A work of art? Was it the Wicker Man? The 150 Urchins in the crowd quickly dubbed it TreeBoy.

No changes for Dartford – but for Urchins Mark Janney and Kris Lee both returned to the starting line up – 150 Urchins were searching for food – no burgers, only tiny sales points, no queues, not surprising. 575 inside the ground, mainly Urchins and stewards. Richard Goddard takes over as captain.

And what a start -  mistimed tackle by Kadi and Harry Elmes goes down injured, but is soon back on his feet. Urchins power forward, Bostock up to Janney and over to Kris Lee , whose hard cross shot skims the post, silencing the already quiet home supporters. Lee again, out to Janney and his cross is well saved by keeper Kessell. Styles plays a pass upfield to Joe Keith, and then in to Janney again, who cuts in but puts his centre over the bar. A quick free kick, Janney speeds away and wins a corner. Halle comes over to take it, and Goddard powers his header inches wide. It’s all Urchins at the moment. But Darts are awarded a free kick, Hayes plays the ball into the goalmouth and Styles touches out for a corner. Hayes takes it, short to Norman, and over it comes, the whistle blows and Urchins get a free kick.

Halle, to Elmes, back to Halle, a good run, a shot and a good save. Barnard plays the ball long and keeper Kessell rushes out of goal to kick away from Kris Lee. Styles gains possession, hits a long pass over the heads of the defence, Harry Elmes runs on, he is clear through, and then the whistle goes for offside. Colin in not happy, Unc is not happy, UM is not happy, no one is, and the 30 foot Treeboy stands in silence.

 McClements to Hayes, and he wins a free kick, takes it himself, and floats the ball over to captain O’Brien, who sends a dangerous looking cross over, which Brightly deals with adequately. Joe Keith in to Kris Lee, Kris hits the ball into the middle and Coyle hammers it away. Darts enjoy a spell on attack. McClements out to Hayes, Hayes eludes Glozier and carries on, cuts inside and shoots narrowly wide, the ball hitting the netting which protects the tea bar from the burgers. And then some real danger, when Green moves down the left wing, and Dale races out to save at his feet, the ball rolling free and Dale dropping on it at the second attempt. But order is restored, when Barnard shows some real class with an inch perfect pass up to Janney, who twists this way and that and storms down the wing. In to Kris Lee, who also twists and turns and fires the shot inches wide of the post.

Elmes, Barnard and Halle all link up and Halle’s low cross is well held by Kessell. Kessell hits the ball deep and Cass plays the ball further into the goalmouth, where a massive scramble ensues and McClements threatens, before Styles hits the ball up field to Janney. A free kick, Hayes takes it, as usual, but one wrongly awarded as Hayes and Goddard had collided, but no danger as Brightly saves. A goal is well over-due, and it comes when Barnard and Janney link up, Joe Keith takes the pass and plays the ball into the middle, where KRIS LEE nods home – 150 Urchins celebrate, TreeBay stands in 30-foot silence, and the Darts and their massed army of stewards all hope the gates will open so that they can go out for a smoke. Inside, things are really smokin’, as Urchins pile it on. Brightly up to Lee, Lee on to Elmes, and Coyle tackles. A corner, Halle sends the ball over and Goddard’s header is stopped by Coyle. Elmes through to Lee, Kris is clear, but the whistle goes for offside. But at the other end the ball is worked across field to Coyle, who plays it into the middle, and it is hit onto the bar and over - a corner is given, it should have been a goal kick, but Hayes takes it and Dale saves, back again comes the ball, a header by Cass and again Dale saves, right under the bar.

Half time and time to admire the 30 foot TreeBoy – but the gates are open and hundreds of home supporters troop out for a cigarette. The tea bar is – underwhelmed. What, no burgers? Steak pies are nice, if you like steak pies. But main complaint is about the lights – no, not the floodlights, which are quite good, but the masses of strip lighting on the terraces which were very dazzling.

No chances but Urchins now step up the pace. Lee makes a run, out to Janney, over it comes, and Norman whacks it away, out of the ground, there are more balls out the ground than there are in it. Jordan comes up but is fouled by Cass, and from the free kick Janney hits the ball into the middle where Kessell saves. A Darts free kick, Hayes the taker, Goddard heads away. Back it comes, a great goalmouth scramble, and Dale drops on the ball. Richard Halle moves down the left and plays a long ball over into the middle, and Kessell, inspired, saves again. Elmes takes a pass from Barnard, turns and goes, his centre towards Lee being intercepted by Avery. Keith to Janney, Janney to Elmes, Elmes back to Janney, the ball comes towards Lee and Kessell gets there first. It’s all Urchins, it’s the siege of the Alamo, 150 Urchins roar them onwards, the home supporters are quiet

O’Brien tries a hopeful long range shot, the ball sails out the ground, last seen heading towards the Thames. Brightly takes the goal kick, up to Lee who outjumps Avery, and heads on to Elmes. Harry Plays the ball into the goalmouth, and Kessell saves. Darts come back, the ball is played towards McClements, and Dale saves the hard hit shot. Dale hits it long and up to Lee, who touches back to Joe Keith, whose vicious shot skims the bar. Elmes wins the ball, he never stops trying, and is creating havoc, and is brought down. Keith takes the kick and Kessell saves. Lee on to Elmes, Kessell diving to turn the shot around the post, and Halle’s corner is headed away by Flanagan. Barnard, dominant in midfield, on to Janney, and high over to Elmes, where Kessell rushes out to save at Harry’s feet. Janney, beats three defenders, then another, in to Kris Lee, back to Richard Halle, a first time shot, and just wide. Elmes, his turn to beat three defenders, and then on to Janney, who powers down the right, his cross being turned out for a corner, which Keith sends over. Back it comes again, Janney, round the defence, who are left trailing, over to Richard Halle on the left, back to Donny Barnard, a shot, and HARRY ELMES casually backheels the ball into the net. Two nil

On comes Shane Oakley and Andy Tomlinson – Kris Lee and Donny Barnard leave the field to rapturous applause – even Colin is smiling, so is Jim McFarlane, so is Unc, despite the cig ban. Oakley to Halle, who turns and fires narrowly wide. ‘Easy easy’ chant the EastSide, but it was never easy – just a completely dominant display from the Urchins, and it is not all over yet. Janney, outstanding, wins another corner, RICHARD HALLE comes across to the right, swerves the ball directly into the net. Three nil. And it could and should have been four, for Elmes plays Janney clear through the middle, Janney homes in on goal, only the keeper to beat, and the whistle blows, and Urchins are awarded a free kick instead. Darts do not give up and in the final minute they hit the post, but by now there are only a handful of home supporters left to witness it.

Quotes – ‘Welcome to the new season’ (Max).
‘Our supporters totally outsung the home lot’ (Unc).
‘Half price steak pies’ – (tea bar).
And from the 30 foot TreeBoy – just silence.

Weather Conditions: 8 degs. C. at Start, 5 degs. C. at Finish

Match Officials: Referee Mr. John Lodge, Assistants Mr. James Mason and Mr. Adeboye

Match duration: F/H 46 mins. 16 secs., S/H 48 mins. 32 secs.