Saturday 12th January 2008
HASTINGS UTD  0  HORNCHURCH  0
HU – Lee Worgan – Danny Spice – Russell Eldridge – Nathan Russell – Rhys Whyborne © - Ashley Paine – Antonio Gonella – Tim Olorunda – Sam Adams – Lee Carey – Jack Franklin
Subs – Frankie Sawyer for Eldridge 54 – Kevin Ross for Paine 90 – Danny Ellis for Adams 62 – Jani Seitsonen

HFC – Dale Brightley – Donny Barnard – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © - Jim McFarlane  – Elliot Styles – Dean Green – Des Boateng - Kris Lee – Simon Parker – Mark Janney
Subs – Amos Foyewa 90+3 for Simon Parker– Frankie Curley – Richard Halle – Shane Oakley for Mark Janney 69 – Richard Goddard

Bookings – Nathan Russell 75 (HU) – Colin McBride 90+1 (H) – OFF - Elliot Styles 90+2 (H)
Attendance 463 – 200 from Hornchurch
Weather – 7 degrees at start, 5 degrees at finish – sunny at start, clear at finish, wind speed 5 mph
Officials – M Yerby with A Colwell and J Pike
Duration – 46.08 + 48.15
Statistical record – Amos Foyewa broke the record for the shortest ever appearance when he came onto the pitch at 93.01, just fourteen seconds before the end.
This is the second statistical record a HFC player has set up this season.

HASTINGS UTD  0  HORNCHURCH  0
Hastings lies at the foot of the South Downs, the largest chalkland area in the UK, Magnificent drainage means that any amount of rain simply soaks through right away. Unfortunately it also lies right on the edge of the Downs, and this is bounded by the area of sandstone known as the Hastings Sands and Wealden Clay – and this is where their pitch is situated – hence the rather soft boggy surface which took virtually all the bounce out of the ball.

200 Urchins invaded the ground, and Lawrence set up the record for the longest and highest ever wheelie down the ramp, from the bar to the ground, sending the Hastings mascot – a large albatross called Sammy the Seagull – fluttering for cover. Unc then sent terror through the hearts of the handful of home supporters with his Burberry and moon boots. But it was Hastings themselves who caused the greatest mirth, playing ‘The Boys are back in Town’ as the Urchins took up their positions. Faux pas par excellence.

The old speedway track is still visible around the pitch – exactly 50 years after the speedway was closed down – the tea bar was quick and efficient – and also very expensive. The pitch itself has a steep slope, and Urchins had to kick up the incline in the first half.

Urchins got off to a promising start, Donny Barnard slipping the ball through to Simon Parker who raced in from the left and hit his cross low across goal, where there was no one up far enough to touch home. Worgan in goal for the home side caused a certain amount of consternation when his long kick almost bounced over Dale Brightley’s head and the keeper then sent another long punt upfield where Adams got on to the end of the ball as it dropped, and hooked it yards wide, the ball hitting the first oak on the right, rebounding against  the birch and then coming back off the poplar tree.

But Hastings rarely threatened, and almost conceded a goal when Mark Janney touched back to Danny Glozier whose lobbed shot dropped onto the roof of the net. At the other end, Adams cut in from the left, turned the ball inside to Gonella, who fired yards over the top, just missing the crow sitting at the top of the oak tree. A Glozier pass was intercepted by Russell who then was dispossessed by Glozier who turned the ball inside to Des Boateng who hammered in his shot which skimmed the bar, and Hastings immediately surged back down the hill side. Gonella’s cross being headed firmly away by John Purdie for a corner, which Eldridge took and Brightley gathered. Parker to Kris Lee, and Spice tackled to give away a corner which Boateng played short to Glozier and from Danny’s well timed centre Simon Parker came in but headed just over the bar. Janney was fouled by Adams who escaped without a card and from Glozier’s free kick the ball came back to Janney who crossed back into the middle where the whistle went of an offside which few believed to be correct. Gonella made a solo run down the middle, and Elliot Styles came across to tackle to start up yet another Urchins sortie upfield. Jim McFarlane then sent a perfect pass to Kris Lee, who turned the ball back to Janney, who hit his shot over the bar. Spice created a moment of danger when he took the ball off of Glozier and booted it deep upfield, forcing Dale Brightley to race out of his goal to kick clear, only for Adams to play the ball back inside, and Purdie headed out for a corner. Urchins pressed hard prior to the interval, and Barnard’s free kick found Parker who crossed first time into the middle where McFarlane’s hard shot – yes, shot, not a header – cannoned off Whyborne for a corner, which Boateng took and McFarlane played the ball back to Boateng who centred for Simon Parker who cracked his shot just wide of the goal. 

Boateng gave Urchins an opening at the start of the second half, his touch back to Glozier seeing Danny’s cross go just over, and it was Glozier in action at the other end, heading away Eldridge’s corner. Gonella twice in a minute made a solo break upfield, each time finding Elliot Styles in his way. A Glozier run saw the resulting centre put too far forward and the ball was gathered easily by Worgan, whilst a Glozier free kick saw McFarlane’s powerful header again skim the bar. Glozier again, this time sending Boateng clear, the ball bobbling badly on the bumpy surface just as Des got in his shot, which sailed over the bar. A Parker run saw the ball played back to Glozier and on to Styles, following up hard through the middle, and Elliot’s shot brought an excellent save from the overworked Worgan. Glozier yet again, this time seeing his shot rebounding off Russell for a corner, which Boateng took and Worgan caught. Shane Oakley came on and was quickly into action being sent clear on the left, with Gonella racing back to tackle. Then it was Glozier to Lee, whose goal bound shot was touched around the post for another corner which Boateng took and McFarlane went close with another header. Then it was Jim McFarlane who won the ball inside his own half, strode upfield, slipped a pass inside to Parker, who turned the ball out to Oakley, who rushed in but hit his shot inches wide of the post.

The one way traffic was temporarily halted when Carey fired a free kick yards over the bar, narrowly missing the black billed seagull which was flying over to roost, and Urchins continued to pound away at the home goal. Glozier to Lee, who cut in and fired his shot wide. Then Styles to Parker who hooked his shot wide, and Green twice went through only to hit the ball wide of the far post. Barnard came up to join in, with a similar result, and then Gonella found himself all on his own upfield and he raced goalwards, where Dale Brightley made a magnificent save – the only time Hastings managed a direct shot on goal – to turn the ball out for a corner, which McFarlane then headed away. A Glozier free kick almost saw Rose head through his own net, and Boateng’s corner was well saved by Worgan. Colin McBride was inexplicably sent off in stoppage time and Amos Foyewa then came on for the shortest time that any Urchin player has ever spent on the pitch – just fourteen seconds, and Hastings had held out for a point, in a match where Urchins had missed at least ten chances he ball simply not running for them. Player of the match was Jim McFarlane, unbeatable in defence and an inspiration in his upfield sorties.

Weather Conditions: 5-7 Degs. C., Sunny at Start then Clear, Wind Speed = 5 mph

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. M. Yerby, Assistants - Mr. A. Colwell and Mr. J. Pike

Match duration: F/H 46 mins. 08 secs., S/H 48 mins. 15 secs.