Saturday 19th January 2008
HORNCHURCH  3  RAMSGATE  1
HFC – Dale Brightley – Donny Barnard – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © - Jim McFarlane  – Shane Oakley - Dean Green – Des Boateng - Kris Lee – Simon Parker – Elliot Styles
Auba – Jamie Richards (debut) for Kris Lee 63 – Richard Goddard – Andy Tomlinson for Shane Oakley 74 – Frankie Curley for Dean Green 84 – Mark Janney

RFC – Paul Wilkerson – Lewis Dark – Dean Hill - Nick Davis – Dan Tanner - Ben Laslett – Andy Hadden – Warren Schulz – Lee Minshull – Steffan Ball – Dan Dolton
Subs - Ryan Hirooka for Andy Hadden 67 – Mark Axell – Nick Treadwell - Will Graham for Lewis Dark 86 – Shaun Alliston

Scorers – Nick Davis 33 ® - Kris Lee 43 (H) – Kris Lee 57 (H) – Simon Parker 74 (H)
Attendance 326
Weather – drizzle, 11 degrees, wind speed 10 mph
Officials – Stuart Butler with Nolan Wilde and Daniel Wyatt
Bookings – Green 42 (H) – Hill 44 ® - Purdie 48 (H) – Hadden 66 ® - Davis 78 ® - McFarlane 78 (H) – Graham 90+1 ®

HORNCHURCH  3  RAMSGATE  1

The pitch, hit by continuous rain during the week, was vertidrained the previous day, leaving a soft but excellent surface. Newly signed Jamie Richards, from East Thurrock, was included in the squad, and Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground, in a light drizzle. Ramsgate looked dangerous in the first half, coming forward strongly and using both wings to open up the play, but it was Hornchurch who could have taken the lead when Glozier’s free kick caused the visitors all sorts of problems and McFarlane nipped in to prod the ball inches wide of the post.  A run by Dolton saw broken up by a neat tackle by Barnard who then played the ball out to Kris Lee, and then on to Dean Green who raced goalwards but was tackled by Tanner. A Green solo run created danger until Davis tackled and the ball was promptly cleared upfield to Minshfull who in turn was tackled by Purdie. A Donny Barnard shot was deflected for a corner, and shortly afterwards Simon Parker slid the ball inside to Des Boateng, who first time drive skimmed the bar.

Urchins keep up the pressure, a Parker run opening up the defence, and the ball was turned inside to Oakley whose shot was blocked by Dark, the ball running back to Elliot Styles, whose follow up shot was saved by Wilkerson. Ramsgate looked likely to score when Dan Dolton broke clear down the middle, and it took an excellent tackle by John Purdie to avert the danger. Simon Parker then opened up the defence again, with a pass back to Des Boateng whose cross just eluded the inrushing Kris Lee. Minshull hammered a shot over the bar when put through by Dolby, and home keeper Dale Brightley did well when he raced out to the right to tackle Dolby, and then set up an attack for the home side with an excellent pass out to Boateng, who turned the ball inside to Green, with Laslett doing well to tackle.

Hornchurch had strong appeals for a penalty rejected when Boateng was brought down when going for goal, and Ramsgate took the lead when Ball’s free kick was headed away by McFarlane, the ball being cleared upfield, only to be returned along the right wing, where Dan Dolton made ground before firing in a low cross, which both Donny Barnard and NICK DAVIS went for, the ball skidding into the net and a delighted Davis claiming the goal, to send the two Ramsgate supporters into hysterics – their day was made, they had scored against the mighty unstoppable Urchins.

Urchins stormed back, and such was the ferocity of the onslaught that the away supporters cowered in sheer terror. The ground erupted with anger when Shane Oakley’s excellent pass to Des Boateng saw Des hacked down when going for goal, the referee, with two assessors in the stand, choosing to ignore the most blatent penalty ever witnessed at the Stadium.  Warren Schulz saw his shot deflected out for a corner which came over dangerously, and Nick Davis’ spectacular overhead kick was well saved by Dale Brightley. But the pressure was just too much for the visitors, and Urchins levelled shortly before half time after Dean Green had been inexplicably booked, after the free kick was awarded to Hornchurch. Green took up the running and sent an excellent pass to Shane Oakley, whose shot rebounded out to KRIS LEE who hammered the loose ball into the net. A bizarre incident on the stoke of half time occurred when Dale Brightley picked up a loose ball, only for the linesman to indicate quite rightly that it was a back pass, and an indirect free kick was awarded, not from the goal line, about six yards to the left of the goal, where Dale picked the ball up, but about ten yards out. Sensing a goal, the entire Ramsgate team surged upfield, the ball was touched sideways, and the resulting shot cannoned out off the wall.

Half time, much to talk about, in particular the magnificent publicity given to the Urchins by one of the local papers, who week after week seem to forget that the Urchins exist. The visiting supporters in the shop commented favourably on the magnificent set up at the Bridge, and there was an air of optimism everywhere.

The second half saw Ramsgate forced back onto defence in the face of a ferocious Urchins team, who stormed majestically forward time and again. The referee, no doubt aware of the two assessors in the stand, booked John Purdie to the anger of the EastSide, and Urchins then set up siege on the away goal.  Oakley sent Kris Lee away and he turned the ball on to Simon Parker who raced on, but hit his shot wide. Keeper Paul Wilkserson saved well from Parker and then from McFarlane as the visitors were forced to defence in depth, but were fortunate when Oakley made a penetrating run on the wing before turning the ball back to Danny Glozier whose centre was palmed out for a corner.

An Oakley run, back to Glozier, the cross being turned out for a corner, The ball came over and McFarlane went close with his header. Another penalty appeal was rejected after Oakley had won a corner, the ball appearing to be handled from Green’s shot, the ball going back to Green who crossed into the middle where Laslett cleared. but Urchins went ahead when Elliot Styles made a good run, before slotting the ball in to Boateng, who turned it on to KRIS LEE who ran on to fire the ball home.

A farcical incident occurred when Ramsgate tried to make a substitution and the linesman indicated that the substitute, Ryan Hirooka, was wearing the wrong colour cycle shorts, and he had to go off again to change them. this proved to be doubly unfortunate for Andy Hadden, the player to be replaced, as he was booked in the few minutes it took for Hirooka to remove his cycle shorts. Boateng made a powerful solo run through the middle to win a corner, although a goal kick was awarded, whilst a Paker cross was turned out for a corner which Boateng took and Tanner could only head back to Boateng who was forced into a hurried shot which went wide.

Jamie Richards came on to make his debut and was quickly in the picture, when he laid the ball back to Glozier to fire inches over. At the other end, a corner by Dolton was headed out for another corner by McFarlane, and Dolton’s second corner was headed away by Purdie. Jamie Richards then was prominent in the third goal when he ran on to a long upfield ball from deep inside the home half, made ground on the left, and then turned the ball inside to SIMON PARKER who touched the ball home.

Dolton tried hard to get his team back into the match, with a good shot which Brightley saved well, but there was almost another goal at the other end when Boateng set up Green whose shot was well saved. Another Dolton corner came to nothing, Styles clearing, and Minshull then fired a shot wide. Urchins stormed back, Tomlinson making a good run, setting up Boateng, whose shot hit the post, the ball running back to Tomlinson, whose follow up shot also hit the post, the ball running back to Parker whose shot was cleared off the line. Richards to Curley, who lost control of the ball and this allowed Hirooka to race away upfield, his shot being turned around the post by Brightley. Back to the other end and Parker laid the ball back to Curley, and onwards to Richards, who turned sharply and hooked his shot inches wide.

Three points, three goals, and everyone happy, and Urchins have now signalled loud and clear that they are on the way to the play offs.

Man of the Match: Jim McFarlane Sponsored by: Bionic II

Match Sponsor: Haart / Spicer McColl

Weather Conditions: 11 Degs. C., Drizzle, Wind Speed = 11 mph

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. Stuart Butler, Assistants - Mr. Nolan Wilde and Mr. Daniel Wyatt

Match duration: F/H 48 mins. 04 secs., S/H 49 mins. 23 secs.