Tuesday 2nd October 2007 – FAC
HORNCHURCH  2  HENDON  1
HFC - Dale Brightly – Jordon Bostock – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © - Andy Tomlinson – Joe Keith – Garry Cross – Mark Janney – Harry Elmes – Simon Parker - Richard Halle
Subs – Amos Foyewa - Adam Parker  for Harry Elmes 88 –Shane Oakley for Richard Halle 59 – Richard Goddard for John Purdie at half time  –Richard McKinney

HFC – Richard Wilmot – James Burgess – Craig Vargass – Marc Leach – James Parker © - Jamie Busby – Davis Haule – Dean Green - Brian Haule – Rakatahr Hudson – Wayne O;Sullivan
Subs – Belal Aitequakrim for Burgess 88 – Lubomir Guentchev for Green 83 – Iavor Guentchev – Daniel Dyer – Junior Adeoye

Scorers – Craig Vargas 45 (Hen) – Harry Elmes 71 -  Simon Parker 85
Attendance 333
Bookings – Tomlinson 69 – O’Sullivan 76 (Hen) – Busby 90+4 (Hen)
Officials – S Feerick with T Brooks and B Quartermaine
Duration – 46.10 + 49.56
Weather 12 degrees, cloudy, wind speed zero

HORNCHURCH  2  HENDON  1
Urchins had one change, David Lee out with injury and Richard Halle coming in to the starting line up. Hendon were unchanged. Disappointingly only about 20 away supporters in attendance. Traffic clogged up on the main road, police cars, sirens screaming, rushed by.

Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground, and were rocked by a whirlwind start by the visitors, who had three corners in the first minute, all taken by O’Sullivan, who took everything, with Dale Brightly eventually gathering Brian Haule’s shot to ease the pressure. But not for long as Brian Haule sent in an excellent pass through to Davis Haule, and only a neat tackle by Cross prevented a scoring chance. Things went against Hornchurch when what looked like a very obvious goal kick was awarded as a corner by the referee, with O’Sullivan’s inswinging kick held by Brightly. At last Urchins weathered the pressure and came forward, Keith taking a short free kick to Simon Parker, and back to Keith, whose run was halted by Vargas. Back at the other end, O’Sullivan’s centre was touché don by Brian Haule to Davis Haule, whose first time shot was blocked by Purdie. Cross was in action soon after when he intercepted a long pass and promptly played a long ball upfield to Simon Parker whose goalward run was stopped by James Parker.

Hendon continued to press forward, a 60 yard run by O’Sullivan ending when he played the ball too far forward and it ran out of play. Janney was halted by a late Vargas tackle, though the referee chose to ignore the calls of the EastSide for the yellow care, and Cross took the free kick, with Wilmot rising well to save. Janney again, swooping down the right and his cross was cleared by Leach. Them Tomlinson came forward, his run ending in a corner, which Keith took and played the ball too short, got it back again and then played it over too long, Vargas clearing. A dangerous run by Davis Haule was stopped by a very alert Richard Halle, whilst Janney and Elmes combined at the other end, with Wilmot saving. Bostock, dominant in defence, then sent Janney away and Mark cut inside and then cross for Harry Elmes, whose shot cannoned back off the bar. Urchins stepped up the pace, Bostock’s free kick finding Elmes and then on to Simon Parker, who twisted and turned and fired in a low shot which Wilmot did well to stop.

Hendon came back again, another corner, O’Sullivan yet again taking it, out to Busby, and his first time shot was touched around by Brightly, for the inevitable O’Sullivan corner, which came over into a packed area, and the ball thudded against the bar, Bostock getting to the rebound and hitting a long pass out to Elmes, who turned the ball inside to Janney, who was tackled on the edge of the area. Elmes once more, to Simon Parker and on to Joe Keith, whose centre was cleared by Busby. Hendon’s seventh corner of the half created danger at the other end, O’Sullivan receiving the ball back and playing it back to the edge of the area, where the resulting first time shot hit the post, Purdie completing the clearance. Then it was Simon Parker speeding away, turning sharply as only Simon can, and his shot was touched away for a corner, which Keith took and Janney returned into the goalmouth, where Burgess cleared. Janney was sent clear and was pulled back for a free kick, with no other action being taken. Right on half time Hendon were awarded a free kick which looked to have been given the wrong way, but the harmless looking ball into the goalmouth saw CRAIG VARGAS catch Brightly by surprise and the ball rolled slowly over the line.

One nil, and could injury hit Urchins come back? Big question at half time – which ex-Urchin played for Dulwich Hamlet when they last played at the Bridge in the FA Cup.  But would it matter? Only if Urchins could come back. And things looked bleaker than ever when John Purdie failed to reappear, Richard Goddard, himself nursing an injury, coming on in his place.

Urchins started well, Simon Parker hitting a shot over the bar from Tomlinson’s pass, and Glozier playing a good ball to Simon Parker, whose lobbed shot landed on the roof of the net. Cross moved forward to support the attack and cut in from the right but hit his shot behind the post. A Keith free kick found Harry Elmes, who turned and hammered his shot home, despite Wilmot partly parrying the ball, but offside was given. Hendon were now rarely in the match as an attacking force, having apparently decided to concentrate on defence, but almost broke away thanks to O’Sullivan, whose 60 yard run ended with Brightly making a diving save. And then Davis Haule broke clear in similar fashion, but hit his shot high and wide.

Urchins were now pounding forward, with the EastSide in full voice, and frequently furious at the referee who awarded a succession of free kicks but without taking any action against the offending player. Shane Oakley came on to replace Richard Halle, to give Urchins another forward in place on a midfield player, and it was Shane’s speedy run in fro the left on to Tomlinson’s free kick which almost brought a goal, the ball being played across to Janney, whose cross was pushed out for a corner by Wilmot. Keith took the free kick with James Parker clearing. Oakley once again, finding Elmes, with James Parker tackling well, but Glozier intercepted the ball and hit in a hard cross which Wilmot turned out for a corner, from which Tomlinson’s shot was turned out for another corner. Up strode Goddard, and his header was saved by Wilmot. It had to come, and it did. Glozier started it off, Oakley carried it on, out to the wing and back over came the ball, Mark Janney needless to say, and HARRY ELMES finished it off. Bedlam on the terraces, masses of ticker tape on the pitch, and suddenly the win looked on, despite the massive injury list. Oakley on the left, his persistence winning a corner, Keith taking the kick and Goddard’s header being cleared off the line for another corner, which Keith took again, and in came another header, held by Wilmot right under the bar. Keith was then stopped by O’Sullivan who escaped with a yellow card, and a massive Dale Brightly free kick fell right in front of Harry Elmes, the ball bobbing just as he shot, and sailing over the bar. Brightly again with a long upfield kick and an amazing piece of ball control by Oakley who then set off down the left wing, and his run ended in another corner, which Keith played short to Simon Parker and back to Keith who centred, with Simon Parker’s header going just wide of the post. Mark Janney creates havoc on the right, over comes the ball, a prolonged goalmouth scramble, Shane Oakley’s shot is cleared off the line, and SIMON PARKER reacts quickest, and it’s in the net – two one and the EastSide are on the running track.

Hendon throw everyone forward, Adam Parker comes on for Harry Elmes to boos the midfield, but Hendon do not look like finding a way through, and with five minutes of stoppage time gone, the final whistle goes, it’s all over – no it’s not, for seconds after the final whistle the ball is banged into the Urchins net. Too late, the EastSide are already celebrating, and the referee is surrounded by irate Hendon players, who do not want to accept that it is all over.

Dulwich next.

And who was the ex-Urchin who played for Hamlet? Terry Bowes.

Man of the Match: Harry Elmes Sponsored by: The Riverside

Weather Conditions: 12 Degs. C., Cloudy, Wind Speed - zero

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. S. Feerick, Assistants - Mr. T. Brooks and Mr. B. Quartermaine

Match duration: F/H 46 mins. 10 secs. S/H 49 mins. 56 secs.