Saturday 8th December 2007
HORNCHURCH  2  FOLKESTONE  1
HFC – Dale Brightley – Donny Barnard – Elliot Styles – John Purdie © - Jim McFarlane - Dean Green – Des Boateng – Frankie Curley - Richard Goddard – Simon Parker - Steve Wales
Subs - Harry Elmes – Mark Janney for Curley 60 - Jordan Bostock – Richard Halle for Green 83 – Amos Foyewa for Wales 60

FI – Charlie Mitten – Kevin Watson – Roland Fudge © - Frankie Chappell – Tom Bryant – Samuel Kola Okikiolu – Michael Everitt – Richard Shittu – Leigh Bremner – James Corbett – Charlie Glyde
Subs – Laim Friend – James Everitt for Shittu 76 – Ellis Remy for Bremner 66 – Luke Stonebridge

Scorers – Richard Shittu 26 (F) – Simon Parker 81 – Mark Janney 89p
Bookings – none
Weather – rain – wind speed 20 mph 5 degrees, wcf minus four
Officials – W Norcott with B Morss and A Oldershaw
Attendance 264

HORNCHURCH  2  FOLKESTONE  1
Monsoon weather, torrential rain, gales, all cross channel ferries shut down, operation stack in progress, but visitors Folkestone are used to all that. Referee orders the pitch to be forked, Unc dons his moon boots and the pitch gets well and truly forked. Result – the ten inches of standing water have disappeared and both teams come out.

Urchins kick towards the windmill end of the ground, and begin well, Goddard, playing up front, heading Purdie’s long pass out to Dean Green, who cuts in and crosses, the ball being headed back by Chappell to Styles, who returned the ball into the goalmouth where it skims the post and goes out of play. Dale Brightley took a pass back from Barnard and pumped the ball deep upfield for Wales to glance on to Green, whose first time shot went inches over the bar.

Styles then took a pass from McFarlane, and found Green on the wing, who neatly opened up the defence with a low ground pass through to Parker, who raced away and was brought back by the offside flag, a decision which did not meet with favour from the EastSide. Barnard, playing at right back, twice slipped in the wet conditions, but managed to recover to regain the ball on both occasions, the latter time slipping the ball through to Curley who made ground and won a corner, which Wales took and Boateng cracked his shot against the bar, before Bryant cleared. A long run by Parker on the left saw Simon race in on goal, past Watson, and his shot was well saved by Mitten who turned the ball around the post for another corner. Wales took the kick and Okikiolu headed away, for a throw, which Styles tossed into the area, and another corner resulted, which was cleared by Mitten, who was perhaps fortunate to still be o the field after appearing to handle the ball outside his area to prevent Goddard from reaching the pass, the loud and lengthy appeals from the EastSide being ignored by the linesman and referee.

Folkestone scored with their first attack of the match, a long ball from Mitten starting proceedings, and Bremner took advantage of a retreating defence to pass to an unmarked RICHARD SHITTU who directed his shot wide of Brightley and into the net. Folkestone nearly went further ahead when Bremner was allowed far too much space and he broke through the centre, only for Jim McFarlane to intercept. Urchins struggled in the face of the rain and gale but moved forward well when Barnard took a pass from Purdie, found Parker, and thence out to Wales, whose cross was headed on by Goddard. A massive goalmouth scramble ensued, before Goddard flicked the ball over Mitten but also just over the bar. Goddard, playing as an out and out centre forward, then won a corner, which Wales took and Watson kicked out for another corner, which Wales again took. Surprisingly, just nine seconds were added on to the first half.

Half time and the rain increased, the wind increased, and the channel ferries remained closed. Second half started well, with another corner, which made it six nil in Urchins favour on the corner count, but Wales kick was headed away by Okikiolu. Folkestone began to win command of the midfield, in particular Kevin Watson who was left with acres of room on the right, and most of their moves started from the right back position. From one of them, Corbett ran through but hit his shot wide of the post. Urchins continued to press but without much penetration. An exchange of passes between Green and Parker saw Green shoot wide. Amos came on, so did Mark Janney, but it began to look as if it was going to be one of those days when nothing would go right. Operation Stack had now been transferred from the M20 to the Bridge, as play was stacked up in the visiting third of the pitch, ball after ball being pumped forward and headed away or hacked away. Janney was however now creating havoc whenever he got the ball, running at the defence, and his pass to Styles saw Elliot pump the ball over, when Goddard headed over the bar, with everyone already shouting goal. Boateng to Green, whose shot was touched over for corner number seven. Janney took the kick and Bryant cleared. Green to Boateng, and on to Janney but the centre went behind.

And then a long clearance by Mitten saw the ball almost enter the net at the other end, but Brightley saved well, tipping the ball over for Folkestone’s only corner of the match, the ball being played over and out to Glyde whose shot brought the save of the match – perhaps of the season – from Dale Brightley. Back up to the other end, Barnard found Parker, who ran on, but hit his shot over. Parker then won corner number eight, which came to nothing , and Parker again, this time being thwarted by the outrushing Mitten. Janney went solo through the middle, his shot being well saved by Mitten, and then came the long overdue equaliser. Brightley pumped yet another long ball downfield, it was played on to SIMON PARKER who carried on the momentum but running at the defence and hammering the ball home to level the scores.

Folkestone came back quickly, a long ball upfield finding Remy who rammed his shot against the post, with Brightley perhaps getting a hand to deflect the ball, but it was now one way traffic, and when Amos Foyewa broke through, he got a foot to the ball to break past Mitten, who scythed him down, and the linesman immediately signalled for a penalty. Once the histrionics had abated, the referee took no action against the keeper, perhaps deciding that the pitch played a factor, and MARK JANNEY calmly slotted home the penalty.

Just thirty seconds left and Urchins in front. It was all over, or rather it should have been, but the referee appeared to have forgotten to restart his watch and seven minutes into stoppage time the linesman came onto the field to speak to the referee,a nd full time was signalled.

Non league daily report
By Jay Middleton
HORNCHURCH  2  FOLKESTONE  1
Hornchurch had to overcome the difficult conditions - torrential rain and strong winds – but looked confident against visitors Folkestone. Des Boateng almost opened the score when his snap shot cannoned off the bar, but Folkestone went ahead with their first attack of the match, on 26 mintues, when Bremner opened up a retreating defence to slot through to RICHARD SHITTU who neatly slid the ball home. It took a good tackled from Jim McFarlane, back after breaking his leg in the first match of the season, to stop Leigh Bremner, before play settled down in midfield. In the second half, Urchins made brought on substitutes Mark Janney and Amos Foyewa, and after incessant pressure Folkestone caved in when SIMON PARKER raced on to crash the ball home to level the score, following a long upfield kick by keeper Dale Brightley, who seconds later made an amazing save from Remy. Urchins took the lead just thirty seconds from the end when keeper Mitten brought down Amos Foyewa as he burst through, and MARK JANNEY calmly waited for the protests to die down before he neatly slotted home the winning goal from the penalty spot with only thirty seconds of normal time remaining.
Player of match – Jim McFarlane

NLP report – by Tony Middleton
HORNCHURCH  2  FOLKESTONE  1
The torrential rain and strong winds combined to make good football very difficult
and many passes were overhit as players struggled to overcome  the slippery conditions. Urchins almost went in front in the first minute, Goddards’ pass out to Sytles seeing the resultant cross skimming past the post. A shot from Dean Green went close, but Folkestone went ahead with their first attack of the match, on 26 mintues, when Bremner opened up a retreating defence to slot through to RICHARD SHITTU who neatly slid the ball home. Folkestone nearly went further ahead when Brember broke clear, but McFarlane, back after breaking his leg in the first match of the season, came over to tackle. Folkestone were content to defend for long periods in the second half as the home side surged forward, but when Mark Janney and Amos Foyewa came on the pressure became too much, and only some fine saves by keeper Mitten kept the visitors in front. With only nine minutes to go a long kick by Dale Brightley eluded the defence, and SIMON PARKER raced on to crash the ball home to level the score. Dale Brightley then made an incredible save from Remy, but with Urchins now forcing the pace, keeper Mitten brought down Amos Foyewa as he burst through, and MARK JANNEY calmly waited for the protests to die down before he neatly slotted home the winning goal from the penalty spot with only thirty seconds of normal time remaining. Seven minutes were added on for stoppages, during which Urchins could have increased their lead, whilst at the other end Brightley made a good save from Glyde.
E/V 2/5 – Player of match – Jim McFarlane.

Man of the Match: Dale Brightly Sponsored by: Vantis

Match Sponsor: Motorised

Weather Conditions: 5 0egs. C., Rain, Wind Speed = 20 mph, wcf = minus 4 degs. C.

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. w. Norcott, Assistants - Mr. B. Morss and Mr. A. Oldenshaw

Match duration: F/H 45 mins. 09 secs., S/H 51 mins. 31 secs.