Report

Hornchurch trailed at half-time but two second half goals from Leon McKenzie and George Purcell ensured it was the Urchins who’ll be in the hat for Monday’s 3rd Qualifying Round draw.

Saturday 16-September-2017 – F.A. Cup

HERTFORD TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 2

HT – Mann, Sharman, Hatherly, Thomson, Toner, Beck, Light (Bond 90+8), Edwards, Ruff (Lovell 72), Wade, O’Connor
Subs – Evans, Edmee, Andreos, O’Brien, Dent

HFC – Mott, Hursit, Porter, Lee, Cooper, Roberts (Fanimo 78), Fairweather-Johnson, Joseph (Hussain 72), McKenzie (Tuohy 89), Purcell, Warner
Subs – Kamara, Quitirna, Chouman, Lambert

Officials – William Cutmore with Shaun Gregory and Clifford Mills

Scorers – Hatherly 19p (HT) – McKenzie 49 (H) – Purcell 89 (H)

Attendance 308
Duration 48.00 + 53.00

Bookings – Light 14 (HT) – Cooper 16 (H) – Warner 34 (H) – Hatherly 67 (HT) OFF – Joseph 68 (H) – McKenzie 88 (H) – Wade 90+2 (HT) – Purcell 90+8 (H) OFF

HT – all blue
HFC – red & white stripes , black / black

HERTFORD TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 2

It was a Hornchurch team minus three players with injuries sustained at Maldon that took the field, the rain started just as the match kicked off, though it stopped at the interval.

After a slow start Hornchurch had the first opportunity when George Purcell moved along the left wing, and crossed low to Leon McKenzie, who put his shot wide.

Charlie Ruff had the first scoring chance for Hertford, with a free kick, ten yards outside the area. The ball took a deflection and went out for a corner, which Sam Mott fielded in fine style.

Back at the other end McKenzie headed on from a free kick to Nathan Cooper, but his shot went over the bar.

The first booking of the match soon followed, Ricky Light receiving a yellow card for a foul on Tobi Joseph, and two minutes later Cooper went for a 50-50 ball with Charlie Mann and was also booked.

On 19 minutes Hertford took the lead from a penalty, awarded for handball, a very controversial decision as a hard drive cannoned into the Hornchurch defender from just a yard away. Tyler Hatherly accepted the unexpected gift to open the scoring from the spot.

Hornchurch felt they should have had a penalty of their own when Tobi Joseph appeared to be brought down as he was about to shoot, the defender then deflecting the ball out for a corner, which was scrambled away for a second corner, which was headed away to safety.

On 40 minutes Brad Warner outpaced the home defence but Mann saved well.

Hornchurch came under some pressure in the final few minutes of the half, though Sam Mott did not need to make a save, the closest Hertford getting to goal was a shot from Light which was wide of the post.

In the first half Hertford had the edge but had rarely threatened the Hornchurch goal, and Hornchurch stepped up the pace and equalised four minutes into the second half.

Hornchurch were going forward, only for the referee to stop play and award an indirect free kick for offside, ten yards inside the home half. Warner sent the ball deep into the goalmouth, it was headed back across goal, and Leon McKenzie provided the finishing touch.

Three minutes later Theo Fairweather-Johnson played the ball across to Purcell who cut inside but placed his shot into the side netting.

On the hour Purcell opened up the left flank and centred to McKenzie, and Mann saved his powerful header from close range.

A Porter run ended with the cross deflected away for a corner, and on 67 minutes Hertford were a player short when Tyler Hatherly was shown a straight red for a late challenge on Tobi Joseph, who himself was surprisingly booked after two minutes of treatment. And not surprisingly, Joseph then limped off, to be replaced by Taj Hussain, and shortly afterwards Mathias Fanimo came on for Sean Roberts.

As Hornchurch piled on the pressure a Warner free kick came back off the bar and was saved by Mann, and a speedy Fanimo outpaced his marker and centred to McKenzie, with Mann again saving well.

With a minute of normal time left, Fanimo made an excellent run on the left, and crossed into the goalmouth, where George Purcell was ideally placed to supply the winning touch.

Martin Tuohy came on in place of McKenzie, who had just been booked, and in the eighth minute of stoppage time came the moment of total farce – George Purcell was fouled twice in quick succession, and his reaction caused the referee to produce his second red card of the match, whilst the culprits escaped unscathed.

And so ended Hornchurch’s ninth win in succession, with Purcell now facing a three match ban.