Westview Essex Senior League
Saturday 14th January 2006
	AFC Hornchurch	4 - 1	Hullbridge Sports
Holland 1' 9' 87', Burbridge 4'		H/T 3-0 Att:355	Colton 72'

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

Hullbridge Sports

Holland - GOAL	1
Burbridge - GOAL	4
Holland - GOAL	9
	72	GOAL - Colton
Longman - OFF D Cowley - ON	74	OFF - J Cheesewright ON - Hill
Thomas - OFF King - ON	76
King - OFF Philip - ON	85
Holland - GOAL	87

Match Report by Tony Middleton

With Jordan Bostock suspended, Steve King injured, and Danny Cowley only just recovered from flu, Craig Dennis made his debut in defence, whilst John Hickman appeared in the squad for the first time since his injury in October. The teams came out to the banging of a drums and loud cheers, the real surprise being that they emanated from a group of Hullbridge supporters, travelling support being very much a rarity in this league.

Urchins made a good start, breaking up an early Hullbridge attack, the ball being played upfield for Burbridge who chested it down into the path of the on-rushing BILLY HOLLAND, and he ran on to drive the ball past Mann for the opening goal – time 32.68 seconds. Hullbridge, perhaps feeling themselves unfortunate to go a goal down so early and against the run of play, came back strongly, Colton running on to Ogilvie’s pass, forcing Glen Golby to run back to concede a corner/ O’Connor took the corner, and the ball was headed out by Dennis, but hit the referee and rebounded back, with Dennis again having to clear. Hullbridge moved upfield again, Colton nearly getting into a shooting position, and Thomas tackled to concede another corner, again taken by O’Connor, with Thomas clearing the ball as it came over.

A free kick taken by Longman created danger and Papworth cleared, but the ball was played back again, the defence failed to clear and RIKKI BURBRIDGE finished off the move with a well taken goal. Once again Hullbridge came back, Graham Cheesewright won a corner, O’Connor floated the ball over, and Thomas headed out for another corner. O’Connor sent over an excellent ball and Krayling came in unmarked to head just over the bar. Hullbridge had forced four corners in five minutes, yet were two down. And when Ogilvie fouled Tiffin, Heale almost got a third, but may have been put off slightly by the “have you lost weight Danny” shout from the East Side, and his free kick cannoned off the wall for Urchins first corner of the match, which was headed out for a second corner. Longman took the kick, Craig Dennis rose up to head the ball against the post, and BILLY HOLLAND touched it across the line, with many thinking the ball was already over the line. Three up, how many was it going to be? A Longman shot from long range led to a third corner, which Longman swerved in and Mann punched the ball out for another corner, which Mann again punched out, the ball reaching Thomas, who played the ball back into the goalmouth where Mann appeared to touch it over the bar, though a goal kick was awarded.

Holland, dropping back into midfield, picked out Nicky Cowley with a long crossfield pass, and Cowley turned it on to Tiffin, who homed in on goal, Warrilow tackling and turning the ball out of play for another corner, which Longman sent over and Goddard headed away. Sontag moved up to play a low ball into the middle, and Holland raced goalwards, Mann raced out of goal, and cleared from the edge of the area – another inch and it would have been hand ball. Holland regained possession to set Burbridge up, and his shot was too high and over the bar, but a minute later Tiffin was sent powering through in the inside right position, and his thunderous shot crashed against the underside of the bar and came out. Hullbridge won another corner, but O’Connor’s kick was cleared by Dennis, up to Burbridge and he turned defence into attack with a long ball into the middle, with Holland’s flick being headed away by Davis. Longman and Tiffin next combined and Longman’s final shot was wide. Longman, getting a lot of the midfield clearances, then sent a good pass out to Tiffin, whose centre into the goalmouth found Holland, whose spectacular overhead kick was saved right on the line by Mann. Longman next put in a free kick which Mann did well to hold with Holland closing in, whilst shortly afterwards an excellent through ball by Tiffin was intercepted by Davis, with Heale and Holland both moving in. Sontag again moved up, fed a good pass to Holland, who beat Mann with his shot, but the ball came back off the post and was cleared by Goddard. Golby to Tiffin, Greg’s shot being well saved by Mann who punched the ball over the bar, and Longman’s corner was cleared to Nicky Cowley whose long range shot was deflected by Goddard for another corner, which Tiffin took, and Mann caught under pressure from Burbridge. Almost on half time, a Longman free kick was headed over by Craig Dennis, making a very impressive debut.

Main question at half time was how many more could Urchins get, why was the Riverside totally drummed into silence by the Hullbridge following, should drums be banned completely. The answer has to be no, because each time they banged the drum, the errant floodlight flickered back on. But the real talking point was when the December goal of the month award would be made to Matt Frew for his sensational chipped goal – general opinion was that it the presentation should be made immediately prior to the start of the Romford match.

Urchins got off to a good start to the second half, Tiffin playing the ball through into the middle, Holland touched the ball back to Heale, whose shot was just saved by Mann, underneath the bar. Sontag and Burbridge interchanged passes on the left, Rikki then switching play to the other side with a long cross field pass, and Tiffin hammered in a shot which hit the bar, bounced down, and appeared to cross the line, before Mann scooped it out and Holland touched it back into the net, the goal being disallowed for a somewhat questionable offside. Burbridge then went solo through the middle, but mistimed his shot and the ball went wide. Despite the seemingly incessant pressure, Hullbridge looked dangerous when they did break out, forcing three corners, O’Connor taking the first two, both of which were headed away, one by Dennis and one by Thomas, and Ogilvie taking the third, with Golby clearing. In between O’Connor had gone close with a free kick, the ball being cleared up to Burbridge whose long run had the visitors rushing back to cover, and Burbridge turned the ball inside to Holland, who rounded Mann but was forced wide and he could only put the ball into the side netting.

Thomas came upfield, played a pass out to Burbridge, whose powerful shot was tipped around by an overworked Mann, Longman’s corner being met by Tiffin, whose shot went out for another corner, and Longman sent the ball over, for Dennis to back head towards goal, where Mann did well to save. The next attack stemmed from Holland, who sent Heale through, but he was pulled back and Longman drove the free kick over the wall, but Mann punched away. Tiffin and Heale combined to give Longman a shooting chance, but the shot was wide. Mann then saved from Tiffin, who had run on to Holland’s pass and cut in sharply towards goal, whilst Nicky Cowley and Burbridge linked up to give Holland a chance, but he was thwarted by a waving flag, offside being indicated.

Hullbridge nearly pulled a goal back when Longman lost possession to George Cheesewright, who sent an excellent pass up to Colton who ran clear but was flagged up for offside. Hullbridge then managed to get back into the game thanks to BILL COLTON, who ran on to a long ball from defence, drew Collier out of goal and placed his shot into the net. Urchins almost scored from the kick off, Heale crossing for Holland who headed wide, and then Tiffin’s corner found King, with Papworth heading away from almost under the bar. Steve King had only been on the pitch for a minute, having replaced Thomas, but he was in action again when Tiffin played the ball across, his header being well saved by Mann, at the expense of a corner, which Tiffin took, and the ball was cleared to Nicky Cowley, who sent Sontag clear on the left, with Goddard conceding a corner, which Danny Cowley took and King headed goalwards, Mann saved, and the ball went out to Danny Cowley again who centred, with King being injured as he went for the header, and he was replaced by Nathan Philip, having been on for just nine minutes and having created four scoring chances in that time.

Urchins eventually got the fourth with BILLY HOLLAND running through to place the ball wide of Mann for his third of the match, and making himself leading scorer in the process. Holland, taking a centre from Burbridge, then backheaded the ball to Sontag whose shot was narrowly wide, and Holland again was put through, his hard shot going just over the bar. Holland won a corner, Danny Cowley took the kick, the ball came back to Danny Cowley, Papworth cleared for yet another corner, Tiffin took the kick, and the final whistle went, with the player of the match award being chosen by Inter City Urchin, who awarded Gareth Thomas max points for his excellent performance.

Video Highlights by Rob Monger

- 1min. Billy Holland makes it 1-0 (230KB)
- 4mins. Rikki Burbridge doubles our lead (560KB)
- 9mins. Billy Holland bundles the ball home for 3-0 (540KB)
- 72mins. Bill Colson pulls a goal back for Hullbridge (680KB)
- 87mins. Billy Holland gets his hattrick (480KB)
- Post match interview with Assistant Manager Paul Marler  (3.6MB)

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch Michael Collier Greg Tiffin Lee Sontag Glen Golby Craig Dennis Gareth Thomas Nicky Cowley (c) Luke Longman Billy Holland Danny Heale Rikki Burbridge SUBS Timmy Hambley Steve King Nathan Philip Danny Cowley John Hickmand

- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 * 12 14 15 16 GK 17

Hullbridge Sports Richard Mann Liam Godard Danny Warrilow Lee Daves Carl Papworth Gary Ogilvie Jack O'Connor Dave Krayling (c) Bill Colton George Cheesewright Jamie Cheesewright SUBS Terry Hill Matt Petre Trevor Dinyn

Man of the Match Nominated by Inter-City Urchin Gareth Thomas

Weather Conditions:  Full cloud cover. 7 degrees. Wind speed 5mph

Match Officials: Martin Avent with Paul Falvey and David Avent

Match duration: First half 45mins 26secs. Second half 48mins 31secs
 

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