Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 20th January 2007
	Waltham Forest	0 - 2	AFC Hornchurch
		H/T 0-1 Att:129	McFarlane 45', S Parker 63'

Match Highlights

Waltham Forest

AFC Hornchurch

	45	GOAL - McFarlane
	45	OFF - Cross ON - Styles
Oyebanjo - OFF Hall - ON	57
	63	GOAL - S Parker
	69	OFF - Lee ON - Foyewa
	75	OFF - S Parker ON - Gasper
Langer - OFF Lodge - ON	81

Match Report by Tony Middleton

An unchanged starting line up, though early arrivals were surprised to find Billy Holland, Rikki Burbridge, Greg Tiffin and Ross Wareham all listed in the programmed line up. To pay £1.50 for such out of date information did not go down very well. Pennant, Waltham Pennant, Walthamstow Pennant, Leyton Pennant, and now Waltham Forest – the only thing that has not changed is the motto – Amicitias per Ludis. By kick of time the ground had an estimated 150 inside, almost everyone supporting the visitors. Latecomers to the newly named Armadillo Stadium – what’s wrong with Wadham Lodge? – complained about having to pay £2 for the car park – whilst early arrivals, who got in the car park for free, had to pay £1 to go into the stand with the world’s narrowest leg room.

A bumpy, uneven, very wet, and heavily grassed pitch did not make for good football, and the strong gusty wind and strong sun was a hindrance to the visitors who played into the face of both in the first half. A touch back by Glozier to Tomlinson in the first minute saw Andy’s long cross pass tantalisingly in front of both Lee and Parker and then drift out. But when Glozier conceded a free kick near the half way line, with a mistimed tackle on Oyebanjo, Oliva’s free kick was well fielded by Brightly. Then it was Tomlinson, taking a pass from Southon, and on to Lee, with Nelson playing the ball away to safety.

Forest, or should it be Pennant, looked dangerous when Thomas lobbed the ball on to Oyebanjo, and Brightly had to race out sharply to gather at this feet. McFarlane headed away from a Gabriel free kick, and at the other end it was Lee who twisted and turned before slanting his pass through to Parker who played the ball first time out to Janney on the right, and Baptiste did well to tackle and concede a corner. Tomlinson took the kick and Willis punched out, only for a defender to handle the ball, and the loud appeals went unheeded by the referee. A blatant penalty, but play was largely midfield with Forest picking up most of the loose balls. ‘Play it down the channels’ called Colin, which, when translated, meant ‘ stop messing about and get on with it’. But Forest came back with a good cross by Oyebanjo to Renner who flicked on to Orilonishe, whose hard shot was wide. Janney’s low cross from the right found Parker, who flicked his shot narrowly wide, and Urchins began to get on top, though not before a free kick by Gabriel had been turned out by Fletcher for a corner. Urchins won a corner of their own when a misdirected header went wide, and from Tomlinson’s corner McFarlane header inches wide. It was by now one way traffic, and a long upfield ball by Brightly almost created a goal but Willis just got to the ball before the onrushing Lee. Parker’s shot went for a corner and Janney’s inswinger was headed out but Glozier was fouled and from Tomlinson’s free kick McFarlane again went close. Fletcher and Janney combined to send Parker away, but Simon stumbled as he went to shoot, and the shot went wide, and with half time looming, a Lee run ended with an excellent shot that Willis parried, and Parker’s follow up was scrambled off the line for a corner. Over came the ball, Willis punched away, and Cross in midfield then pulled up sharply, though play continued and the ball was pumped back into the middle, when Tomlinson played the ball short to Janney who centred for JIM McFARLANE to power home at the near post. It could and should have been two, when, just seconds later, Lee found Janney, whose goalwards run ended when he was scythed down inside the area. The whistle went, but for half time, when a search party was sent out to locate the home supporters. Found them, hiding behind the curtains in the council houses along the side of the ground. And the programme notes made interesting reading, with a reference to the Forest match at Sudbury last week, when they ‘played in front of an openly hostile crowd’ – surely not, not Sudbury.

No Garry Cross, replaced by Elliot Styles, and Forest started well, Renner heading wide from a free kick. Janney, outstanding despite the pitch, found Parker, whose cross was well held by Willis, and then Parker raced on to a terrible back pass, and Willis rushed out of goal to kick clear, only as far as McFarlane, who was tackled as he was about to thump the ball back towards the vacant goal. A good free kick by Nelson was headed out by Purdie, who, with McFarlane, was as usual preventing anything getting anywhere close to goal, and a corner was played back to Baptiste who hit his cross behind the goal. A good run by Parker, from Styles’ pass, won a corner, and Janney picked out McFarlane – who else? – whose header was well saved. As Urchins stepped up the pace, so many balls were hit into the gardens that residents bombarded the local council with requests for reductions in their council tax. But Forest came back, a shot by Renner being blocked by Southon, and then came the long overdue second goal. And what a sensational move it was, starting with Mark Janney who gathered the ball just outside his own penalty area, and played an inch perfect pass to SIMON PARKER, who ran on, and on, and on, past four defenders, then rounded the keeper, but was forced very wide, and then screwed the ball back from a very narrow angle to send 120 Urchins into raptures, whilst the locals drew their curtains shut and retired to their respective kitchens.

All over now – no it wasn’t, so on comes Amos to create his normal brand of havoc, as he took the home defence apart time and again. Amos to Parker, but Nelson intercepts, and then Styles out to Parker, with Baptiste cutting across to tackle. Amos again, a long weaving run to earn a corner, which Janney took, and McFarlane could not quite reach this time. Styles and Paker linked up for Glozier whose shot was well saved, and then Ainsley Gasper came on, immediately taking a Janney pass, but Oliva tackled. Foyewa combined with Gasper who touched back to Foyewa who weaved past defenders to win a corner, and yet another hand ball appeal was rejected when Foyewa played the ball into the middle. And so it was three more points, another clean sheet, and everyone who had not paid to get into the car park managed to get out again without being charged

Video clips by Rob Monger
- 45mins. Jim McFarlane scores just before half time
- 63mins. Simon Parker's determination gets us our second
Post match interview with skipper John Purdie

  Teams

Waltham Forest Jason Willis Danny Honeyball Liam Baptiste (c) Ryan Oliva Sid Nelson Tim Langer Lanre Oyebanjo Andrew Thomas Daniel Gabriel Victor Renner Fola Orilonishe SUBS Thoe Daniels Ryan Hall Daniel Lodge Matthew Waldron -

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

AFC Hornchurch Dale Brightly Ron Fletcher Danny Glozier John Purdie (c) Jim McFarlane Andy Tomlinson Garry Cross Mark Janney Kris Lee Simon Parker Jamie Southon SUBS Ainsley Gasper Dave Sadler Elliot Styles Amos Foyewa Jordan Bostock

Man of the Match Nominated by ...

Weather Conditions:  10 degrees at start, sunny, 7 degrees at finish. Wind speed 20mph first half, reducing to 5mpg second half
 

Match Duration: First half 48mins 36secs. Second half 46mins 9secs

 

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