BRENTWOOD TOWN 2 AFC HORNCHURCH 1
BT – Andy Hall – Ryan Doyle – Nathan Fletcher – Reece Noel – Darren Blewitt – Danny Dafter – Ide Okaji – Nick Muir – Ellis Remy – Daniel Gabriel – Joel Carlos – subs – Ross Parmenter – Petric Elby – Dean Pennant – Anthony Ryan – Nick Pyne
HFC – 1 Michael Bowditch – 2 Dave McSweeney – 16 Billy Coyne (14 Leon Hunter 60) – 4 Ronnie Fletcher (17 Donny Barnard 21) – 18 Paul Shave (15 Jonathan Hunt 66) – 6 Greg Enstone – 7 Tommy Black (18 Michael Spencer 60) – 8 Elliot Styles © - 9 Tambeson Eyong (8 Triallist 79) – 10 Martin Tuohy ( -- Rikki Burbridge 79) – 19 Jo Flack (2 Ross Wall 75)
Scoers – Ellis Remy 74 ( – Brentwood number 17 85 – Ross Wall 86 (H)
Bookings – Jo Flack 25 – (and one Brentwood player 25)
Duration – 45.00 + 45.07
Weather – 21 degrees, cloudy with showers, wind speed 5 mph
Attendance 102
Colours – B – blue and white stripes / black / blue
H – red and white stripes / black / red
No programmes printed
Prior to arriving at the ground, the main difficulty was getting there. The Brook Street roundabout was a solid mass of motionless traffic, and the A12 from the Chelmsford side had a five mile queue. Brentwood itself was marginally better, but eventually most of the travelling support got through.
Prior to the start the biggest surprise was at the tea bar where you were asked £1.50 for a cup of tea. After loud protest, this was quickly reduced to £1. What was the price displayed on the board? It was not possible to check which price was correct as the prices for drink were rubbed out.
Hornchurch fielded a team lacking several potential first team regulars, whilst Jo Flack and Jonathan Hunt were coming back from injury. Andy Tomlinson, though well short of returning to the team, was warming up along the touch line.
Hornchurch started off confidently but quickly lost Ronnie Fletcher due to injury. Soon after Tambeson Eyong nearly went the same way, victim of a disgracefully late tackle, which many thought would lead to a straight red for the Brentwood player. Incredibly he escaped with just a few words from the referee, who then proceeded shortly after to book Jo Flack and a Brentwood player for a minor incident.
A good through pass sent Jo Flack clear, but Jo was lacking match fitness and Andy Hall raced out of goal to clear. At the other end Nick Muir found himself with a clear run at goal but he hit his shot wide. With Sam Lee no longer in the line up, Martin Tuohy came into the picture with an excellent pass to Tommy Black, whose cross found Donny Barnard, who crashed the ball into the net from 30 yards past a mass of defenders, the ball taking a deflection off a home player en route. The goal was disallowed for an offside flag, which was a somewhat unpopular decision with the 90 Hornchurch supporters.
A long pass upfield from Billy Coyne reached Martin Tuohy, who ran on and almost lobbed the keeper with a first time attempt, whilst a Billy Coyne long throw was headed away by Darren Blewitt. Home keeper Hall then made an excellent save from Tommy Black. Shortly before half time Tambeson Eyong made a penetrating run on the right, and he crossed the ball low into the middle, where Martin Tuohy’s flick was well saved by Andy Hall.
With changes coming at regular intervals after the interval, Paul Shave picked out Martin Tuohy and his shot was again well saved by Andy Hall, whilst Michael Bowditch made two excellent saves to keep the home side at bay. Hall than made another fine save, this time from Greg Enstone, but it was the home side who took the lead when Ide Okaji sent a low cross into the goalmouth and ELLIS REMY prodded the ball home. Brentwood went further ahead through their substitute (number 17), and less than a minute later ROSS WALL raced through to pull a goal back. Horncnhurch applied heavy pressure in the final few minutes but were unable to pierce a solid home defence. |
