Westview Essex Senior League
Saturday 25th February 2006
	AFC Hornchurch	3 - 0	Romford
N Cowley 19' 47', Burbridge 25'		H/T 2-0 Att: 702

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

Romford

N Cowley - GOAL	19
Burbridge (pen) - GOAL	25
N Cowley - GOAL	47
Thomas - OFF Dennis - ON	63	OFF - Clayton ON - Tolley OFF - Tolan ON - Cornhill
Burbridge - OFF Springer - ON	69
	73	OFF - Barry ON - Johnson
Hambley - OFF Hayes - ON	82

Match Report by Tony Middleton

With their two leading scorers absence through injury, Billy Drake led the forward line. Prior to the start there was a minute’s silence in memory of club president Jim Bradshaw, and at kick off the largest crowd of the season was in attendance, though surprisingly very few from Romford. With a very strong and gusting wind, mistakes were always likely, and in the first minute Galley took advantage of a mistimed pass, and took the ball off of Glen Golby, and only quick thinking by Lee Sontag prevented a possible break through. Urchins were kicking towards the clubhouse end of the ground, and a good pass out to Hambley on the left saw him cross first time into the middle, where the ball was turned on to Greg Tiffin, whose shot was deflected wide of the post. Romford again took advantage of a midfield slip and Barry raced clear, forcing Michael Collier to rush out of goal to kick away. Burbridge needed attention after a hard tackle, and from the free kick Thomas dropped the ball deep into the goalmouth, where it was flicked on by King to Hambley, whose hard drive skimmed the bar. Danny Cowley was next to win a free kick, and he took it himself, finding King whose header went close but just over the bar. A third free kick inside a minute, Danny Cowley again being the victim, saw Danny again pick out King, whose header was touched around the post by Boutell, and Hambley floated the corner almost under the bar, where Boutell managed to palm the ball out. Then Hambley made ground on the left, played the ball across to Tiffin, who prodded the ball through and raced after it, with Boutell just getting to the ball first. A long Golby throw was cleared out to Tiffin, whose centre was intercepted by Alder.

Danny Cowley was then stopped by the joint efforts of Hughes and Rogan, and Danny took the free kick himself, but put the ball too far forward and Boutell saved. Danny Cowley yet again with a free kick, the culprit this time being Clayton, and Danny played the ball deep into the goal once again, King headed onwards and NICKY COWLEY put the Urchins ahead. One way traffic from now on, Tiffin making ground on the right, and playing the ball across, and Boutell did well to keep out Billy Drake, who had moved in behind Maskell. A long Golby throw was headed on by King to Burbridge, whose shot was deflected for a corner, which Hambley swung over. Boutell failed to gather cleanly and the ball rebounded out. A loud appeal for hand ball seemed to be ignored at first, but the referee, almost in slow motion, pointed to the spot, and RIKKI BURBRIDGE confidently struck the ball home.

It could have easily been three when Nicky Cowley slotted the ball through to Burbridge, but Rikki slipped as he shaped to shoot and the ball went over the bar. Hambley then fed the ball out to Sontag on the left wing, but his cross was too close to goal and Boutell gathered. Then Sontag to Nicky Cowley, and on to Billy Drake, whose magnificent chip shot hit the bar. Romford were simply not in the picture, although Thomas had to concede a corner when Barry played a dangerous looking long ball. Tolan took the kick but Hambley cleared, up to Burbridge to set off yet another Urchins move, with Tiffin taking up the running, and Boutell saving well. Nicky Cowley took a pass from Thomas and neatly played the ball on to Billy Drake who hard drive was tipped around the post by Boutell. Tiffin took the corner and Boutell dropped the ball , which rolled across the goal and out for another corner. Hambley swerved the ball in and it dropped onto the bar. And then a surprise – the half time whistle, with only 43 minutes and 24 seconds played, including stoppages.

Plenty to talk about at half time – why was Here Comes Santa Claus played on the tannoy – (answer, because I put the wrong cd on the turntable), why was the music so loud earlier on (answer – I turned the treble down instead of the volume control – apologies), where were the Romford supporters, why was the smallest player on the field being marked by the tallest player by far. And how was Burnham Ramblers getting on?

Urchins looked uncertain at the start of the second half, twice mistiming clearances in the blustery wind, but then the goal of the match – Hambley made the early work, then found Tiffin, and then the ball was touched on to NICKY COWLEY, whose vicious drive from well outside the penalty area swerved wide of Boutell and into the net. Urchins for a time slackened off the pace, and this allowed Galley to find a way down the left but his cross went harmlessly across goal, but was played back to Foley who hooked his shot wide. Hambley then played Drake through, and Billy raced away from the half way line, rounded Boutell and then slipped and was crowded out by Maskell. Drake again went clear, and again rounded Boutell, but Maskell and Boutell were able to recover enough to prevent a goal, which Drake’s non stop enthusiasm deserved.

Romford won a corner, which Hughes took, and Thomas turned defence into attack, quickly hitting the ball upfield for Drake who turned the ball out to Hambley, who was clear but was pulled back for offside. And then it happened – Michael Collier had to make a save from a shot that was actually on target, diving quickly to his left to hold on to the snap shot from Rafis. But shortly afterwards, when Rafis had a chance to break clear, Thomas tackled, but was injured in the process and was replaced by Craig Dennis. The free kick rebounded harmlessly from the wall. Danny Cowley exchanged passes with Hambley who then slotted the ball down the touchline for Tiffin to cross, with Burbridge’s shot being deflected by Alder for a corner. Hambley over hit the corner, and Burbridge could not reach the ball, but it was only half cleared back to Drake, who played it back, and Foley headed out of play for another corner, which Tiffin swung over, and Burbridge shot, Maskell getting in the way and deflecting the ball out for a further corner. This time, Tiffin played the ball too short and Rogan headed away. A Romford corner came to nothing, but it was straight back to the other end, where Tiffin’s corner found Sontag whose header looked a certain goal until the ball hit a defender and was scrambled out. Lee Springer came on and went clear, but was bundled over, no free kick being awarded, and then Tiffin was put through on the right but he could not control the ball and he hit his shot wide. Romford had barely threatened, and the closest they came to a goal was when Collier miskicked the ball, which almost trickled back into his own goal, before spinning wide of the post. But Collier made amends by punching Hughes’ corner to safety. With the East Side chanting Jim Bradshaw’s red and white army, Urchins were coasting against an opposition who had scarcely offered any opposition all afternoon. Matt Hayes came on for Tim Hambley and then the match was held up for an injury to Nicky Cowley, which left Urchins a player short for the final five minutes. In this time, Hughes placed a corner on top of the bar, whilst it was Billy Drake who had the last word, running clear, his shot being saved by Boutell. Match sponsors pitpass.com named Steve King as player of the match, but the net result was three nil, three points, top of the table, and they are staying there.

Video Highlights by Rob Monger

- 19min. Nicky Cowley opens the scoring (630KB)
- 25mins. Rikki Burbridge makes it 2-0 from the spot (660KB)
- 47mins. Nicky Cowley scores his second (625KB)
- Post match interview with manager John Lawrence (4MB)
- Post match interview with man of the match Steve King  (1.5MB)

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch Michael Collier Greg Tiffin Lee Sontag Glen Golby Steve King Gareth Thomas Nicky Cowley (c) Danny Cowley Billy Drake Rikki Burbridge Timmy Hambley SUBS Lee Springer Nathan Philip Craig Dennis Matthew Hayes John Hickman

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

Romford Stacy Boutell Micky Rogan George Alder Callum Foley John Maskell Chris Barry Paul Clayton Kelly Hughes Danny Rafis Des Gallen Jordan Tolan SUBS Ben Tolley Jason Johnson Max Cornhill   Neil Finn

Man of the Match Nominated by pitpass.com & Vantis Redhead French Steve King

Weather Conditions:  Sunny 6 degrees at start and 2 degrees at finish. Strong wind with gusts up to 25mph

Match Officials: Steve Connor with Mike Gatens and Ray Parmenter

Match duration: First half 43mins 24secs. Second half 52mins 44secs
 

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