Saturday 3rd November 2007 – FA Trophy
HORNCHURCH  2   NORTHWOOD  2
HFC - Dale Brightley – Jordon Bostock – Danny Glozier – John Purdie © – Elliot Styles –Donny Barnard – Garry Cross – Joe Keith – Kris Lee – Harry Elmes – Andy Tomlinson
Subs – Shane Oakley for Cross 31 – Richard Halle for Tomlinson 90+1 – Michael Ramkin – Simon Parker for Elmes 66 – Richard McKinney

NFC – Mitch Swain – Lee Holland – Jazz Rose – Simieon Howell – Bradley Hewitt © - Terry Hogan – Danny Hart – Dwaine Williams – Adrian Abramian – Elliott Buchanan – Abdul Yoki
Subs – Danny Brown for Holland 22 – Dean Clark – Jermaine Hamilton – Jeff Boadi for Hart 82 – Kevin Mason

Scorers – Buchanan 36, 85  (N) – Joe Keith 53 (H) – Simon Parker 66 (H)
Bookings – Brown 35 (N) – Tomlinson 84 (H) – Glozier 85 (H) – Howell 86 (N)
Weather – 13 degrees, cloudy, wind speed five mph
Officials – Ian Fissenden with Nolan Wilde and Graeme Ions
Duration – 48.31 + 51.16
Attendance 371
Player of Match – Bradley Hewitt of Northwood
Entertainment value – 3/5

HORNCHURCH  2   NORTHWOOD  2
No changes from the starting line up which beat Tonbridge, but a very limited choice, with Richard Goddard, Mark Janney and Amos Foyewa all out with injury and Simon Parker still feeling the effects of the flu. With only a handful of away supporters present, the 371 crowd consisted almost entirely of Urchin followers. Northwood had little to offer in a one sided first half, although a speculative shot from Yoki went sailing in the direction of the restaurant in the first minute. Urchins, kicking towards the windmill end of the ground, came forward time and again, the first dangerous move originating from John Purdie whose cross was hammered away by Hewitt. Joe Keith, taking a lead role in midfield, sent an excellently weighted pass through to Kris Lee, whose shot was well saved by Swain. Keith almost broke through on his own but was fouled by Howell, who escaped a booking despite the EastSide’s urging, and from the free kick the ball was scrambled away, as far as Garry Cross whose shot rebounded for the first of eleven corners, Keith’s inswinging kick being well held by Swain under the bar.  Northwood were confined to pumping the ball out of defence, and one of the long clearances fell to Buchanan who fired his long range shot high and wide, to the discomfort of the foxes playing happily in the car park.

A long ball from Glozier dripped in front of Kris Lee, but Holland quickly nipped in to intercept, hammering the ball away for another corner, which Keith over-hit and Styles played it back into the middle, where Howell hammered it away. A Keith run was halted by Hogan, whose conceded another corner, and Keith played this one short to Tomlinson who flicked over to Elmes, whose header beat the keeper by landed on the roof of the net. A cross from Donny Barnard was turned out for a corner, which Keith took, and then promptly had to take another one when Swain tipped the ball over, and then a third when Howell headed out.

Tomlinson found Lee whose centre was touched out for another corner, which Keith took and Styles headed narrowly over. Garry Cross had been victim to a hard and unpenalised tackle and was replaced by Shane Oakley, whose first touch came almost immediately, a hard shot from the left which Hewitt turned out for a corner, followed by another Oakley run, which saw the ball turned inside to Keith who played a first time ball through to Kris Lee who was just beaten to the ball by the outrushing Swain. Northwood had done nothing to suggest they could mount an attack, and when a long clearance fell to Abramian his long range shot appeared to offer little danger, until Dale Brightley allowed the ball to bounce loose. Styles chested the ball back to Dale, but in the confusion, ELLIOTT BUCHANAN nipped in to touch the ball home, to scenes of wild joy and delight from the away directors’ box. And it could have been two just on half time when a pass from Abramian found Hart unmarked, but he hit his shot well wide of the post.

Half time talking point was how could a side be so dominant and yet be behind, whilst Max was in full voice as he announced the £100 prize for the 50-50 jackpot, which went for the fourth time to Sir Gary, who has also one once away from home. And big question for many was which Northwood player was an ex-Urchin.

The threatened onslaught began as soon as the second half started, Glozier’s free kick rebounding for a corner, which Keith sent over, Elmes, played back to Lee and Hewitt scrambled the ball away. A long upfield punt by Brightley saw Elmes race in to head over keeper Swain, the ball dropping onto the roof of the net. Elmes then was put clear on the left and his centre was headed away by Hewitt, who almost single handedly stood between Northwood and a hatful of goals. Glozier once again over the Elmes and Harry’s shot on the turn went out for another corner, which was played back to Barnard whose shot was saved. A goal at last, and it came when JOE KEITH ran through the middle, and with the defence back peddling, his low drive eluded Swain to level the score. A brief recovery by Northwood came when Abramian headed over from Yoki’s centre, and a rare Northwood corner was well held by Brightley. Then it was back to the other end, where a long siege resulted, Elmes heading over from Oakley’s cross, and Swain saving a dangerous swerving corner from Keith, whilst an Oakley pass to Lee saw the centre find Elmes, whose header was well saved by Swain. Elmes again, his shot being blocked by a massed defence, and then on came SIMON PARKER, who scored when he ran through from the right and lobbed the keeper. A third goal could have resulted when Oakley cut in from the left and was denied by a tackle by Brown, whilst a Lee cross was headed out for a corner by Rose. Lee then played a pass in to Oakley from the left wide, but Shane’s shot was wide of the post, and another Oakley run saw his centre headed out for a corner by Hewitt, with Keith overhitting the kick and Hogan clearing.

With five minutes to go, and Urchins apparently coasting along comfortably, Tomlinson was harshly penalised and the wall lined up for the free kick, which ELLIOTT BUCHANAN hit over the wall and past a motionless Brightley to level the score. Urchins came back strongly, and Parker’s shot was turned out for a corner, which Keith floated across and Oakley’s shot was scrambled away. With Urchins forcing the pace they almost let in a goal when Northwood broke clear and won a corner, taken by Yoki and falling into a packed goalmouth, the ball eventually being his high over the bar. And so it is back to Northwood on Tuesday.

And which Northwood player was the ex-Urchin? It was the number eleven, Abdul Yoki, who was a non-playing substitute in April 05 at Havant, and who then made his only appearance in the final match of that season, when he came on in the final minute as substitute against Hayes.

Man of the Match: Shane Oakley Sponsored by: OpenAir

Match Sponsor: OpenAir

Weather Conditions: 13 degs. C., Cloudy, Wind Speed 5 mph

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. Ian Fissenden, Assistants - Mr. Nolan Wilde and Mr. Graeme Ions

Match duration: F/H 48 mins. 31 secs., S/H 51 mins. 16 secs.