Wednesday 26th December 2007
LEYTON  2  HORNCHURCH  5
LFC – Sam Tanner – Junior Luke – Aaron Ramos Gonzales – Karl Blake – Martin Dynan – Des Thomas © - Roderick Osei-Owusu – Mark Gradoseilski – Billy Bricknell – John Bricknell – Jamie Edwards
Subs – Kareem Lambert for Martin Dynan 62 – David Morgan – Jamie Haywood for Gonzales 79 – Siao Blackwood – Leigh Dynan

HFC – Dale Brightley – Donny Barnard – Elliot Styles – Richard Goddard - Jim McFarlane © – Richard Halle – Mark Janney – Des Boateng – Kris Lee – Simon Parker - Frankie Curley
Subs – Amos Foyewa for Lee 59 – Dean Green for Janney 59 – Joe Keith for Halle 59 – Andy Tomlinson – Danny Glozier

Scorers – Simon Parker 18 (H) – John Bricknell 47 (L) – Kris Lee 49 (H) – Frankie Curley 51 (H) – Kris Lee 59 (H) – Billy Bricknell 62 - Simon Parker 66 (H)

Bookings – Thomas 74 (L) - Foyewa 75 (H) – Gonzales 79 (L) – note the Gonzales booking was timed at 79, but was the same incident as the one in which Foyewa was booked, as there was a lengthy stoppage whilst the referee waited patiently for Gonzales to get up.

Officials – B Holderness with T Brooks and M Quinn
Weather – 5 degrees and sunny at start, 8 degrees and cloudy at finish.
Duration – 46.37 + 48.07
Attendance 114 – 200 from Hornchurch

 

LEYTON  2  HORNCHURCH  5
Leyton had seven squad changes from the side that lost against Hendon, with new manager Rowly Gray bringing in several experienced players. Urchins were without John Purdie (wife just had a baby), Jordan Bostock and Harry Elmes (injured). Gates opened half hour before the kick off and first notable achievement is that Leyton now have some impressive covered terrace over the far side, whilst the steep terracing behind the goal at the broken window end of the ground remains out of bounds, as the seats are still not in situ – This end was once famous for the large gaps in the netting behind that goal, which meant the inhabitants of the houses backing on were in perpetual fear of flying balls. Despite the incessant rain the previous day, the pitch was soft and not muddy.

Today is the Feast of Steven, made famous in the Good King Wenceslas song, where everywhere in Britain everyone is feasting – well, nearly everywhere, as the tea bar remained padlocked and deserted.

Urchins kicked off with the setting sun at their backs, and started well, Elliot Styles pumping a long ball down the left for Parker to run on to. The goal at this mercy, up goes the flag, for the first of eleven offsides, most of which were incorrect decisions, and Leyton were saved. A Barnard free kick, near the half way line, and Parker flicked on to Des Boateng, who was clear on goal – up goes the flag again, and a most un-Xmaslike remark is heard to originate from the massed Urchins on the far side. Two certain goals, both prevented by an oscillating flag, and both wrong decisions. Back surged Urchins, and this time Parker made the play, slotting the ball out to Janney on the right and thence back to Barnard, whose centre was headed away by Dynan. Urchins continued to press forward, Janney to Parker and inside to Des Boateng, with a clear goal in front of him, but he miskicked and sliced the ball wide of the goal.

Barnard out to Lee on the left, Kris cut inside and hammered his shot against the post, but as the ball rebounded, yet another offside flag was waved. Leyton briefly got into the match, a long range shot from Gradiosielski being held comfortably by Brightley, who was perhaps fortunate shortly afterwards when Janney turned back Luke’s centre to him and Dale picked the ball up, the referee not noticing anything wrong. Back stormed the Urchins, Parker to Boateng and Luke tackled to concede a corner, which Boateng swerved over and Dynan headed away. Halle made ground on the left, found Boateng who was promptly chopped down and from Des’ free kick the speedy Gonzales was first to the ball to clear.

Leyton were struggling, perhaps overawed by Unc’s shiny white Zoobo moon boots, and a goal was way overdue. A good build up began with Frankie Curley winning the ball and then winning a throw in, from which the ball was floated over to the left and Richard Halle saw his hard shot well saved by Tanner, and SIMON PARKER followed up to poke the ball home. One nil, and the noise reverberated around sunny Leyton. A herd of seagulls took off from the wasteland over the far side – Biased Bob, please note the correct terminology – and 200 Urchins celebrated. Janney surged forward and sent Barnard away, but Gonzales mistimed his tackle, and from the free kick, taken by Barnard, McFarlane headed close.

Leyton took advantage of some slack defending and Osei-Owusu raced down field, forcing Brightley to save at his feet. Curley, to Boateng, to Halle, and then to Parker, who turned and shot, the ball being touched out by Tanner for a corner, which Halle took and Blake cleared, and then a long Barnard pass saw Lee collide with Tanner as they both went for the ball. Curley to Janney, and on to Lee, who hit his shot wide of the goal. Then it was Lee to Parker, out on the left and Simon hammered his shot inches over the bar. Parker again, but brought down by Thomas, and from Style’s free kick, Parker set off on a long weaving run, beating four players before hitting a hard shot across the face of the goal from a narrow angle.

Half time, and if Good King Wenceslas had looked out of the nearby closed Chinese takeaway he would have seen 200 Urchins roaming far and wide in the great food hunt, some getting as far away as Walthamstow, others ending up in Leytonstone – winner was Jay who returned with a massive portion of chicken and chips. The person serving in the shop asked if Leyton were five down yet.

But within two minutes of the restart, Leyton, whose support had doubled at half time when the gates were opened, drew level, when Osei-Owusu made a long run down the right wing, rounding Styles and sending in a low cross into the middle where JOHN BRICKNELL netted, amidst almost total silence. And it could have been two a minute later when Billy Bricknell fired wide when well placed. But Urchins stepped up the pace, a long ball from Brightley was headed on by Parker and KRIS LEE ran on, being repeatedly pulled back by the two defenders chasing, and carried on to neatly fire the ball home. But why no yellow cards for the defenders?

Two minutes later and Barnard made a good run, Thomas doing well to tackle and concede the corner. Richard Halle took the kick and FRANKIE CURLEY headed home for the third. Glad tiding of joy rose from the EastSide, so loud that even Serious Sid, sitting at home, having been confined to barracks, could heard them. It was now very much one way traffic, Barnard to Janney, and from the cross, Tanner dropped the ball and Parker almost slid the ball home. A Barnard free kick reached Janney, whose cross was scrambled off the line, and then Kris Lee put Simon Parker through the middle, and Dynan tackled, using what Unc aptly described as a rugby style hand off. Edwards managed a shot at the other end, but it lacked power and Brightley saved easily, and then Simon Parker sent a perfect pass through to KRIS LEE, who carried on and hammered the ball home.

Leyton did well to pull another goal back, thanks to a very good on the right by Osei-Owusu, whose excellent shot brought a magnificent diving save from Brightley, but the ball ran loose and BILLY BRICKNELL followed up to score.

Urchins simply upped another gear – Bernard’s free kick brought another good save from Tanner, but goal number five came when Joe Keith Lee played a good pass up to Kris Lee who cut in from the left and crossed low for SIMON PARKER to finish off. A Keith corner saw McFarlane’s header cleared off the line, back to Curley, off the line again, back to Boateng, off the line again, and then hacked upfield. Back it came, and Foyewa raced past the defender but was then brought back for offside. Then it was Goodard, to Keith to Boateng and an excellent shot, followed by a magnificent save by Tanner, who turned the ball around the post, and from Boateng’s corner, it was Tanner again, this time from McFarlane. Dean Green made fifty yards and found Parker, whose shot skimmed the far post, and then Amos was booked, with an extremely fortunate Gonazales then being showed the yellow card, with 200 Urchins all calling for the referee to wave his red one. Another long run by Green, another excellent save by Tanner, and then McFarlane up to Barnard, who raced clear only to be given offside – why do they give linesmen new flags for Xmas?

Green to Foyewa, a centre and Tanner tips the ball over. From the corner, Keith found McFarlane, whose header landed on the roof of the net. Parker almost completely his hattrick with an amazing solo run, from the left, his shot bringing an incredible save from Tanner, tipping the shot around the post. From Keith’s quick corner, the ball was twice cleared off the line. Five goals, it could easily have been doubled, had it not been for keeper Sam Tanner. Player of the match for the Urchins was Elliot Styles.

Weather Conditions: 5 Degs. C. and sunny at start, 8 Degs. C. and cloudy at finish

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. B. Holderness, Assistants - Mr. T. Brooks and Mr. M. Quinn

Match duration: F/H 46 mins. 37 secs., S/H 48 mins. 07 secs.