McFarlane 74, Styles 81, Richards 84

Monday 24th March 2008
HORNCHURCH   9  LEYTON 0

HFC- Dale Brightly – Donny Barnard – Elliot Styles –JohnPurdie © - Jim McFarlane – Andy Tomlinson – Frankie Curley – Mark Janney -Harry Elmes – Simon Parker – Dean Green
Subs –Kris Lee for Green at half time - Jamie Richards for Barnard 63 - Michael Brothers - Des Boateng - Danny Glozier for Curley 61

LFC – Sam Tanner – Junior Luke – Olawale Ojejabe – Jamie Edwards – Gbenga Sonuga – Des Thomas © - Shaun Lee – Henderson Browne – Daniel Lodge – Victor Renner – Andrew Thomas
Subs – Jack Dallinder for Luke 74 - John Bricknell – Kareem Imbert

Weather – 1 degree at start, overcast, blizzard during second half, wind speed 10 mph
Attendance 316
Officials – A Degnarain with J Kelly and G Gray
Scorers – Harry Elmes 2, 49, 71. Simon Parker 13, 21, 68, Jim McFarlane 74, Elliot Styles 81. Jamie Richards 84 Bookings – Green 4 (H) – Sonuga 43 (L) – Andrew Thomas 51(L) - Des Thomas 54 (L) – Victor Renner 74 (L) - Styles 81 (H) - Elmes 86(H) 
Duration – 45.59 + 46.10

HORNCHURCH   9  LEYTON 0

An unchanged starting line up, whilst Leyton fielded only six of the squad that had played in the first match at the Hare and Hounds. A late change saw Junior Luke come into the starting line up when Marvin McCoy was injured during the warm up. Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground, with an overcast sky threatening snow at any time, and they made a good start, finding the net in the second minute when Janney crossed from the right,Tomlinson header was parried by Tanner and HARRY ELMES followed up to pu tUrchins ahead. Leyton gave early notice that they were going to dispute every ball, and their incessant complaints did not endear themselves to the EastSide, and it was somewhat of a surprise when the first player to go into the book was Dean Green in the fourth minute when the free kick had been awarded in Urchins favour. Green made ground from the free kick and switched play to the left side, with a long cross field pass to Curley, who touched on to Tomlinson whose cross swerved behind the goal.

A Janney cross was deflected out for a corner by Ojejabe,and from Janney’s inswinging corner, McFarlane saw his header well saved byTanner, with McFarlane quickly following up, and Tanner saved again. A free kick in midfield saw Tomlinson lurking, but it was Janney who floated the ball into the goalmouth , and SIMON PARKER finished it off with a neat touch.

Urchins swarmed all over the Leyton goal, and it could have been three when Janney’s corner was headed on by Elmes to Styles, whose own header was well saved by Tanner. Tomlinson picked out Green who was promptly brought down as he raced goalwards, but no card was waved. The free kick was on the left side of the area and Janney played the ball in, it rebounded off a mass of defenders to Barnard, who fired his shot narrowly over the bar. Janney was brought down in full flight by Ojejabe, but put his free kick too close to Shaun Lee who was able to clear upfield, but the third goal soon followed when Janney’s centre was headed on by Elmes and SIMON PARKER prodded the ball home.

Some of the Leyton players seemed to be concentrating more on the EastSide than on the play itself, but this was the siege of the Alamo in earnest, as the Urchins swarmed forward time and again. A Elmes cross found Styles, whose header was saved by a very much overworked Tanner, whilst Andrew Thomas was fortunate to escape without a booking for another foul, and from Janney’s free kick it was McFarlane who came in from the left to head inches overthe bar. A good build up involving Curley and Green saw Elmes race through,with Tanner rushing out of his area to kick clear. Purdie up to Parker who was through only to be pulled back by Sonuga, who escaped with a yellow card, andTomlinson’s free kick cannoned back off the wall.

Half time and plenty to talk about – in anticipation of wha tmight be coming, the question was asked who last scored a hat trick for theUrchins.

Kris Lee on for Green at half time, and it was soon four,Tomlinson to Lee, through to HARRY ELMES and a thunderous shot past Tanner. Up until now Dale Brightly had had little to do, so perhaps seeing a large white object coming in his direction was somewhat unexpected, as he completely miskicked the ball which landed at the feet of a surprised and unmarked Andrew Thomas, who homed in on goal, only to find Brightly diving at his feet to turn the ball around the post, Des Thomas took the corner and Purdie cleared. But Leyton then had their first shot of the match, Lodge sending in a low drive which Brightly touched around the post. Des Thomas took the corner, and Styles headed out for a corner on the other side, which Des Thomas again took and Purdie cleared.

Kris Lee played a good pass on to Elmes  who turned the ball inside to Janney, whose first time shot skimmed the post, and another touch on by Kris Lee found Parker clear, and Simon played the ball back into the middle, where Sonuga just beat Kris Lee to the ball. Kris Lee again, this time squaring the ball to Parker,whose shot was deflected by Luke for a corner, which Tomlinson took, McFarlane headed on and Richards, just on for Barnard, saw his shot blocked by Edwards. A Styles shot was touched out for a corner, and Tomlinson found McFarlane who headed back to Richards, whose hard drive cannoned off a packed defence. Janne ymade ground on the right, centred and another corner resulted when Ojejabe played the ball out, and Janney’s corner was headed away to safety, only forthe ball to be played back again, to Kris Lee, who fired a low cross over and Richards touched back to SIMON PARKER to score his third of the match, just as the blizzard started in earnest.

Five down, Leyton managed a break away when a long clearance saw Lodge clear, and he raced past Brightly, only to put his shot against the foot of the post as defenders raced back to cover. Goal six followed shortly, Jamie Richards crossing into the goalmouth for HARRY ELMES to head his third of the match. A first time ever for Urchins – two players each scoring hattricks. Glozier,to Richards, on to Tomlinson, and a high cross to Kris Lee who was brought down. Janney took the free kick, and Kris Lee jumped high, but Sonuga got there first to clear, Richards played the ball back again, and Tanner touched over for a corner. Richards took the corner, and Janney’s hard drive was tipped over by Tanner for another corner. Richards floated the ball over, and JIM McFARLANE headed home.

Kris Lee raced through, his shot deflected just enough byTanner to skim the bar, and Richards took the corner, McFarlane headed goalwards, and ELLIOT STYLES headed home. One way traffic, Elmes out to Richards, back to Tomlinson, and another excellent save by Tanner from Andy’s shot from the edge of the area. McFarlane went close with another header from Richards’ corner, and the ninth goal arrived when Janney crossed low from theright and JAMIE RICHARDS touched home. It looked like being ten when Kris Lee sped through, Tanner saved well, and the ball ran loose, with Elmes getting there first just ahead of Tanner and ending up sprawling headlong on the ground– penalty? No, said the referee, instead waving a yellow card at an amazed Elmes. In stoppage time Elmes sent Richards away and Jamie saw his goal bound shot touched against the post by Tanner. Nine goals, three more points, four matches unbeaten, no goals conceded.

Leaving he ground, there were still people coming in, thinking the match was at 3pm – it’ll be a massacre today, one of them said. ‘Wha tdo you mean, it WILL be, it already is’, came the reply.

And who did last score a hattrick for the Urchins? There have been four this season prior to today – Shane Oakley at Leyton,  Richard Halle (6, 14p, 34) against Chelmsford, Harry Elmes (11, 44, 46) at Maldon, and Harry Elmes again at Brimsfown last week, all in the Capital League.

So, excluding the Capital League? –

21st September 2004 – Wayne Purser (39, 42, 68) against Maidenhead
12th October 2004 – Wayne Purser (4, 17, 89) against Dulwich (FA Cup)
16th August 2005 – Billy Holland (17, 59, 73, 74p) at Hullbridge (LC)
12th September 2006 – Garry Cross (23, 44, 68)against Canvey (LC)
30th December 2006 – Simon Parker (75, 84, 85) against Aveley
6th March 2007 – Kris Lee (24, 35, 36) at Witham

Man of the Match: Simon Parker Sponsored by: Ron Quantock

Match Sponsor: Haart / Spicer McColl

Weather Conditions: 1 Deg. C., Overcast and Blizzard during Second Half, Wind Speed = 10 mph

Match Officials: Referee - Mr. A. Degnarain, Assistants - Mr. J. Kelly and Mr. G. Gray

Match duration: F/H 45 mins. 59 secs., S/H 46 mins. 10 secs.