Billericay Town

1 - 0

AFC Hornchurch

Dumas 85

H/T 0 - 0 Att.: 532

Billericay Town

AFC Hornchurch

BILLERICAY 1 HORNCHURCH 0

Urchins kicked down the slope towards the dry end of the ground in the first half and quickly got into their stride. A long pass through the middle from Kris Lee found Ross Wall, racing goalwards, and keeper Tony Tucker raced out of his area to kick wildly away to prevent a certain goal. The first home attack got only as far as Donny Barnard, who neatly intercepted and played the ball up to Andy Tomlinson, who touched through to Kris Lee. Kris cut outside Dumas and his low cross, intended for Ross Wall, was saved at full stretch by Tucker.

Tim Cole then headed a clearance up to Wood-Garness who switched the play over to the far side, to Ferguson, and he raced in on goal but fired his shot over the bar and our of the ground.

Urchins were awarded a free kick when Tim Cole brought down Kris Lee – surprisingly no yellow card – but at the same time Frank Curley needed lengthy treatment and was forced to go off, to be replaced by Ryan Kirby. Tomlinson took the free kick, but over hit the ball which dropped past the far post. Purdie conceded a corner at the other end, and Ferguson floated the ball towards the near post, where it was nodded on and Brightly gathered. Dale pumped the ball long up field and home keeper Tucker had to race to the edge of the area to stop Kris Lee. Urchins dominated and a long throw from Billy Coyne was headed away for a corner by Cole. Tomlinson took the kick, Lee headed goalwards and Cole did well to block the ball close to the line. Another Coyne long throw found Lee, who played the ball on to Wall, who carried on and hit his shot past Tucker but wide of the post. Dean Green weaved his way through and saw his shot well saved by a very much on form Tucker.

A long clearance by Semanshia reached Bricknell who turned the ball through to Wood-Garness, and Brightly saved at his feet. Styles played Ross Wall through but he was brought down by Wareham and from the free kick Andy Tomlinson again hit the ball too far, and it again dropped wide of the far post. Billericay came forward again and Wood-Garness tried a shot from the right which Brightly tipped over the bar. Wareham took the corner and Goodfellow cleared. Urchins could have taken the lead when Ross Wall ran on to a long kick by Brightly, but his excellent shot was blocked by Semanshia. And then Ross set up Kris Lee for a run at goal, only for Tucker to make an excellent save, and a minute late it was Lee to Wall, with Tucker just winning the race for the ball.

Half time and Urchins could have been three up, instead they found themselves attacking the boggy end of the ground into a low setting sun.. Billericay started well, with a free kick which saw Dale Brightly block two shots in quick succession as the ball bobbed awkwardly on the muddy sanded surface, but Urchins came back when Purdie sent Coyne away on the left. Billy appeared to be chopped down, but the referee decided there was no foul, despite the advice given to him by the 200 Urchins behind the goal. Mark Janney came on for Dean Green.

Urchins created a scoring chance out of nothing when Wall dispossessed Duncan and he played the ball through to Kris Lee, who sent a low cross across the goal where Dormer made an excellent interception to prevent the ball crossing the line. Simon Parker came on for Kris Lee, and with Ryan Kirby already on for the injured Frank Curley all subs were now used.

Wareham made a good run but Janney raced back to tackle to concede a corner. Wareham swung the ball across and Purdie cleared. Billericay came forward and won a free kick, with the many Urchins supporters in loud disagreement with the decision, and Wareham’s free kick was caught by Brightly who powered the ball up to Simon Parker who stopped by a last ditch tackle by Dumas. Kirby then sent the ball to Parker, who set Ross Wall up, but Ross hit his shot into the side netting. And it was Parker again, who took Tomlinson’s pass and cut in from the left, before being sent headlong, the loud appeals for a penalty going unheeded. Billericay saw the match swing their way when Joe Flack came on as substitute, and for a time Urchins were forced to defend. Ferguson to Flack and Brightly blocked the shot, the ball going to Wood-Garness, whose shot deflected for a corner. Ferguson took the kick and Kirby completed the clearance after Purdie had headed away. Goodfellow was booked for what to many appeared an innocuous tackle and Wood-Garness touched the free kick short to Dormer whose shot was blocked by Purdie. Ferguson to Bricknell and on to Flack, whose low cross screamed untouched across goal. Parker almost put Janney away but the pass was intercepted and play switched to the other end, where Simon ran back fully sixty yards to tackle.

With time running out, and with Urchins preparing for a final onslaught, the only goal came in totally farcical circumstances, when a long clearance upfield was going nowhere at all, and Dale came out of his area to kick the ball up field again, but instead managed to hammer his kick against a surprised ASHLEY DUMAS. The ball looped back over Dale, and very slowly bounced thirty yards into the completely unguarded net for what can only be described as a complete fluke goal.

In the few minutes remaining Urchins stormed forward, with Janney and Wall both going close, whilst Flack went close at the other end when he broke away, with the entire Urchins team upfield going for the equaliser.

Billericay Town

AFC Hornchurch