Carshalton Athletic

2 - 2

AFC Hornchurch

Martin 28, Ide 29

H/T 2 - 0 Att.: 119

Carshalton Athletic

AFC Hornchurch

CARSHALTON 2 HORNCHURCH 2
Only one change from Tonbridge, Dean Green coming in for John Purdie who was injured. The match programme was reduced to £1 and the crowd was reduced to 119, many of whom appeared more interested in the TV in the bar. The ground is one of the best in the league, with its large old fashioned terrace along one side, and an end to end slope, giving it a great amount of character. The boardroom was decorated with old programmes, despite many of their records being destroyed a few years ago in a fire. Carshalton played in all maroon and Urchins were in blue and white. Full moon, and local ace reporter Peter Butcher wore a brand new sky blue baseball cap.

The home side kicked down the slope in the first half, and looked dangerous right from the start when Martin’s short free kick was played back to him and he fired his shot over the bar, over the car park, and the ball was last seen heading towards Cheam. And when Stevens sent a perfect pass to Ide, Jason Willis made an excellent save from the resulting shot. Urchins began to grow in confidence, playing up the slope, and put together a complex move involving Goodfellow, Janney, Tomlinson and Green, before Dean slipped a pass through to Ross Wall, who was just beaten to the ball by Wilson who had come out to the edge of his area to gather.

And when Janney intercepted a pass by Cooper he played the ball across to Wall, who turned it inside to Kris Lee, and Wilson saved the first time shot from the edge of the area. Michael Spencer then broke up an attack in the right side, and made ground, and his centre found Dean Green, whose shot was deflected out for a corner by Gonsalves. Tomlinson took the kick but put the ball too close to keeper Wilson who gathered comfortably.

Urchins began to press forward, but the pattern of play was totally altered in 47 seconds of defensive confusion. The full moon was now immediately behind the Urchins goal. The ball was played down the slope from the left, and Jason Willis came out to block a shot, tried to prevent a corner, only to play the ball into the path of RYAN MARTIN, who hammered it into the net. And 47 seconds later, the ball was pumped up field and an unmarked CHARLIE IDE was able to run on and fire the ball past Willis.

From nil nil and comfortable to nil two and struggling. But urged on by the EastSide packed behind the goal at the north end of the ground, a Spencer cross led to a corner. Tomlinson took the kick, found Dean Green, and he played a short pass to Mark Janney, whose shot went inches over the bar. Tomlinson then won the ball in midfield, took a return pass from Styles, and sent Green away. Dean drew the defender and neatly touched the ball back to Michael Spencer, and his shot went wide of the far post. Billy Coyne broke up a move on the left side, and his long pass reached Kris Lee, who switched the play out to the other side to Tomlinson, whose first time shot was blocked. The ball rebounded to Spencer and keeper Wilson made an excellent save to keep the ball out, tipping it around the post. Wilson then gathered Tomlinson’s corner and pumped the ball up field, where Jolly found Ide who was tackled by Goodfellow to concede a corner at the other end. Honey floated the ball close to goal, Willis punched away Honey played it back again and Goodfellow cleared.

Half time and it was a full moon. The lunar effect meant that the nearby river Wendle was at high tide, which in turn caused the slope, so apparent in the first half, to subside, so that when the teams took the field for the second half, the pitch was flat.

Urchins took command from the kick off, and won a corner. Tomlinson sent the ball over but it was just a fraction too high for Jim McFarlane to reach. A long ball y Billy Coyne found Ross Wall, but keeper Wilson raced out of goal to grab the ball at Ross’s feet. A quickly taken free kick gave Kris Lee some space and his cross was headed away by Cooper as the pressure mounted.

The moon is full, all the crazies are out. Does full moon madness really exist? Carshalton was just about to find out, for Mark Janney went racing through the middle and was scythed down. The howls behind the goal sent many citizens scurrying for cover, but the howls turned to delight when the referee promptly and firmly pointed to the spot. Penalty. No yellow card, and most would agree with that. MARK JANNEY stepped up, and hit the ball low and hard to the keeper’s left. Cue full moon madness behind the goal.

Carshalton kicked off, and back swarmed the Urchins. Michael Spencer out to Janney, Mark up to Kris, and a flick on to Simon Parker, and his shot hit the post and was cleared for a corner. Tomlinson came over to take the kick, Kris Lee rose up and his header appeared to have crossed the line before Cooper hooked it back out. The EastSide, behind the goal, were in no doubt, but the linesman had too many players in his way and did not signal, play continued, and Michael Spencer hammered the ball back, and it was cleared off the line.

And Carshalton raced upfield and won a corner, which Jim McFarlane firmly cleared back up to the other end. Mark Janney was in full moon mode, and the home side had no answer as Mark carved their defence open time and again. A Janney cross was wildly cleared for another corner, Tomlinson took the kick as per usual, Kris Lee crashed the ball goalwards, and it hit a defender on the line and went out for another corner. Tomlinson this time picked out Michael Spencer, who played the ball to Goodfellow and Mark touched it back to Simon Parker who ran on and glided his shot inches wide, although a somewhat surprising offside flag was raised. It was now the siege of the Alamo and Kris Lee found Parker who again raced through, and his shot skimmed the post. There was a brief respite when Carshalton broke away and Billy Coyne conceded a corner, but this was easily dealt with and it was back to the siege. Billy Coyne to Mark Janney, on to Simon and a good save by Wilson. A free kick by Michael Spencer found Kris Lee, whose header crashed against the post, with the whistle sounding for another somewhat questionable offside before anyone could react to the loose ball.

Kris Lee came in from the left was won a corner, Tomlinson took the kick and McFarlane headed narrowly over the bar. The siege continued, could the Robins hold out? Answer was a resounding NO, for Jason Willis played a long kick upfield, and Simon Parker raced along the left side and crossed, for MARK JANNEY to head home, and then it was really full moon madness behind the goal and on the pitch. Urchins were level. Could we hear werewolves? No, just Urchins.

Urchins again stormed forward, Janney to Green to Parker and the ball was deflected off a post for a corner. Tomlinson took it and it was cleared out for a throw. Billy Coyne hurled the ball into the goalmouth and it was again punted away. On came Joe Sweeney and there were now five going forward, Mark and Michael wide on the wings, Kris, Simon and Joe through the middle. In stoppage time, Carshalton broke out of defence and Jason Willis made an excellent save, running out to block a shot from Power, Elliot Styles dealt with the rebound and Jim McFarlane finally cleared. Right on time, another Billy Coyne throw created havoc, the ball fell neatly to Simon Parker and his shot was cleared off the line, the final whistle going just seconds later.

Carshalton Athletic

AFC Hornchurch