Staines Town

2 - 2

AFC Hornchurch

H. Newton 18, J. Newton 90+1

H/T 1 - 0 Att.: 308

Staines Town

AFC Hornchurch

STAINES TOWN 2 HORNCHURCH 2
Staines is just a short run around the M25 – just under three hours in fact as the motorway was clogged solid from the M11 onwards. Rain and spray slowed everything up to a standstill, but despite this 150 Urchins made the journey, most making it more or less in time.

Staines are the best team in the Isthmian League, better than Dover, and this showed in their fluent and neat football – the only thing they lack is support - and they quickly got into their stride, when Taylor, from midfield, slotted the ball through to Butler, who hit a first time short narrowly wide of the post. Urchins replied right away, then Kris Lee played a pass out to Andy Tomlinson and the resultant cross was headed just inches over by Simon Parker. A long kick by Darren Behcet was then headed on by Dean Green to Simon Parker, and Courtnage made a good save. Staines came forward quickly and Taylor soloed through the middle, and Behcet made the first of a series of remarkable saves to keep the ball out. But Staines took the lead when Taylor again hit in a first time shot which Behcet did well to parry and the ball came back to Taylor, who this time touched the ball sideways to HOWARD NEWTON who calmly slipped the ball home, sending the loyal supporter watching from his bedroom window behind the goal wild with delight.

Elliot Styles found Kris Lee, and the ball was touched on to Mark Janney, but Ifura tackled to prevent the shot, and the ball was played up field to Taylor who fired in a first time shot which Darren Behcet saved at full length, with John Purdie completing the clearance. At the other end a move started by Billy Coyne found Green, who hit in a dangerous cross cum shot from the wing and Jake Newton deflected the ball out for a corner. Tomlinson took the kick and Cumberbatch did well to clear from Lee. Then came the best saves of the half. The ever dangerous Howard Newton hammered in a first time shot from thirty yards, and Behcet dived full length to tip the ball over the bar. Griffiths took the corner, and Mark Goodfellow headed out but only as far as Howard Newton, whose first time shot from the edge of the area saw Behcet again fling himself full length to turn the ball over the bar. Taylor took the corner and again it was Howard Newton onto the ball, but his time his shot narrowly missed the loyal supporter enjoying a freebie from his bedroom window.

Urchins managed to weather the onslaught and in pouring rain came forward. A Kris Lee solo run ended with an excellent save by Courtnage who tipped the goal bound shot over the bar, and Tomlinson’s corner was headed away by Thomas.

Half time and the rain continued to fall. Three half time changes, with Andy, Simon and Billy going off and Ross Wall, Mervin Abraham and Frankie Curley coming on, and the formation changed to four three three. Jake Newton did well to stop Ross Wall out on the left, but a minute later Kris Lee won the ball and touched it to DEAN GREEN whose finish sent 150 Urchins into ecstasy, whilst the loyal supporter in this bedroom window slammed it shut and went downstairs.

Urchins now began to press forward, and Ross Wall won a corner which Janney took and as Dean Green moved in so Darti Brown managed to deflect the ball out for another corner. Janney took the kick again but it was too short and easily cleared upfield. Then Marvin Abraham – the third ex-player manager to play for Urchins this season – sent an excellent pass through to Green, whose shot was turned out for a corner, but once again Mark Janney’s kick was cleared. A cross from Howard Newton found Butler, and again Behcet saved well, the ball being played straight back up field where Frank Curley won a corner, this time taken by Ross Wall, but again cleared. Staines came back quickly and a good run on the left by Griffiths saw him turn the ball inside to Howard Newton whose low shot from the edge of the area was remarkably tipped around the post by Behcet, who then dealt capably with Griffiths’ corner.

Urchins took the lead in sensational style when DEAN GREEN, thirty yards out, quickly ran on to a loose ball and crashed the ball home with a vicious left footed shot which beat the diving Courtnage and sent 150 Urchins into near delirium, for the goal of the season. It could have been three when Green found Lee and Kris saw his shot well saved by Courtnage. A Griffiths corner was cleared by Styles and a Janney run on the right saw the ball played inside to Lee whose shot was saved by Courtnage. Staines almost levelled in spectacular fashion when a Howard Newton centre was headed on by John Purdie, and Darren Behcet flung himself backwards to tip the deflection over the bar, and then once again comfortably caught Griffiths’ corner. A Janney free kick saw Lee’s shot deflected out for a corner by Ifura, and Wall’s corner was handled well by Courtnage. With just second left to play, Staines flung everyone forward and an exchange of passes between Ifura and Griffiths ended when JAKE NEWTON headed the equaliser, the final whistle going just seconds after the restart.

Staines Town

AFC Hornchurch