Report

Hornchurch suffered their fourth defeat in a row as Witham Town belied their lowly league position scoring an injury time winner to take all 3 points.

04-November-2017
HORNCHURCH 0 WITHAM TOWN 1

HFC – Mott, Bentley, Porter, Lee, Styles ©, Chouman, Fairweather-Johnson (Fanimo 73), Roberts, Wall (McKenzie HT), Purcell, Warner
Subs – Joseph, Quitirna, Hussain

WT – Mason, Owusu, Anderson, Gyebi, Atkins, Ahern ©, Robinson (Adeniji 57), Ronto, Osadebe (Payne 90+6), Bradford (Watson 80), Davidson
Subs – Gyamfi, Whipps

Officials – Jack Bloxham with Fabein Le Houezac and Joshua Bratt

Scorer – Davidson 90+2
Booking – Styles 88
Attendance 174
Duration 47.00 + 53.00

HORNCHURCH 0 WITHAM TOWN 1

It was a dull and dismal day, with a home performance to match, as Hornchurch fell to their fourth defeat in succession, making their excellent start to the season a rapidly fading memory.

Hornchurch created the first opening, when Jed Chouman fed the ball over the defence to Theo Fairweather-Johnson, who ran forward but placed his shot wide of the near post.

Witham had little to offer up front although an Elliot Ronto free kick found an unmarked Patrick Ahern, who sent his header wide.

Ross Wall sent a good pass to George Purcell, whose left footed shot was wide of the target.

Ronto had a chance to open the score after Alex Bentley had blocked an earlier shot, but his hard drive was cleared off the line by Kenzer Lee.

Purcell placed a free kick past the wall but also past the goal after Wall was fouled, and a Sean Roberts shot hit a defender before being cleared.

Warner made the best opening of the half with a lengthy sixty yard run along the left,

The Witham defence was under pressure as the half drew to a close, with a Wall shot being deflected for a corner and Warner being denied by Bobby Mason, who then saved again from the resulting corner.

McKenzie replaced Wall at half time.

Hornchurch attacked strongly in the first five minutes of the second half, winning four corners, with Kofi Gyebi blocking a Warner shot and Mason saving another attempt by Warner, who then sent a hard free kick into the defensive wall.

Purcell made a powerful run along the left, only for his cross to go begging, with Leon McKenzie just a fraction away from getting a touch.

McKenzie was again in action, sending over a good cross to Warner, but his shot went wide of the post.

Usman Adeniji came on for Witham, and almost opened the scoring with a fine shot that Sam Mott tipped over the bar, with Jay Porter clearing the corner. Adeniji needed treatment for an injury, but was able to resume.

Matthias Fanimo, who came on for Fairweather-Johnson, had a hard drive blocked, and Mason saved well from Warner, whilst a Porter throw found Purcell, whose shot was touched around by Mason.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Witham broke upfield, and Correy Davidson ran on to the cross to score the only goal of the game.

Hornchurch threw players forward, but Mason in the Witham goal made two more good saves, as Witham held out to take the points.

Gallery