Report

Hornchurch made it 4 wins in a row as goals from Fairweather-Johnson and McKenzie sealed the points but the defence yet again played superbly as they had to withstand some intense second half pressure from the hosts.

Monday 15-January-2018
HARINGEY BOROUGH 1 HORNCHURCH 2

HB – Byfield, Staunton, O’Donoghue, Gordon (Sherif 71), Mitchell, Rowe, Ademiluyi, Yiga, Hervel (Georgiou 59), Benjamin (McDonald 60), Asamoah
Subs -Heather, Kay

HFC – Mott, Bentley, Porter, Lee, Cooper, Oluwatimilehin, Hursit (Livings 86), Roberts, Fairweather-Johnson (McKenzie 29), Purcell, Warner (Joseph 78)
Subs -, Farmer, Chouman

Scorers- Fairweather-Johnson 9 (H) – McKenzie 87 (H) – Yiga 90 (HB)

Bookings – Benjamin 56 (HB) – Yiga 77 (HB)

Attendance 216

HARINGEY BOROUGH 1 HORNCHURCH 2

Manager Jim McFarlane made one change from the side that beat Waltham Abbey two days earlier, bringing Jamie Hursit into the starting line up. George Farmer, who has impressed in the Under 23 side this season, came into the squad for the first time.

Hornchurch took an early lead, when, on nine minutes, Brad Warner took a free kick, and Theo Fairweather-Johnson scored with a glancing header.

Hornchurch went close to increasing their lead four minutes later, when Purcell sent in a hard shot, that home goalkeeper Austin Byfield tipped over the bar for a corner, which was cleared by the Haringey defence.

Asamoah had a chance to level but Mott saved at the second attempt.

Following a spell when play was largely confined to midfield, Hornchurch lost Fairweather-Johnson with an injury and Leon McKenzie came on in his place.

On 33 minutes Brad Warner played the ball through to McKenzie, but it was just too far in front of him to reach.

Three minutes later a Purcell corner was headed powerfully by Kenzer Lee, and Byfield made a good save to keep the header out of the goal.

Hornchurch continued to press and on 38 minutes a hard long range shot by Purcell skimmed the bar, and close to half time Byfield was in action again, saving well from McKenzie.

Haringey had their best opportunity of the half in first half stoppage time, but Aedmiluyi’s shot went wide and Hornchurch held a single goal advantage at the interval.

Eight minutes into the second half Jamie Hursit moved upfield and sent in a hard shot that cleared the bar, and two minutes later Yiga had a sight on goal but Warner, dropping back to help out his defence, blocked the goalbound effort.

Joe Benjamin picked up the first yellow card of the match on 56 minutes, for a foul on Warner, and Haringey made two substitutions, Harrison Georgiou for Ryan Hervel, and Anthony McDonald for Benjamin.

On 63 minutes a corner from Hursit found Purcell, but his first time shot was saved by Byfield.

Hornchurch had a narrow escape on 68 minutes when a difficult cross was controlled by Georgiou but somehow the shot ran wide of the post. More stalwart defending as Asamoah’s shot was charged down and deflected wide. The Hornchurch defence were standing firm in the face of some heavy Boro pressure and a superb block by Hursit kept the Urchins ahead. Haringey introduced their final substitution of the match when Ramii Sherif replaced Quba Gordon.

Hornchurch came out of defence on 76 minutes and a Sean Roberts run ended with a free kick. Warner sent the free kick into the area but the ball just eluded Purcell.

Lawrence Yiga became the second Haringey player to receive a yellow card on 77 minutes and a minute later Tobi Joseph replaced Warner.

Four minutes from time Nathan Livings came on for the hard working Hursit, and a minute later Hornchurch doubled their lead. Purcell swung a corner over from the right which Byfield did well to tip over as it almost crept underneath the bar. From the second corner however Byfield could do nothing as Purcell’s outswinger was firmly headed home by Leon McKenzie.

Haringey pulled a goal back as the match entered stoppage time, with a header at the near post from Lawrence Yiga. Haringey pressed hard and Sam Mott made an excellent catch to keep the ball out, and this proved to be their last chance as the final whistle went and Hornchurch received the applause from their large following in a much-above-average crowd of 216.

Hornchurch are now six points clear of their nearest rivals, Bowers & Pitsea, and, with two automatic promotion places up for grabs, they are now 15 points ahead of third placed Dereham.