Report

Saturday 27-August-2016
BOWERS & PITSEA 3 HORNCHURCH 2

BP – Mason, Hine, Durrant, Wilson, Waters ©, Sartain, Hilton (Pethers 80), Salmon, Barnwel (Whitnell 90+2), Warner (Russell 87), Thomas
Sub – Nobbs

HFC – Mott, Collis, Da Cruz, Styles ©, Cooper, Morrish (Chouman 62), Bentley, Lee, Knight, Purcell (Freeman 80), Thompson (Woodward 74)
Subs – Coley, Agombar

Officials – Conor Farrell with Tom Nicholls and Bobby Kwatt

Scorers – Hine 1 (og) (H) – Hilton 19 (BP) – Warner 46 (BP) – Styles 57 (H) – Barnwell 81 (BP)

Booking – Thompson 30 (H)
Attendance 130
Duration – 46.00 + 50.00

BOWERS & PITSEA 3 HORNCHURCH 2

Hornchurch got off to an excellent start, taking the lead in the first thirty seconds. Abs Thompson sped down the left wing, turned inside, and played the ball low into the goalmouth, where, Tom Hine, under pressure from David Knight, could not prevent the ball from entering the net.

Hornchurch could not turn their territorial superiority into goals, the best chance falling to George Purcell after a good build up with Knight, but Bobby Mason saved his shot.

Bowers, just up from the Essex Senior League and playing with confidence chased an equaliser and Alex Bentley did well to block a hard shot from Shomari Barnwell.

Vinny Durrant sent a swerving free kick just past the far post after Nathan Cooper was penalised for a mistimed tackle in midfield, and after 19 minutes the home side drew level when the Hornchurch defence failed to clear a cross from the left wing, allowing the unmarked Alfie Hilton to place the ball firmly into the net.

Hornchurch came back strongly, and a Purcell shot, from a Thompson pass, was blocked, whilst at the other end Durrant sent a free kick wide, after Bradley Turner was fouled.

Mason did well to save from Purcell who fired hard at goal from a Dave Collis corner, and close to half time a long ball out of defence found Barnwell and his cross reached Hilton, who hit his shot over the bar.

A minute into the second half and Bowers took the lead, following an excellent solo run by Bradley Warner, who took full advantage of a backpeddling defence to fire the ball wide of Sam Mott.

Collis was a constant threat to the home defence and it was his centre that earned a corner. Collis ran over to the left wing, and his corner was headed powerfully into the net by leading scorer, Elliot Styles, to bring the scores back level.

Knight went close when he ran on to a good cross from Alex Bentley, only for Mason to be ideally placed to make the save, and Kenzer Lee had a shot charged down when he received the ball from Purcell.

Bowers took advantage of some confusion in the Hornchurch defence, and Shomari Barnwell ran in to head home a centre from the left wing, for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Bowers defended well and comfortably played out the remaining ten minutes, the closest Hornchurch being able to get was when George Woodward ran through from the left, but the move ended in a free kick, which was headed clear.