Report

The Urchins moved back into the play-off positions following a convincing victory over Waltham Abbey with second half goals from Ross Wall, Leon McKenzie and  Jed Chouman.

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Saturday 07-January-2017
HORNCHURCH 3 WALTHAM ABBEY 0

HFC – Mott, Bentley ©, Da Cruz, Lee, Cooper, Chouman, Thompson (Cohen 86), Morrish (Styles 66), McKenzie, Wall, Luke (Joseph 81)
Subs: Coley, Hussain

WA – Pellin, Glasgow, Joynes (oley 72), Daveney ©, Daniel, Robbins, Yala, Pearson, Retkoceri (West 63), Bolasis (Gayle 63), Spencer
Subs – Suddell, Holland

Officials – Ryan Head with Tom Nicholls and Jordan Whitworth

Scorers – Wall 51 – McKenzie 52 – Chouman 77
Bookings – Daniel 54 (WA) – Cooper 90+1 (H)
Attendance 197
Duration 46.00 + 48.00

HORNCHURCH 3 WALTHAM ABBEY 0

Hornchurch had little difficulty in achieving a commanding win over Waltham Abbey, who spent most of the ninety minutes defending.

Had it not been for some good saves by goalkeeper James Pellin, some off target shooting, eleven offsides, all against Leon McKenzie, and the post, the score could easily have been a lot higher, as Hornchurch threatened to overwhelm the visitors.

Apart from an early scare, when a cross from the right wing went across the face of the home goal, and was deflected for a corner, which was taken by Jack Daveney, Hornchurch dominated proceedings.

Alex Bentley sent Abs Thompson away on the right, his rapid run ending in a corner, which Jed Chouman sent over, and Rimmel Daniel headed away.

A long ball through to Leon McKenzie gave our leading scorer a chance to add to his already impressive tally, but he slotted his shot wide of Pellin and also wide of the post.

McKenzie had a further chance when he ran on to a long ball from Junior Luke, and his shot this time hit the post.

McKenzie then headed over from a Thompson centre, and Pellin came to the rescue when Ross Wall played McKenzie through.

A brief Abbey rally ended in a corner, which was cleared by the very impressive Kenzer Lee.

In stoppage time in the first half, Thompson was brought down at the start of one of his runs along the right wing, and Chouman’s free kick was punched away by the overworked Pellin in the visiting goal.

It was beginning to look as though Hornchurch would not find a way past the packed Abbey defence, and when a Thompson shot in the first minute of the second period was blocked, the ball rebounded to Luke, whose hard first time volley cleared the crossbar.

On 51 minutes Hornchurch took the lead. A long ball from Bentley found McKenzie who switched the play to the right wing, where Thompson left his marker trailing, and his cross was finished off by Ross Wall.

And the clock was still on 51 minutes when Luke played the ball through to Leon McKenzie, who ran forward and glided his shot past Pellin and into the net for the second goal in a matter of thirty seconds.

Thompson was creating havoc on the right wing, and it was no surprise when Rimmel Daniel went into the book for an illegal challenge.

A Wall shot was turned out for a corner, a McKenzie shot was well saved by Pellin, JJ Da Cruz fired wide from a Chouman corner, and Jim McFarlane made his first chance when James Morrish needed attention, and was replaced by Elliot Styles.

The non-stop pressure continued, with Luke making a lengthy run through the middle, only for Pellin to make yet another excellent save, turning the ball around the post.

A Thompson run and cross was scrambled away for a corner, McKenzie had the ball in the net from a Luke pass, but was given offside, but the third goal soon followed when Wall weaved his way into the area, before playing the ball sideways to Jed Chouman, who made no mistake, planting his shot firmly into the net.

Pellin saved from McKenzie, and Tobi Joseph came on for Luke.

Thompson again opened up the Abbey defence and his cross found McKenzie, who could only direct his shot against the post.

Gary Cohen replaced Thompson, and Pellin saved Abbey yet again, when he dived to turn a McKenzie shot around the post, in what proved to be the final attacking move of the match.

Three points, on a damp day, and a further bonus was the increased interest shown locally, with the attendance a good deal higher than the average for the season.

 

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