FA Challenge Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Saturday 10th September 2005
	AFC Hornchurch	2 - 0	Stansted
Holland 24', 76'		H/T 1-0 Att: 415

Match Highlights

AFC Hornchurch

Stansted

Holland - GOAL	24
Vincent - OFF Gill - ON	55
		OFF - Girkin ON - Marrin
Pamplin - OFF Drake - ON	72	OFF - Bennett ON - Gallagher
Holland - GOAL	76
Perry - OFF Philip - ON	76
	90	OFF - Prince ON - Powell

Match Report by Tony Middleton

With four senior players missing - Danny Cowley and Glen Golby, both suspended, Lee Sontag, long term injury, and Danny Heale, flu - and with Ket Makitu and Sean Dear also out - Paul Golby came in for his home debut, along with Danny Vincent, whilst off the field was another home debut, nine day old Alfie, John Lawrence’s grandson, making his first appearance.

Would Urchins be able to fill the gaps? They started strongly enough, Vincent incepting a midfield pass and picking out Holland, who touched on to Tiffin, who was thwarted by keeper Steve Wright, who rushed off his line to grab the ball. Thomas returned the clearance to Nicky Cowley, whose first time touch gave Perry the chance to play a long ball out to the left, where Rodwell cleared from Vincent. But then something of a surprise, as Stansted forced three corners in quick succession. The first followed a free kick from Rodwell, which was not cleared, and Nolan’s first time drive was turned around the post by Collier. King headed the corner away, but only as far as Parkes, who returned the ball into the goalmouth, where Bostock headed out for a second corner. And then Bostock had to slide in late to keep out Begg, before Golby hammered the ball away. Vincent found himself free on the left and he promptly made ground and crossed to Thomas who had moved up the right wing, only for Mercer to come across to clear.

Holland worked himself into open space for the first time, thanks to a timely pass from King, and rounded Parkes but was pulled back by the referee’s whistle, a free kick being awarded. Urchins stepped up the pace, and a Nicky Cowley cross fell invitingly for Holland, but the flag went up for the first of many offsides. Tony Mercer gave the ball away needlessly in midfield, and Tiffin took advantage to hare off down the right, his cross finding Vincent, whose finish was too hurried and the ball went wide of the goal. Cowley then broke clear in the middle, but was pulled back for offside, and Asa Pamplin, taking command up front, set up first Holland and then Perry, the latter going clear only to lose his footing when Penfold tackled. The best move of the match, involving Thomas, Tiffin, Pamplin, Perry and Vincent, ended with Cowley hitting his shot too high and over the bar. Cowley then picked up Pamplin on the edge of the area, and Asa needed lengthy treatment following a very late and wild tackle from Mercer, who escaped with just a lecture, when a yellow or even a red card was anticipated on the terraces. With Asa still receiving treatment, Cowley floated the free kick into the goalmouth, but a little too high for King who could not get a touch. Mercer was again in the action, this time giving the ball away to Vincent, but his cross was wasted. Cowley found himself again through, following an exchange of passes with Perry and Holland, with yet another offside being signalled. When Penfold conceded a free kick for a foul on Golby, King got onto the end of the centre and Golby ran in, only for the whistle to go once more for offside, which was becoming too much of a habit, especially when King was penalised in a similar manner only a minute later, this time from Cowley’s free kick. It was Asa Pamplin who forced the breakthrough, which was long overdue, when his powered in from the left and Mercer conceded a corner. Tiffin curled the ball in and BILLY HOLLAND scored, popping up in a very crowded goalmouth to guide the ball home.

Urchins could have been two up only minutes later when Pamplin took the ball away from Mercer and sent Holland away, but with Bennett rushing in, Holland pulled his shot wide of the post. Stansted had a rare goal attempt when Perry lost possession to Girkin, who touched on to Nolan. Tiffin recovered quickly and Nolan’s shot was high and wide. Tiffin was frequently in possession on the right, and when he won a corner, Vincent played ball short to Cowley, but Penfold was able to boot the ball upfield, where Prince found himself clear and unmarked. Bostock was able to get back in time, and Prince was forced wide, and he eventually hooked his shot wide of the goal. Last chance of the half fell to Holland who looked likely to score until the flag was raised yet again for offside.

Despite Urchins superiority in possession, Stansted had won three corners, and Collier had made three good saves, and the question at half time was whether there was going to be a midweek replay. With Urchins winning eight more corners in the second half, to Stansted’s two, this reflected more on what was happening on field, but Urchins still struggled to turn their possession into goals. Thomas within a minute of the restart, found Asa who in turn flicked on to Holland, who was clear and looking likely to score when he prodded the ball past Wight, but play was called back for a somewhat dubious offside. Vincent then played a short corner to Cowley, who passed sideways to Perry, whose drive was saved by the diving Wright for a corner. Tiffin floated the corner over, and Bennett kicked wildly away for another corner. Vincent this time found Perry whose chip into the goalmouth dropped onto the roof of the net. Cowley made some rapid ground on the right, and sent Tiffin away, who in turn played the ball back to Nicky, who was sent headlong in the penalty area, the referee however allowing play to continue. Vincent set out on a long run down the left wing, and Pamplin ran on to the pass, rounded keeper Wright but was unable to prevent the ball running out of play. Tiffin, a constant threat on the right, found Pamplin, himself a regular target in the middle of the field, and he passed neatly to Vincent who lobbed the ball wide of the goal. Danny Gill came on for Vincent, and it was his short pass to Thomas which set up a remarkable run by Thomas, which went on and on. A short pass to Pamplin, and Thomas took the return, moved into the penalty area and drove the ball into the net, but was given offside, following a run which had started inside his own half and which had taken him past four defenders. Asa, Holland, Asa again, and keeper Wright did well to come out of goal to kick clear, but Cowley returned the ball upfield to Perry, who opened up the left with an accurate pass to Gill, who beat Rodwell and watched as his low cross went across goal with no one able to get a final touch. Perry got into the proceedings racing through the middle past three defenders, and though his shot beat Wright it swerved away from goal and went out of play.

Stansted came back with King being forced to head clear from Begg, whilst Antoine’s ball control in midfield could not be turned into anything like a telling pass, and some of the visiting players appeared to be affected by playing in front of a large crowd, and let their attention wander somewhat, being seemingly more interested in the shouts and chants from the terraces. Play was concentrated for the most part in the Stansted half of the field, and Billy Drake came on for Pamplin, whose experience was very apparent throughout, whilst Nathan Philip replaced the ever dangerous Perry. With Urchins regrouping, Collier made a very good save from Begg, and then from Prince, but immediately turned defence into attack with a massive upfield kick, which Holland just failed to reach, Parkes getting there first and conceding a corner. Tiffin swung the ball into the middle, Parkes half cleared, Thomas played it back and BILLY HOLLAND headed home.

With Stansted now unable to offer anything in the way of resistance, it was a question of how many Urchins could get, but they eased off, despite winning four more corners, none of which were taken by Nicky Cowley - is it a change of tactics, or simply giving his parents (who watch every match) a chance to relax? - Danny Gill showed that he is quickly adapting to being a member of the Urchins squad with a fine run, before playing the ball to Tiffin and running into the middle to head narrowly wide from Thomas’s cross. Gill almost created a third right on time when only a last second interception by Penfold prevented a goal.

Steve King was named player of the match, though the win was very much a team effort, and must have pleased the crowd of 415 who turned out and who applauded the Urchins warmly at the final whistle.

 

Video Highlights by Rob Monger

- 24mins. Billy Holland puts us in front (460KB)
- 76mins. Billy Holland makes it 2-0 (4730KB)
- Post match analysis from AFC Hornchurch keeper Michael Collier (2.4MB)

  Teams

AFC Hornchurch Michael Collier Gareth Thomas Paul Golby Nicky Cowley Steve King Jordan Bostock (c) Greg Tiffin Lee Perry Billy Holland Asa Pamplin Danny Vincent SUBS Danny Gill Billy Drake Nathan Philip Charlie Bull Lee Ward

- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 * 12 14 15 16 17

Stansted Steve Wright Stuart Rodwell Graham Bennett Tony Mercer Asa Parkes Danny Penfold (c) Chris Nolan Ross Girkin Mike Begg Leon Antoine Gavin Prince SUBS Pat Gallagher Paul Marrin Sean Powell - -

Man of the Match Nominated by Majestic Steve King

 

Match Officials: Ashvin Dagnarian with Dave Thomas and Simon Leaf

Weather Conditions:  Cloudy - 20 degrees

Match duration: First half 46mins 20secs, Second half 47mins 7secs
 

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