HORNCHURCH 2 BRENTWOOD 1
Mitchell Stuart-Evans made his starting debut for Hornchurch, with Jonathan Spencer coming into the squad for the first time. Elliot Styles and Jamie Dormer were both suspended for one match, whilst Ronnie Fletcher is injured. There were two ex-Urchins in the Brentwood team, Danny Glozier and Joe Sweeney.

Hornchurch kicked towards the windmill end in the first half, and neither team really looked comfortable on the soft playing surface. Steve Good fired a long range shot high and wide whilst Jo Flack did likewise at the other end with an attempt which sailed high over the bar after Stuart-Evans had headed the ball powerfully upfield. The best move of the half involved Billy Coyne, Mark Janney. Duane Jackman and then Reece Prestedge, whose cross was deflected out for a corner. Jonathan Hunt took the kick and picked out Flack, whose shot went over the bar. Brentwood won a corner but Darren Behcet caught the ball as it came over, and another Hunt corner was only partly cleared, and Shave won a free kick, but Hunt’s usually impeccable set piece kicks this time went astray, and the ball was hit high and over the bar.

Nick Pyne then punched clear a Hunt inswinging corner following a good build up, and Paul Shave headed over from a well flighted Hunt free kick, one of many conceded by the visiting defence. A Jackman run ended in a good tackle by Love, to concede a corner, which Hunt took and Fletcher cleared. A Mark Janney run along the right saw him cut inside and then his low cross found Flack, right in front of goal, but Jo saw his shot cleared off the line by Love for another corner, which Hunt again took and both Mark Goodfellow and Paul Shave just failed to reach.

A hopeful long range attempt by Michael Spencer almost caught out keeper Nick Pyne, who nearly dropped the ball over this own goal line, and just before half time Ricky Holmes hit a first time shot inches over the bar.

Andy Tomlinson came on for Paul Shave at half time and Hornchurch almost conceded a goal when Petrit Elbi broke though and Darren Behcet made an excellent diving save, and a minute later Hornchurch took the lead following another immaculate free kick from Jonathan Hunt, which JO FLACK headed into the net. Brentwood came back strongly and Fletcher went close when a corner eluded the home defence, and at the other end Goodfellow fired over from a Janney cross. When Danny Glazier tripped the speeding Jo Flack, loud penalty appeals were rejected, and the free kick was awarded outside the area, with Glazier receiving a yellow card. Hunt took the free kick and Jo Flack just failed to touch the ball over the line.

Play was held up for an injury to Ricky Holmes, and Ben Boyce came on for Jo Flack. A short pass from Tomlinson played Spencer clear on the left and Michael’s centre saw the ball turned out for a corner. Hunt picked out Mark Goodfellow with his kick and Pyne did well to save the goal bound header. Both sides then exchanged corners, neither of which really created any threat, and Brentwood piled forward looking for an equaliser, which came when JOE SWEENEY turned sharply to fire the ball home.

Urchins stepped up the pace and regained the lead four minutes later with an excellent run by DUANE JACKMAN whose shot crashed into the net. Four minutes were added on for stoppages, and Behcet made an excellent save, diving to turn Joe Sweeney’s shot around the post for a corner, and then Behcet calmly plucked the ball out of the air in a crowded goalmouth in another corner, in the final minute of the match.

Hornchurch are now at home to Harlow Town, who beat Redbridge 3-2 tonight.