CRAY WANDERERS 1 HORNCHURCH 0
Jamie Dormer is still out with an injury, though he did some light
training prior to today’s match. Elliot Styles is suspended for two games, so the captaincy was handed to Andy Tomlinson. In bright sunshine which had quickly dissipated the mist that was apparent on the way up, the very heave surface hindered both teams. Urchins nearly took an early lead when Mark Janney slipped a through pass to Jonathan Hunt, but Rob Quinn reacted quickly to get n a goal saving tackle. Cray almost broke through when Ross Lover was played clear and it was Mark Goodfellow who tackled and cleared the danger.
The only goal of the match came in highly controversial fashion when Cassius ran forward from the just inside the Hornchurch half, and the linesman immediately flagged. The referee took no notice, and play continued with the linesman still flagging animatedly. Cassius made forty yards with the flag still being waved, until, ten yards inside the area, Michael Spencer tackled to play the ball out for what most thought was a corner – only for the linesman, still flagging, to now indicate a penalty. After a considerable discussion between referee and linesman, the referee decided that he was not going to pull the play back to near the half way line, and, despite the protests, up stepped COLIN LUCKETT to fire home the penalty. The announcer said Luckett, the massive away following said something very similar.
Jo Flack played a long ball out to Duane Jackman on the wing and Duane’s cross was deflected for a corner by Luckett. Hunt floated the ball over, it was half cleared to Mark Janney who returned it into the goalmouth where Jo Flack’s header went straight at keeper Pat Brennan. A long ball from Ronnie Fletcher found Jackman whose goalward run was halted when he was chopped down. Jonathan Hunt took the free kick and the ball rebounded from the wall of defenders. Cray came forward confidently and Billy Coyne had to concede a corner when Jamie Wood cut in from the left. Ross Lover took the kick and Goodfellow cleared, and then Darren Behcet caught another Lover corner. Ben Boyce looked to be in a good position but he was brought down and Hunt’s free kick found Fletcher who headed just over the goal. Jackman was then pulled down as he came in from the wing, and Hunt’s free kick was saved by Brennan at the second attempt.
A well struck shot by Rob Quinn was turned around the post and Wood’s corner found Tommy Tyne whose header was too close for comfort. Andy Tomlinson played a good pass out to Jackman who quickly twisted past Brennan and homed in on goal, but his shot crashed into the side netting. Spencer turned a Marcus Cassius shot out for a corner which was taken by Wood, and comfortably cleared by Behcet, and close to half time Spencer made ground and won a corner, and Hunt picked out Ben Boyce whose shot was blocked by a packed defence.
Talking point at half time was the incredible penalty decision – for an offence that had occurred ten yards from the half way line. It got even worst for the Urchins when Ben Boyce raced through seconds after the interval only for his shot to hit the side netting, and then Jonathan Hunt limped off a minute after the interval, Jonathan Spencer coming on to fill the gap in midfield. Leigh Brewer headed over from a Lover corner, but Urchins were justifiably infuriated when an overhead kick by Jackman sent Ben Boyce streaking away, only for the linesman to signal offside, though Ben was a yard behind the defender. Jonathan Spencer found Flack whose shot was over the bar and Ross Wall came on. George Porter came on as substitute and made a very good run through the middle, and his shot was turned around the post by Darren Behcet, who then caught Lover’s corner. Jackman made a good run and Wood did well to come back to tackle and give away another corner. Tomlinson took the kick and found Janney whose cross was too close to Brennan.
On came Soz Yao, who played on the wing, with Jackman and Wall up front. A long kick by Behcet sent Ross Wall away but Mark Willy was able to get in a telling tackle, whilst a Yao run on the left saw Soz slide the ball inside to Wall, who hit his shot high over the bar. Billy Coyne had received an injury in the first few minutes and until now had not attempted any of his long throws, but at last he hurled the ball into the centre where Brennan just bear Jackman to the ball. Then it was Dean Carpenter, who had replaced Jamie Wood, whose corner found Tyne whose header was cleared off the line. Cray then won four corners in succession following a piercing run by George Porter, and the referee signalled four minutes of stoppage time, in which Soz Yao and Andy Tomlinson both went close. The match ended sensationally when Soz raced through on goal was appeared to be brought down, but the referee made no decision other than to blow for full time. |
