HORNCHURCH 0 STAINES 2

Injury hit Urchins called up Billy Coyne, who last season was with QPR, for his debut, and Mitchell Stuart-Evans came into the squad. Kris Lee was not available, and Richard Goddard and Jim McFarlane are still out with injury. In heat wave conditions Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground, and it was Staines who set the pace, looking confident in all areas. Coyne was quickly in action when he headed a Howard Newton free kick out for a corner, and from this Kersey headed high over the bar. A long pass opened up the home defence and Butler went racing clear. Dale Brightly raced out of goal and was able to comfortably grasp Butler’s attempted lob shot. Urchins were slow to find any form of rhythm but when Hodges found Curley, Frankie touched the ball on to send Parker away on the left. Parker crossed to Ball who fired the ball narrowly wide of the post. Staines quickly came back and Goodfellow cleared a cross by Sargent.

Hodges then found Ball, who poked his shot through a crowd of defenders only for the ball to roll agonisingly past the post, and a Curley run ended when Jake Newton tackled, and keeper Brooks-Meade was perhaps fortunate to gather the ball as Ball came in.

Butler headed on to the roof of the net after the left side of the defence was opened up and when Goodfellow conceded a corner, Brightly held Howard Newton’s swerving centre. A Curley cross reached Goodfellow who touched back to Parker, and Simon turned sharply and hit his shot past the keeper, and the ball again rolled the wrong side of the post. A Goodfellow tackle stopped Davis Haule’s solo run and Dale Brightly made an excellent save from a free kick, to tip the ball around the post, with Sargent’s corner cleared by Styles. A Hodges free kick was headed goalwards by Curley but Brooks-Meade saved easily and when Hodges sent Ball through the middle, the keeper came out of his area to kick wildly away. In stoppage time, Stained took the lead after a centre was headed out, as far as DEAN THOMAS who hit the ball hard back and straight into the net.

Second half and it got hotter, and in semi tropical conditions Urchins continued to come forward but rarely managed to penetrate the away defence. A Tomlinson inspired move led to a corner but Hodges kick came to nothing. Tomlinson then tried to break through but was fouled by Griffiths and the free kick was wasted.

Staines went further ahead with a penalty. No Staines player appealed, but then no home player argued with the decision, and DAVE SARGENT hit the penalty home. To all extents and purposes the match was all over, for although Urchins continued to press, they got little change out of the Staines defence. Purdie found Ball on the right and he crossed to Parker, whose shot went wide, whilst at the other end, Purdie twice dealt with Howard Newton corners. Tomlinson made the pas of the match, 50 yards across field to open up the left where Hodges turned the ball in to Ball, who hit his shot wide. A Hodges corner found Styles who was tackled by Jake Newton, and then came the turning point, when Urchins were denied a chance to get back into the game. Ball, who had constantly worried the Staines defence, appeared to be struck by keeper Brooks-Meade as they both went for a high ball. The referee appeared to have seen the incident, but chose instead to run across field to speak to a poorly positioned linesman. After a long discussion the keeper was booked and no further action was taken, when the only possible decision was a red card and a penalty.

A minute later Kersey was booked for what seemed to be a very late tackle which prevented a possible goal, and the referee decided on only a yellow card, and from the free kick, a loud appeal for a penalty seemed to be successful when the linesman clearly signalled a penalty, but the was over ruled by the referee, and from then on there was never going to be any doubt about the result. Howard Newton and Davis Haule combined well, and Des Boateng tackled, to set up an Urchins attack, which saw Green play the ball to Wall who earned a corner. Tomlinson’s kick was held by Brooks-Meade, and this proved to be the final move as the whistle then went for full time.