HORNCHURCH 1 SUTTON UTD 0

Hornchurch were without Jo Flack, who still has a slight hamstring strain, so it was the same starting line up as at Dartford last week. Billy Coyne almost started where he left off last week, when he moved upfield, cut in from the right and fired in a 30 yard shot, but this time the ball skimmed the far post, having eluded the diving Kevin Scriven. Sutton quickly got into their stride when Pouton’s goal bound free kick which was blocked by Mark Goodfellow, and Jamie Dormer completed the clearance. Jonathan Hunt was then dispossessed in midfield and this allowed Sam Gargan a straight run at goal. Darren Behcet came off his line to make an excellent save and Goodfellow was first to the rebound to clear the danger.

Mark Janney was looking a threat whenever he got the ball and when he played a long pass through to Michael Spencer, again playing in midfield, the ball was then slotted on to Wayne Gray whose cross was just a fraction too high for Mark Janney to reach. When Sonny Cobbs was booked for a foul, the resulting free kick, taken by Hunt, cannoned back off the wall to Hunt, whose follow up shot beat the defence but just curled wide of the post. A corner from Hunt dropped invitingly in front of Janney, and his shot was blocked and eventually scrambled off the line. Dormer followed up at speed and hammered his shot just inches wide as Urchins began to pile on the pressure.

Sutton almost found a way through when a short free kick by McKimm to Steve Perkins saw Perkins play the ball through to Charlie Taylor, who had played for Urchins under Garry Hill. Taylor raced goalwards but Darren Behcet came out of goal to gather the ball on the edge of the area. Jason Goodliffe conceded a free kick for a mistimed tackle on Janney, and just as everyone was expecting Hunt to take the kick, Dormer stepped up to fire the ball hard into the wall.

Half time and the discussion centred on the incredible Billy Coyne goal last week, so unfairly described in the press. A thirty yard left footed drive from the right wing which simply crashed into the net. Was it the goal of the season? Certainly it rivalled Darren Caskey’s goal against Gravesend and Vinnie John’s against Tranmere, and for many it was unlikely to be bettered.

Second half and the drizzle began to get heavier. A corner by Norwood looked dangerous but the whistle went for a foul on Dormer. Then Janney made a good run on the right to win a corner. Hunt curled the ball over, Elliot Styles headed down to Duane Jackman to quickly flicked it into the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for an infringement which was spotted only by the five Sutton supporters at the other end of the ground. This injustice was almost resolved a minute later when Jackman eluded Billy Hawes and made a long run on the left, and his centre found Wayne Gray, whose header skimmed the crossbar. Wayne Gray then moved out to the wing to take a Styles clearance and his cross deflected off Alan Bray for a corner. Hunt took the kick and played the ball short to Dormer, whose centre was scrambled off the line.

Alan Pouton was booked for a foul and was immediately substituted, and was perhaps fortunate to escape a further booking and red card as he left the field, making what appeared to be a series of hand gestures in the direction of the knowledgeable East Side. Goodfellow headed away a Norwood corner, and Billy Coyne was then in the right place to clear a hard hit free kick off the line. Sam Gargan almost found the net when Behcet could not hold his hard shot, but Darren recovered quickly to grab the loose ball.

And then came the only goal of the match. It started when Michael Spencer raced from the half way line and was going for goal when he was brought down by Billy Hawes. With the East Side calling for the red card, they had to settle for a yellow instead. Jonathan Hunt sent in a vicious free kick which was blocked by the wall and then scrambled upfield, where Michael Spencer regained possession just inside his own half, and Michael made ground and slid the ball forward to WAYNE GRAY, who weaved his way forward, until he appeared to be crowded out, but Michael Spencer moved to the left and drew two defenders out of position and Wayne sent in an unstoppable shot from outside the area, and the ball crashed into the net via the underside of the bar, for what must surely be the goal of the season and possibly the best goal ever at the Bridge. The East Side reacted in near hysteria, whilst the five visiting supporters stood in complete amazement.

Urchins could have had a second when Billy Coyne found Wayne Gray with a long cross, but Wayne’s shot was scrambled off the line. A Norwood corner was headed away by Goodfellow, and Ben Boyce came on for Wayne Gray. Another Norwood corner was cleared by Styles and then Ronnie Fletcher came on for Mark Janney. Ben Boyce opened up the away defence with a neat lobbed shot which floated just wide of the goal, and then Sutton introduced Steve Watts, whose presence had an immediate impact, as Sutton surged forward. Six minutes were added on for stoppages, and Steve Watts almost scored with a hard free kick ten yards outside the area, only for Darren Behcet to fling himself sideways to turn the ball around the post. Norwood took the corner and Fletcher deflected the ball out for another corner. Norwood again, and this time Behcet caught the ball as it swerved goalwards.

All over, three points, goal of the season, no bookings, everyone happy.