Ryman Premier
AFC Hornchurch 1 v 1 East Thurrock United
NEIGHBOURS and local rivals Hornchurch and East Thurrock fought out another evenly-matched battle in a Ryman Premier derby that was in many ways a damp squib.
Highspots in a low key encounter were few and far between though home fans took great delight in mocking former hero and Urchins icon Lewis Smith when he was sent off on the hour.
Visiting fans were less impressed by the decision of young ref Matt Foley to dish out a second caution to the Rocks player but on balance there was some justification in the decision, even if it showed a lack of consistency from the referee, who appeared a little nonplussed himself by his actions.
Hornchurch went into the game without a home win on their CV and manager Jim Macfarlane strengthened his team with Colchester loanee Billy Roast who went on to have an impressive debut at centre-half.
Both sides probed for weaknesses through a tentative opening ten minutes, with Roast showing his skills by twice checking the threat of Rocks’ top scorer Sam Higgins, and then Hornchurch took the lead when Martin Tuohy’s flicked header was palmed by Rocks’ keeper David Hughes into the path of George Purcell and the striker accepted the gift by stroking the ball into the net.
Hughes made amends soon after with a decent save to deny Purcell and the scores were levelled on 35 minutes when a spell of Rocks pressure saw Higgins burst through the centre after Smith teased the home defence and though the ball slipped out of his control, teammate David Bryant pounced to slot a close range shot past Sam Mott,
The scores were level going into the break and the first ten minutes of the second half saw Rocks shade possession without creating a clear cut opening. One threatening move by the visitors on 55 minutes was broken up by Mr Foley’s whistle, with Rocks’ Reece Harris poised to shoot. The referee then cautioned Smith and Urchins skipper Eliott Styles for getting involved in a wrestling match and, bizarrely, restarted play with a drop ball.
It was a strange intervention by the ref and one that was to prove significant ten minutes later when Hornchurch’s Billy Coyne went down under challenge from Smith. The challenge produced a second caution for Smith, who left the field to a tirade of abuse.
The dismissal ignited what had been a rather dull game and both sides appeared to add a bit of passion to their play.
Rocks certainly didn’t go into defensive mode and produced a number of forays forward, with Mitchell Gilbey firing straight down the throat of Mott and Higgins seeing a couple of half chances blocked.
The introduction of sub Chris Bourne, who spent part of last season at East Thurrock, added a directness to Hornchurch’s play through the closing stages and they enjoyed a threatening spell, if unable to force a save from Hughes. A number of corners were won by the home side, but repelled by Rocks and in the end honours were once again even between these old rivals.
