SOUTH: Urchins reach summit of Conference South

Redbridge 0
Hornchurch 1 (Purser, 22)

Hornchurch went top of the Nationwide Conference South with a narrow 1-0 victory against Essex rivals Redbridge at the Oakside.

Garry Hill had two enforced changes to the side that thrashed Basingstoke Town at the weekend. Adie Harris came in for Shaun Carey (ligament damage) and Ashley Baynes replaced Mark Westhead (broken wrist) in the Urchins goal.

The Motormen also had two changes from the team that started their 2-1 away win at Welling United, Chris Perkins replaced Ben Lewis, and Craig Edwards handed a debut to left back Liam Francis in place of striker Jay Murray.

Hot shots Hornchurch looked to carry on where they had left off at the weekend by causing the Redbridge defence many problems early on.

In the 8th minute Lee Elam should have tested Alex O'Reilly but could only shoot over the bar after a neat ball from Kirk Jackson.

Five minutes later a diagonal ball deep into the Redbridge penalty area from Scott Gooding was headed across goal by Elam for Wayne Purser, who forced an excellent save from O'Reilly at close range.

Elam and Simon Wormull were causing some problems and both came close to providing Purser with an opening goal. In the 19th minute Wormull's reverse ball caught out the Redbridge defence but Purser could only shoot wide of O'Reilly's right hand post when well placed, and Elam's through ball only failed to be turned into a shot on goal after some last ditch defending from Kevin Stephens and Chris Perkins who cleared the danger.

The Urchins finally hit the net in the 22nd minute. Redbridge midfielder Glenn Poole found himself unusually on the right hand side of the pitch and under pressure tried to feed the ball back to O'Reilly to clear upfield. Although the pass seemed to be well weighted, the lightening fast Purser latched onto it and managed to beat the keeper from an acute angle.

Former Spurs midfield man Darren Caskey also went close 3 minutes later after another Gooding cross from the right.

At the other end Poole nearly latched on to a Damon Searle back pass after 35 minutes but Bayes was quickly off his line to clear the danger.

A flick on by Jackson in the 36th minute found Purser whose shot took a deflection and went agonisingly wide of the Redbridge upright.

The last 5 minutes of the first half saw Redbridge create threats to the Hornchurch goal. Ellis Remy acrobatically volleyed over Bayes's goal after a long throw from Allan McLeod, and McLeod himself fired a volley straight at Bayes just before the referee blew for half time.

Redbridge started the second half as they finished the first with McLeod's blocked shot from the edge of the area eventually falling to Remy whose shot was defected wide.

The Urchins nearly doubled their lead in the 61st minute when another perfect delivery from Searle found the climbing Jackson who saw his header cannon off O'Reilly's right hand post.

Despite Hornchurch continuing to create chances the Motormen looked much more comfortable defensively in the second half with Halle and Perkins having the better of the aerial battle with Purser and Jackson, as well as full backs Stephens and Francis doing well to stifle the ever-present threats of the dangerous Wormull and Elam.

Midway through the second half a neat Urchin move involving Searle and Purser should have resulted in Jackson hitting the net, but Francis did well to put him off and cause a weak shot that O'Reilly comfortably saved.

Perhaps sniffing a point Craig Edwards introduced strikers Deji Davies and Jay Murray to the action however his side were unable to further test Bayes in the closing stages.

The 90th minute saw an excellent through ball from Harris find substitute Jan-Michel Sigere who was upended by the advancing O'Reilly. Redbridge conceded their third penalty of the season as referee Eamon Smith pointed to the spot and were relieved to see that he awarded O'Reilly only a yellow card as a Redbridge defender appeared to be the last man.

Caskey stepped up and saw his firmly struck penalty well saved by O'Reilly to his right.

Redbridge next entertain 7th placed Lewes on Saturday at the Oakside before another home game with 17th placed St Albans City.

Redbridge: O'Reilly, Stephens, Francis, Perkins, Halle, Lincoln, Fiddes, McLeod (c) (85mins off), Poole (66mins off), Remy. Subs: Lewis B, Bull, Murray (85mins on), Davies (66mins on), Lewis Y

Hornchurch: Baynes, Gooding, Searle, Stuart, Matthews (c), Harris, Wormull (82mins off), Caskey, Jackson, Purser, Elam (77mins off). Subs: West, Martin (77mins on), Clark, Sigere (82mins on), Stannard.

Officials: Referee: Mr E Smith Assistants: Mr A Phillips, Mr P Whitmore

Bookings: O'Reilly 90 mins

Attendance: 327

Match report supplied by Jeremy Hill