HORNCHURCH 0 MAIDSTONE 0
As you walked into the ground Snow White thrust a bucket at you and demanded money with menaces. Nette was in agony with a sprained back, and no visiting supporter was allowed in unless they bought a 50-50 ticket. Urchins were without John Purdie, Elliot Styles and Dave Sadler, thanks to the Ashford farce, whilst Simon Parker was still out with injury, as was Darren Behcet, with a strained gluteus maximus (according to Sir Gary), which brought Jason Willis back into the starting line up. Recently signed Joe Sweeney, from Aveley, and Steve Pashley, from East Thurrock, came into the squad, and Ludovic Quistin returned after injury. Michael Spencer made his home debut and Jim McFarland took over as captain.

It was bright and sunny, and Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground. It was also red balls day, and both teams quickly showed their dislike of the gimmick. After two red balls went sailing towards the river inside the first two minutes, Colin McBride stood on the touchline holding a nice yellow one, and after seven minutes the referee took the hint and the last red ball was booted away, to land securely in Sir Gary’s arms. From then on, yellow balls it was. Urchins began confidently, when Ludovic Quistin sent a good pass out to Ross Wall, who touched on to Dean Green, who raced into the penalty area and was tackled heavily, the referee ignoring the loud appeals for a penalty. Andy Tomlinson took the corner which was awarded and Mark Goodfellow headed over. This proved to be one of the few highlights on the first half, which was largely confined to midfield. Jim McFarlane headed a long throw out for a corner, which was cleared by Frank Curley.

Ross Wall took a pass from Michael Spencer and played the ball out wide to Mark Janney, who drew the defender before slipping the ball through to an overlapping Billy Coyne, only for Billy’s centre to drop behind the goal. A long pass out of defence by Spencer reached Dean Green to headed inside to Ross Wall. Ross turned and hammered his shot narrowly wide of the post. Maidstone offered no threat apart from a solo run by James Pinnock which was halted by a timely interception by Spencer, who hammered the ball out of the ground and in the general direction of Mr Freeman. Ross Wall did well to break through the middle, but was held back and Tomlinson’s free kick was over hit and sailed harmlessly out for a goal kick. The best move of the half came in stoppage time when Green, Quistin, Janney, Wall and Curley all combined to set up Billy Coyne, whose shot from 25 yards was well saved by Andy Walker.

Half time and Snow White went into hibernation, and was replaced by Annie, whilst Max tried to get rid of the £77 jackpot which nobody seemed to want to claim. Urchins started powerfully in the second half, when McFarlane headed over from Tomlinson’s corner, but then allowed Maidstone to gain control of the midfield. Jason Willis did well to hold a dipping free kick, and Nugent was awarded a disputed free kick shortly afterwards, which Bradbrook took and the ball cannoned off McFarlane for a corner. Bradbrook sent the corner over and Ludovic Quistin tackled well to concede another corner, which Bradbrook took, Nugent glanced the ball on and Frank Curley cleared for a further corner. Peacock floated the ball over and Quistin cleared. Maidstone forced the pace and were awarded another free kick, which did not please the EastSide. Bradbrook took the kick and found Pinnock whose hard shot was saved in style by Jason Willis, earning loud applause from the EastSide for some fine positioning in a packed area.

Nugent went close with a shot on the turn from the edge of the area, before Urchins began to regain control of the midfield. Peacock was fortunate to escape a yellow card with a tackle on Tomlinson, and the free kick was wasted as the ball drifted out of play. Kris Lee came on for Ludovic Quistin, and Dean Green dropped back. Jason Willis pumped a long ball up the field and visiting keeper Walker did well to win the race for the ball, with Ross Wall homing in rapidly. Curley cleared a Bradbrook corner, and Urchins quickly turned defence into attack, when Wall took up the running, before sending the ball inside to Janney who quickly flicked on to Kris Lee, but Hawkins got a foot to the ball to clear.

Maidstone came back and a shot from Bradbrook deflected off of McFarlane for a corner, which was played close toward goal. Nugent came in and his powerful header looked a certain goal, until Jason Willis, at full stretch, made a miraculous save to turn the ball around the post. With the applause still ringing around the ground, Willis then dealt with the inswinging corner, as Blackman moved in quickly.

Donny Barnard came on for Dean Green, and in stoppage time Urchins had a good chance to win the match when Wall and Lee opened up the Maidstone defence, and it took a good save from Walker to keep the ball out, with Hawkins completing the clearance.