Fa Trophy Semi Final Draw

The Urchins marched into the semi-final of the FA Trophy following a superb performance against National North side Darlington. Liam Nash and Sam Higgins were on target for the Urchins in a fantastic 2-1 win.

Saturday 27-February-2021 – F.A. Trophy

DARLINGTON 1 HORNCHURCH 2

HFC – Wright, Brown, Sutton, Muldoon, Hayles, Spence ©, Clark, Higgins (Stimson 82), Nash, Winn (Cooper HT), Ruff (Dixon 67)
Unused Subs – Bentley, Hassan, Cummings, Thackway

DFC – Brynn, Liddle, Wheatley (Reid 73), Hunt (Holness 82), Hedley, Hatfield, Maguire, Campbell, Rivers, Storey, Sousa
Unused Subs – Saltmer, Watson, Hudson, McMahon, Atkinson

Officials

Scorers – Nash 27 (H) – Sousa 45+2 (D) – Higgins 54p (H)

Bookings – Winn 28 (H) – Wheatley 30 (D) – Brynn 53 (D) – Ruff 64 (H) – Hatfield 77 (D) – Hatfield 84 (D) OFF (second yellow)

Duration 50.00 + 50.00

The match, played in bright sunshine, began at a frantic pace, with both sides creating chances. Hornchurch took the lead through Liam Nash, who converted a Remi Sutton cross, and Darlington drew level in first half stoppage time through Erico Sousa. In a tense second half, Hornchurch regained the lead through a Sam Higgins penalty, and withstood severe Darlington pressure, though Hornchurch always looked capable of increasing their lead with a series of counter attacks, and deservedly marched on into the semi-finals.

Darlington started strongly, with Sousa twice firing wide of the target in the opening three minutes, with Hornchurch quickly regaining their composure and almost opening the scoring when Higgins broke through, only to direct his shot past Sol Brynn in the home goal but wide of the far post.

Hornchurch now looked the more dangerous, and again went close when Ellis Brown made ground on the right, cut inside, outpaced two defenders, only to send his shot too high and over – but the warning signs were apparent.

Darlington came back, with an unmarked Adam Campbell missing a good chance, and Hornchurch again threatened, with Sol Brynn making an excellent save from Liam Nash.

Dan Maguire missed a good opportunity, when he tried to chip the ball over Joe Wright, only to send the shot high over the bar, and back at the other end Remi Sutton made ground on the left, exchanged passes with Sam Higgins, turned inside, and squared the ball for Liam Nash to neatly sidefoot home. 0-1.

With the game becoming increasingly physical, both sides exchanged yellow cards, Ronnie Winn for Hornchurch and Joe Wheatley for Darlington less than a minute later.

The last fifteen minutes of the half saw Darlington pressing forward, and Campbell sent a shot wide, whilst Wright made an excellent save from Maguire to preserve the lead. There was a lengthy stoppage due to a head injury to Michael Liddle, who eventually resumed wearing a head bandage, and in the third minute of injury time Darlington drew level through a fine shot by Erico Sousa. 1-1.

Half Time – Darlington 1 Hornchurch 1

Nathan Cooper replaced Ronnie Winn at the interval, and Darlington began to apply heavy pressure, though Joe Wright was rarely troubled, and Hornchurch regained the lead when Liam Nash was through on goal, only to be brought down by Sol Brynn, who was shown a yellow card, and perhaps a trifle relived that the card was not a darker shade of red. Sam Higgins stepped up to take the penalty, firing to the right of the keeper and into the net. 1-2.

Darlington swarmed forward but came up against a solid wall of red, though on the hour there was a massive scramble in the visiting six yard box, which ended with Wheatley shooting past the diving Wright and also wide of the post.

Charlie Ruff was shown a yellow card for a foul in midfield, and manager Mark Stimson sent on Chris Dickson for the non-stop Ruff. With Hornchurch defending solidly Wright saved from Wheatley, whilst at the other end Dickson sent a good cross over from the left, just a fraction ahead of Higgins, and Brown on the right sent a fine pass through to Nash, who was crowded out.

Ollie Muldoon and Nathan Cooper both defended well as Darlington came forward en masse, but Hornchurch almost went further ahead when a long ball from Cooper found Nash, with Brynn saving well.

With time ticking on, albeit seemingly at a snail's pace, Wright made another fine save from Sousa, who always looked dangerous, but a long cross field ball by Higgins sent Dickson away on the left. He cut inside but sent his shot a fraction too high and over.

As Darlington grew increasingly desperate, Will Hatfield was shown a yellow card, and two changes followed – Sean Reid replaced Joe Wheatley, and a few minutes later Omar Holness replaced Nicky Hunt.

Seven minutes remaining, and Charlie Stimson came on for Sam Higgins, much to the relief of the home defence who had had difficulty in containing him, and Stimson was quickly involved, but as a defender, winning a free kick. Darlington were left a player short when Will Hatfield, possibly a little harshly. was shown a second yellow card, immediately followed by a red. And to all intents and purposes Hornchurch were getting ever closer to a place in the semi-finals. Darlington continued to come forward, but, despite winning several corners, they could not penetrate the Urchins' defence, and they looked increasingly vulnerable at the back.

Hornchurch withstood the predictable home onslaught in the five minutes added on, to reach the semi-final stage for the first time in their 98 year history. An incredible all round team performance, with Sam Higgins outstanding.

FULL TIME – DARLINGTON 1 HORNCHURCH 2