Report by Tom Wardle

A dominant display from AFC Hornchurch meant the visitors to Trafford park claimed a very well earned 3 points. A stunning Hat trick from George Purcell and a header from David Knight gave Hornchurch a delightful trip back home.

The Wroxham team saw a lot of changes from the team that started against Dereham on Tuesday night. Elliot pride remained in goal, but Jackson Ramm, Stephen Taylor and Ollie Ebbage all made way for Charlie Norman who dropped into right back, Danny Rust who was substitute against Dereham and Ebbage was replaced by new signing Lewis Sturman making his first start in the blue of the Yachtsmen. Seamus Kelleher filled in the left midfield spot, but other than that the rest of the team stayed the same. Matty Waters, Bradley Spooner and Tom Rampling were all listed on the bench. Nathan Stone was originally put down to play, but due to an injury in the warm up jack Guyton replaced him.

The yachtsmen started the game well, looking comfortable on the ball. With just over 3 minutes gone Jamie Forshaw’s long distance effort failed to trouble Sam Mott in the Hornchurch goal and was blasted high and wide. Then the ball fell nicely for Jordan king whose volley 35 yards out was pulled wide of the left hand post. However in the 9th minute against the run of play, Charlie Norman’s Lewis Sturman went up for a header, they both missed the ball which then saw George Purcell take the ball past the keeper and slot home to give the visitors the lead.

Wroxham then had a few very good spells of pressure, the first coming when some magnificent passing between Jack Guyton and Jordan king saw the ball run out for a throw in, then only 2 minutes later when a long pass from Jordan king again ran on and out for a goal kick this time. With 34 minutes gone, neither teams really looked like scoring, however a magnificent tackle from Lewis Sturman stopped the visitors in the tracks on the counter attack, but only a minute later a mix up in defence meant there was an empty Wroxham goal, which saw a cross from George Purcell met by the head of David Knight to earn a two goal cushion.

With 40 minutes gone, the yachtsmen looked like a shadow of the team that faced Dereham town on Tuesday night. Jordan King’s long shot again gets pulled wide. But with a minute to go before half time, George Purcell used some fantastic skill on the edge of the Wroxham penalty area to find space and smash the ball into the top right hand corner, to sink the poor Wroxham at half time.

Straight after the start of the second hold, David Hinton’s run into the attacking half saw a shot blast past the top left hand corner and go out for a goal kick. The yachtsmen then had a very good chance to get a goal back and to start an unlikely but possible come back. A weaving run from Seamus Kelleher wide left saw a very well placed cross into the six yard box get cleared before Danny Beaumont could pounce on it. Hornchurch then had a very good chance to add another goal to their 3 goal margin, after a free kick from George Purcell was curled wide of the left hand post. However after 66 minutes gone, George Purcell made up for his earlier free kick miss, as the inform forward smashed another free kick into the top left hand corner of the net to give Elliot Pride no chance and to end any possible come back for the home side.

The 75th minute saw the introduction of Matty waters, who came on for Seamus Kelleher, who seemed to be the Yachtsmen’s only bright spark in the game. AFC Hornchurch substitute Leon Smith found himself very nearly adding a fifth goal if it weren’t for the safe hands of Elliot Pride. Wroxham then made their final two substitutes with 10 minutes to go, bringing on youngsters Tom Rampling and Bradley Spooner, who came on for David Hinton and Jack Guyton. The closing stages of the game saw a fantastic through ball met by Danny Beaumont who hesitated his shot as the ball went out for a corner.

Overall, Wroxham had some very key players missing, especially in the defensive areas. The team also missed Nathan Stone who can be a very good game changer. But after a very good team performance against local rivals Dereham mid-week there was hope of at least getting a point, but AFC Hornchurch’s position in the league doesn’t lie as they capitalised the weaker areas of the Wroxham team, and there was no stopping a magnificent performance from George Purcell who bossed about the home sides defence.