URCHIN ACES FIND A LATE STING TO WIN IT
LEAGUE leaders Hornchurch took all three points, coming from behind with two goals in two minutes to stun in-form Hamlet.
After a slow start to the first half in which neither side gained the upper hand, the visitors took the lead on 39 minutes after some brilliant solo work down the left from Femi Akinwande. He smashed the ball against R’avan Constable and it deflected to the far post, where Ollie Muldoon was waiting to head home into an empty net from two yards.
Hornchurch’s advantage did not last long into the second half. On 53 minutes, Hamlet pulled themselves back into the game throught Luke Wanadio. Wanadio showed some brilliant skill on the left hand side before cutting in and curling his shot in off the far post.
The hosts had the momentum on their side and capitalised on their pressure. A great ball down the right released Craig Braham-Barrett, who cut the ball back to the penalty spot to Hamlet’s No. 9 Danny Mills, who placed the ball into the bottom left corner to restore Hamlet’s lead - and deservedly so.
Hamlet then looked to protect their one-goal lead rather than extend it, and were undone in two crazy minutes.
Hornchurch earned a corner on 80 minutes and sent it into the mixer. The ball was only partially cleared and fell to Sean Scannell on the far side of the box. Scannel’s half-volley into the top corner was brutal - so much so that it seemed to swing the momentum of the game in Hornchurch’s favour, and to unsettle Hamlet.
Hornchurch got another corner two minutes later. Into the mixer it went, this time to the near post, on to the onrushing head of second-half substitute Mauro Da Silva Vilhete, who steered it into the far corner. Urchins sting.
Hamlet were done and dusted even if they managed to apply a certain amount of pressure in the remaining ten minutes. There were crosses into the box but no clear chances.
Hornchurch are nine points clear at the top with games in hand, and, after this statement comeback win, will take a lot of stopping.