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Hornchurch 0, Posh 1 - Keeper error hands Posh victory
I'D love to say this was a rip-roaring FA Cup tie in which the plucky underdogs had glory pinched from their grasp in a thrilling finale.
I'D love to say this was a rip-roaring FA Cup tie in which the plucky underdogs had glory pinched from their grasp in a thrilling finale.But I'd be lying so blatantly a career in politics would soon be beckoning. This was a truly terrible way to spend a Sunday afternoon saved only by a 90th minute goal for Posh substitute Craig Mackail-Smith which ensured we wouldn't have to go through it all again.
Those who twitter on about the romance of the FA Cup should be forced to sit through matches like this. This was about as romantic as those documentaries on Peter and Jordan.
A pitch with more undulations than a badly ploughed field and a wind so strong it's amazing that Dominic Green and Dean Keates weren't blown all the way to London didn't help. Nor did a referee with a Poll-like dedication to the limelight or a non-league side who not only dressed like Stoke, they played with the same game-spoiling intensity.
Not that Hornchurch should be criticised too harshly for their approach. Playing 11 men behind the ball was a tactic that almost brought them a shock victory and should certainly have delivered a creditable draw.
That it didn't do either was down to the respective goalkeepers. Joe Lewis, who should have been frozen through inactivity in the second-half, made a brilliant save to keep out home striker Dean Green's piledriver 12 minutes from time, but at the other end Dale Brightly made such a mess of George Boyd's weak shot, the ball spilled from his grasp straight to the grateful Mackail-Smith.
And to be honest a mistake of blooper video potential had looked like the only way a goal would come. Posh had the lion's share of possession, but they failed to adapt to either the conditions or the opposition tactics.
Mackail-Smith had started on the substitutes' bench as manager Darren Ferguson used an easy-looking fixture to give run-outs to under-employed wingers Sergio Torres and Green. Alongside him on the bench were two youth team players and a left-back so anonymous of late he probably had to show ID before boarding the team bus, but transfer-listed club captain Micah Hyde was intriguingly nowhere to be seen, unless he was in the Peter Burrow costume.
Leaving the top scorer out turned into a big gamble as Boyd spent more time falling over than showcasing the talents that have made him League One's brightest star. Aaron Mclean is currently far from his best and neither were well served from the flanks, midfield or from the back.
Posh, for the third match in succession, were poor and yet they have gleaned two wins and a draw from those matches. As consolation prizes go that's a pretty big one, but improvement will be needed when the standard of opposition improves.
Hornchurch defended superbly, throwing themselves into blocks when necessary – captain Jon Purdie's sliding save as substitute Shaun Batt appeared ready to open the scoring was the pick – and generally bossing the aerial duels.
But they were primitive when in possession themselves and long, high balls will never unduly trouble Gaby Zakuani or Craig Morgan at the heart of the Posh defence. As a result the ball spent long periods inside the home half before being lumped onto the surrounding running track.
The Posh corner count ran into double figures, but the delivery was generally awful so chances remained at a premium all game.
The Posh Green, in the second minute, and Russell Martin, eight minutes before the break, did force Brightly to save well from direct free-kicks, but no other threat materialised in the first-half until Torres flicked Martin's low cross just past an upright.
The home side had the strong wind at their backs in the first-half, but their forward hoofs were usually too powerful to cause a problem. Their Green wasted their best opportunity on 18 minutes when handling before tapping into an empty net.
Green also planted a firm header just over the bar on the hour which prompted the arrival of Mackail-Smith and Batt, a decision that did galvanise Posh into action.
The former almost scored immediately when pouncing on Mclean's headed flick, but Brightly saved and Boyd volleyed the rebound carelessly wide. Mackail-Smith also failed to convert Batt's accurate cross at the near post just a couple of minutes before he finally broke Hornchurch resistance.
The excessive celebrations that followed were borne out of sheer relief rather than total satisfaction, on the pitch as well in the press box.
Next page: Match stats and player ratingsMatch stats and player ratings:
Hornchurch 0, Posh 1
Goals:
Posh – Mackail-Smith (90 mins).
Yellow cards:
Hornchurch – Green (foul), Styles (foul).
Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire) 5.
Attendance: 3,000 (1,000 Posh).
Posh player ratings:
Joe Lewis
Great save late on may well have kept Posh in the Cup - 7
Russell Martin
An off day with his set-pieces, not as tidy in possession as normal - 5
Craig Morgan
No problems defensively against negative opposition - 6
Gaby Zakuani - Star player
Excellent as usual, snuffed out most attacks - 8
Tommy Williams
Occasionally caught in possession, but solid enough - 6
Sergio Torres
Only occasionally a threat on his comeback - 6
Paul Coutts
Looked as though he didn't enjoy it, gave the ball away too often - 5
Dean Keates
Understandably rusty after lengthy absence - 5
Dominic Green
Came close from early free-kick, but struggled after that - 5
George Boyd
Rarely seen him so ineffective, little went right for him until the last minute - 5
Aaron Mclean
Poorly served by team-mates, so never a goal threat - 5
Substitutes:
Craig Mackail-Smith: (for Torres, 60 mins).
Shaun Batt: (for Green, 60 mins).
Not used: James McKeown, Lewis Webb,
Sam Gaughran, Chris Westwood,
Danny Blanchett
HORNCHURCH RATINGS
Dale Brightly 6
Donny Barnard 7
Lee Brown 6
John Purdie 8
Mark Goodfellow 8
Andy Tomlinson 6
Frankie Curley 6
Mark Janney 6
Kris Lee 5
Dean Green 6
Elliot Styles 5
Subs
Simon Parker: (for Lee, 63 mins).
Jim McFarlane: (for Brown, 63 mins).
Lee Hodges: (for Purdie, 89 mins).
Billy Coyne: (not used).
Ross Wall: (not used).
Mitchell Stuart-Evans: (not used).
Michael Bowditch: (not used).
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