Luke Moore’s cool strike earns the Fleet a draw at AFC Hornchurch as Liam Daish’s side maintained their pre-season preparations.
AFC HORNCHURCH 1-1 EBBSFLEET UNITED
The Fleet extended
their unbeaten pre-season run to five games on Saturday afternoon after
an active workout against newly promoted Ryman Premier side AFC
Hornchurch, whose starting 11 featured ex-Fleet youngster Danny Glozier.
The
Fleet?s starting XI included eight changes from the side which beat
Whitstable, with a debut appearance for new signing Gary MacDonald.
The
opening exchanges provided the Urchins with two good chances, the first
for Michael Brothers, and then one for Harry Elmes, both of whom were
denied by clearances from McCarthy.
The Fleet were creating
plenty of chances too, Barrett having a shot tipped away for a corner
by Dale Brightly. From the resulting corner, Glozier cleared away
McCarthy?s goalbound header, while De Bolla also went close with a
rasping shot.
Hornchurch took the lead with 28 minutes on the
clock. Kris Lee picked up a pass from midfield, and after passing
Opinel and Hawkins, slotted the ball home past Mott.
The Fleet
continued to create chances, and four minutes before the break, were
back on level terms. Stacy Long picked up the ball in the middle of
midfield, and after a mazy run deep into the Hornchurch half, laid the
ball off to Moore out on the left. He cut inside and fired a low shot
past Brightly into the bottom corner.
During the second half,
both sides had good chances to regain the lead, but the period was
littered with substitutions, six apiece for each side. Chukki Eribenne
could have scored twice in the closing minutes, but sent both his
efforts wide. The only other talking point was Amos Foyewa’s flare-up
with Opinel after the players clashed inside the Urchins half, and
Urchins goalscorer Lee had to be calmed as he attempted to provoke the
incident.
Team: Mott, Hawkins, McCarthy, MacDonald, Ricketts, Opinel, Long, De Bolla, Barrett, Nade, Eribenne.
* Report by Rachel Willett
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