Ambermonium!

At the start of the campaign, when we asked our supporters who they expected to be promoted, they plumped for a two-way fight between Worthing and Hornchurch. It was unsurprising, really; Worthing had been robbed of promotion by the pandemic, and the Urchins had just won the FA Trophy at Wembley. Well, we didn’t really get that head to head, but it came as no surprise that Hornchurch ran out today as favourites to join the Mackerel Men in the National League South next season.

The fact that they were playing Cheshunt for the right for promotion was rather more of a surprise. Our supporters expected the Ambers to be firmly in mid table, but what a campaign they have had. Not only did they climb from a mid table place to grab the final play off spot by four points, but they also had a magnificent run in the FA Trophy; indeed they were our very best chance of retaining the old tin pot for the Pitching In Isthmian League, galloping all the way to the last sixteen before losing narrowly to Semi-Finalists and possible National League Champions Stockport County, after defeating the likes of St Albans City and Chelmsford City on the way.

Coming into this match as underdogs undoubtedly suited Craig Edwards’ men. After all, they’d been underdogs for most of the season, yet have defeated Worthing, second place Bishop’s Stortford (three times), Folkestone Invicta, Enfield Town- and the Urchins, back at Bridge Avenue in October. They travelled with nothing to fear- and with good reason. Could they take that extra step? We were about to find out.

The early arrivals amongst both sets of supporters were confident, although there was also a fair amount of caution. Three Urchins fans who had been accompanied to the game by a large bunch of red balloons (no, there weren’t 99 of them, and they look nothing like Nena, although one of the trio did make a passing remark to needing some German players in case of penalties) had been impressed with their own side but were very positive about the opposition, whilst the Ambers fans had, as one (who declined to be photographed) put it “seen our side beat bigger and better, so we’re used to not being the favourites and it normally works out well.” Peter, who was wearing a Dunfermline Athletic shirt because “they are my favourite Scottish team and I always wear it to watch Hornchurch,” was also optimistic whilst speaking highly of the opposition.

Forty five minutes before kick off, with the ground filling up, a Cheshunt drummer and a man waving a plastic seagull were amongst the massed ranks of away fans arriving, probably from the bar or the pub. They seemed very happy, and on the pitch in front of them their players, warming up, were similarly content, if the laughter coming from their direction was a good indicator. Boss Craig Edwards might resemble Doctor Robotnik (it’s the moustache) but he seems to have created a joyous empire rather than an evil one. That said, there was a suspiciously short number of blue hedgehogs in the vicinity, which surely can’t be a coincidence.

Hornchurch boss Mark Stimson and his charges seemed more stoic. It might have been focus, it might have been the fact that they are rather more used to pressure, but their pre-game drills seemed to be taken very seriously by all, from start to finish. There was also the possibility of pre-game nerves; after all, as the hosts and the favourites, most of the pressure was on their shoulders.

The players finally emerged into weak sunshine at three minutes to three, whilst Cheshunt’s mascot, Roary the Lion, danced up and down the touchline waving a black and amber flag, as the Urchins faithful expressed doubts as to his parentage-a little risky given his parents are likely to be, well, lions. The match was a sell out, and both sets of fans quickly made themselves heard.

The visitors got us underway, three minutes late, and immediately went on the attack. A long throw from Zack Newton saw one shot blocked and then another, before a corner was the outcome. The Urchins weathered that early storm, but immediately had three more Newton throws to deal with before they could finally clear the ball. Three minutes had gone by before they got out of their own half, but they did create the first real chance of the game after six, Liam Nash setting up Jordan Clark to fire wildly over the bar.

Amadou Kassarate was first into the book, a crunching tackle on Mickey Parcell giving the latter the chance to fire the ball into the opposition box, and there was a moment of panic before it was cleared; but the opening stages were characterised by nerves, unsurprisingly. There was a lack of fluidity and many, many mistakes as possession changed hands- feet- repeatedly.

We waited to find out who would settle first.

It was Cheshunt.

Rowan Liburd had the next chance, almost-but-not-quite outpacing the home defence before firing wide. Ronnie Winn then followed Kassarate into the book for a foul on Joe Re, but again, the free kick was cleared without much trouble and came to naught. “Red Army,’ sung the, er, Red Army, whilst the Amber drum banged rhythmically without any real accompaniment, both sides trying to raise their players, whilst Winn was late into another challenge, this time on Enock Ekongo, and was walking a tightrope- to the extent that the home fans in the largest stand were discussing his replacement. This free kick was costly, lofted into the box, and Kassarate jumped highest to head home before running the length of the pitch to celebrate. One-nil to the Amber boys- and Winn was substituted, Remi Sutton coming on, with only twenty one minutes on the clock.

The Ambers didn’t rest on their laurels, and a shot from Jamie Reynolds forced a diving save from Joe Wright and earned them another corner, followed by another long Newton throw, and another, followed by another corner as the Ambers launched the ball into the box again and again. Then a long throw from Wright set the Urchins away, and they earned a corner of their own, but it fell beautifully for Preston Edwards to hold. Back at the other end, and a shot from Mo Camara was deflected for another corner, but the Urchins didn’t break for a second time.

Another free kick saw a header from Adam Crowther cleared just in front of the post, and we moved past the half hour mark with the visitors in command. Almost every corner, throw or free kick into the box had found an Amber head. Boss Edwards must have been delighted at how well his charges were executing his game plan.

Rather against the run of play, the Urchins drew level on thirty five minutes. The finish was emphatic, Joe Christou hammering home from just inside the box and waking the home fans. They hadn’t really deserved it, but there were very few complaining, and it filled the side in red with confidence, to the extent that they began to take some semblance of control for the first time. And then, disaster for the Urchins. Zack Newton ran with the ball, into the box, two players at his shoulders. Down he went, and the referee pointed at the spot, to the disgust of the home faithful. Liburd stepped up, Wright dived to his right- saved! The roar of relief could have been heard from space. Half time arrived, to general approval. The ref’s approval rating in the main stand, however, was rather less positive!

The visitors started the second half rather how they’d started the first, generally on top, but again the game was scrappy, with neither side managing a sustained spell of possession. Ten minutes into the half a promising Urchins move ended with Ogunwamide seemingly felled on the edge of the box, but the ref waved play on to the disgust of most of those present. It was the catalyst for the Urchins best spell of the game so far, a shot over the bar from Nash and a period of pressure. We still reached the hour mark with no further goals, however, but we almost had one a minute later, Nash outpacing McLean but the defender able to exert enough pressure to make the shot indecisive. The same player made a last ditch tackle on Nash a moment later, as a tap in awaited.

The Urchins made a second change, and it was an attacking one, replacing the hard running Tobi Joseph with the guile of Sam Higgins. And then, almost immediately, Cheshunt restored their lead- and it was a beauty. Newton got the ball on the left, cut in, shrugged off a challenge, steadied, and even though it looked like he had little space to shoot through, found a gap and a beautiful finish into the top corner. Wright, who had been imperious all game, had no chance whatsoever. Every player and a lion joined in the celebration, and it was a goal that deserved celebrating.

The Urchins had twenty five minutes to respond, for a second time. Muldoon fired over, and the crowd yelled “come on Hornchurch,” but just once, flat, despondent. Could their side rouse their fans- and themselves?

They tried. A free kick caused consternation in the Ambers box, and a cross shot from Ogunwamide just needed a touch but didn’t get one. They were getting more luck when the balls into the box were low, as anything in the air tended to be cleared up by the big men at the back, but despite that more balls were lofted than placed and the outcome was predictable. When they did keep it on the floor Christou had a shot from the centre which was blocked by a fine defensive challenge, but the next ball was high again and curled harmlessly out of play. Parcell came off, Ellis Brown came on, and it looked like a last throw of the dice. We had nine minutes left, and then it was seven, and the hosts won a corner. The ball bounced around just in front of the goal line, came out to Nash, and the shot cleared the bar. And then there was five.

Another free kick to the Urchins, this one just in from the left touchline. Again it was headed clear by Crowther, immense at the back, with everyone back for the Ambers. Another long red ball, a defender gets there first, shouts of handball (it was a shoulder), cleared. A header from Bertram-Cooper, easily held. And then there was one, and then another five, added by the referee. A corner to the hosts, everyone up, header from Hayles, cleared off the line! Another header, over the bar.

Another attack, another cross, ball into Edwards arms, and then we had two added minutes left. Then one, and a foul on Newton bought the Ambers some time. A clearance, more pressure, the ball in the Ambers net- and the referee had already blown for a foul.

And then, Ambermonium! Many Cheshunt players collapsed to the floor, exhausted, but they had done it- and they deserved it, too.

See you all next season!

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