Urchins and Ambers deliver comeback shocks to clinch Final place

We should have learned not to write off Hornchurch and Cheshunt given their performances over the course of the season, but last night they left it so late that the fat lady was already at the microphone before they sealed their places in Bank Holiday Monday’s Pitching In Isthmian Premier Play Off Final.

The Urchins were at Enfield Town in front of a crowd of one thousand, nine hundred and forty eight, and fell behind six minutes before the break, Jeremiah Guebi with the goal. It was almost two soon afterwards, Sam Youngs hitting a post, and then the influential Tom Wraight had to be stretchered off. It didn’t look like it would be Hornchurch’s night.

Nine minutes after the restart, however, Liam Nash equalised for the visitors; but again they were quickly undone, Mo Faal restoring the Towners lead once more. And that looked like that, as we approached the final three minutes, until Sam Higgins, on from the bench, popped up to score a magnificent goal to equalise. So we were off to extra time, or so it appeared- however Nash had other ideas, and as the game became stretched the Urchins talisman grabbed his twenty fourth of the season right at the end, to send them into the Final- a final which they will host.

Image from Essex Footie.

Along the road in Bishop’s Stortford, the Blues took the lead against Cheshunt after nineteen minutes, Blues number fourteen Darren Foxley curling home an absolute beauty from distance. They were ahead for only twelve minutes before Rowan Liburd equalised from the spot, but just before the hour Billy Cracknell restored home advantage, finding the top corner.

Again the lead was short lived, indeed this time it lasted but two minutes, Joe Re’s long range effort taking a slight deflection to beat Jack Giddens in the home goal, and as we reached the end it looked as if we’d be off to extra time, but no! With everyone looking at their watch apart from the referee, Taylor McKenzie reached the ball at the back post and nodded home to send the delirious away support into dreamland.

The Final will be at Bridge Avenue on Monday, and it may well be a close run affair. Cheshunt won on their visit there in October, whilst the Urchins repeated the trick away from home earlier this month.