27.02.05 - Ladzio - Chiesa are Back and They're Cooking on Gas

La Chiesa Del Corno are back! Everyone's favourite Sunday Morning outfit rose from the ashes of two horrendous defeats to produce possibly their finest performance of the season, defeating league leaders Ladzio 5-3 in sub zero temperatures at temporary home 'The Leys'.

The omens were not good when the team arrived at meeting point The Chequers minus several key players. In the knowledge that they were without John Riley, Steve McCarthy, and Benny G, Chiesa were sweating on left back Terry Soteriou, influential midfielder Iain Gay, and irrepressible forward Adam Jeffers passing late fitness tests. All three failed, and with keeper Mark Harris courageously playing despite being only half fit and unable to kick, once more it was a patched up team that took the field against a Ladzio side unbeaten since early September. On the plus side, skipper Darren Hodsoll returned at right back, and last seasons top scorer Jonny Gray was back for only his second appearance of the season on the left of midfield.

Although one or two Ladzio players made derogatory remarks about the facilities at Ballards Road, the pitch was in reasonable condition, and Chiesa started the game brightly for a change. With a considerable wind behind them, the opening quarter of an hour was played almost exclusively in the Ladzio half, with Colin Williams testing the keeper from distance, and the gusty conditions making life uncomfortable for the Loughton outfit. It was against the run of play, then, when Ladzio took the lead on fifteen minutes. A free kick, dubiously awarded for handball againast Samuel Knowles, was not cleared properly, and Craig Glashan was on hand to volley straight through Harris. It was a harsh blow for Chiesa, but they responded almost immediately when Cy Taylor harried a mistake out of Ladzio's left back and his cross was fumbled into the path of Gray who tucked in the equaliser as if he'd never been away.

Chiesa again dominated for the next quarter of an hour, but fell behind once more just as they seemed destined to take the lead themselves. When Danny Trew unleashed a superb volley from the edge of the area it looked as though we maybe about to celebrate one of the goals of the season, but his shot crashed off the crossbar and rebounded almost thirty yards to the Ladzio right. Chiesa were looking for a foul on Colin Williams, but referee Harris waved play on, and another lightning attack from the visitors resulted in John Sapsford outpacing the home defence and finishing in style.

The Hornchurch Rossonieri could not believe it. Two one down despite playing their best football for some time and they were beginning to think it was not their day. Knowles talked his way into the referees notebook and it looked all over for LC/DC when another counter attack left the fleet footed Ladzio forwards bearing down on their goal, only to be denied by what must surely be the tackle of the season from Dennis Peck. The importance of that interception from stand in centre back Peck was underlined when Jonny Gray popped up again to lob Chiesa level in their next attack. One can only wonder where Chiesa might be in the table had Jonny been let off the leash by the missus more often this season...

Five minutes later and Chiesa finally took the lead. Gray found Trew with an audacious back heel and he in turn picked out the run of Knowles, who burst into the box and clipped the ball into the far corner past the despairing dive of the keeper. With howling wind, freezing snow and a rampant Rossonieri in their face, Ladzio were understandably keen for the half time whistle to blow, but before it could save them, Danny Trew made it four. The Chiesa midfield won the ball from a Ladzio goal kick, and DT was on hand to turn his marker and clip a shot over the keeper and just under the bar. A deseved goal for an impressive forty five minutes work from Chiesa's target man.

A two goal cushion at half time then, but LC/DC knew that the hard work was just about to begin. Ladzio had the wind now, and were bound to come at them with gusto in the second period. That said however, Peck and 'Hornchurch Hatchet' Warren Hardwick had begun to cope with the pace of Ladzio's forwards, and with advice from Director of Football Dave Knowles ringing in their ears, Chiesa were determined to hold on to their lead.

If the plan was to try and see out the first fifteen minutes without alarm, then it failed miserably. With their first attack of the half, Ladzio halved the advantage, awful marking from a free kick leaving Glashan free to crash home his second of the game from ten yards. With forty minutes still on the clock, it waould have taken a brave man to back the LC/DC to keep it at three goals against.

However, Chiesa began show a side of their character that had been lacking recently. Organization and discipline replaced the slackness and finger pointing of previous weeks, with skipper Hodsoll rallying the troops whenever concentration wavered. The defence were superb, dropping deep to limit the space for Ladzio forwards to run in, Knowles and Jordan sacrificed their attacking ambitions to shield the back four, Gray and Cy Taylor worked tirelessly on the wings, while Trew making holding the ball up look easy in less than favourable conditions. The Director of Football was giving constant encouragement from the technical area, and Colin Williams was playing almost as an American Football style kicker, regularly finding the Ladzio half with goal kicks and free kicks that he was taking due to Harris' inability to kick - what a sweet strkier of a ball he is! The hard work paid dividends when Matt Gillham latched on to a mis hit shot from Knowles fifteen minutes from time. Controlling the ball instantly, Maggsy dummied as if to shoot with his right foot before switching to his left and unleashing an unstoppable shot that flew into the roof of the net. Another classic goal from the Chiesa enigma.

Ladzio looked beat from then on, and Cy Taylor almost made it six before the end, only to be denied by a fine stop from the Ladzio keeper. In fairness to the visitors, the gale force wind that made it so difficult for them in the first half had dropped to a mere breeze in the second, making life easier for the home side. Still it was a magnificent effort from Chiesa, and restores belief that their promotion hopes are not dead and buried after all. The downside is we inadvertantly did the hated Hammers a favour by beating their Championship rivals, but rest assured, Chiesa will be giving their all in the two games that are looming against the Woodford Chavs.

LCDC; (4-4-2) Harris; Hodsell, Peck, W Hardwick, Williams; Taylor, Knowles, Jordan, Gray; Trew, M Gillham

Gols - Gray 2 Knowles Trew M Gillham

Tarjetas Amarilla - Knowles

Arbitro - B Harris


				*lachiesa.co.uk* 27.02.05 - Ladzio - Chiesa are Back and They're Cooking on Gas



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		Hornchurch Boys Too Hot For Loughton Ladz...writes Guillem Balague La Chiesa 5 vs Ladzio 3







		La Chiesa Del Corno are back! Everyone's favourite Sunday Morning outfit rose from the ashes of two horrendous defeats to produce possibly their finest performance of the season, defeating league leaders Ladzio 5-3 in sub zero temperatures at temporary home 'The Leys'. The omens were not good when the team arrived at meeting point The Chequers minus several key players. In the knowledge that they were without John Riley, Steve McCarthy, and Benny G, Chiesa were sweating on left back Terry Soteriou, influential midfielder Iain Gay, and irrepressible forward Adam Jeffers passing late fitness tests. All three failed, and with keeper Mark Harris courageously playing despite being only half fit and unable to kick, once more it was a patched up team that took the field against a Ladzio side unbeaten since early September. On the plus side, skipper Darren Hodsoll returned at right back, and last seasons top scorer Jonny Gray was back for only his second appearance of the season on the left of midfield. Although one or two Ladzio players made derogatory remarks about the facilities at Ballards Road, the pitch was in reasonable condition, and Chiesa started the game brightly for a change. With a considerable wind behind them, the opening quarter of an hour was played almost exclusively in the Ladzio half, with Colin Williams testing the keeper from distance, and the gusty conditions making life uncomfortable for the Loughton outfit. It was against the run of play, then, when Ladzio took the lead on fifteen minutes. A free kick, dubiously awarded for handball againast Samuel Knowles, was not cleared properly, and Craig Glashan was on hand to volley straight through Harris. It was a harsh blow for Chiesa, but they responded almost immediately when Cy Taylor harried a mistake out of Ladzio's left back and his cross was fumbled into the path of Gray who tucked in the equaliser as if he'd never been away. Chiesa again dominated for the next quarter of an hour, but fell behind once more just as they seemed destined to take the lead themselves. When Danny Trew unleashed a superb volley from the edge of the area it looked as though we maybe about to celebrate one of the goals of the season, but his shot crashed off the crossbar and rebounded almost thirty yards to the Ladzio right. Chiesa were looking for a foul on Colin Williams, but referee Harris waved play on, and another lightning attack from the visitors resulted in John Sapsford outpacing the home defence and finishing in style. The Hornchurch Rossonieri could not believe it. Two one down despite playing their best football for some time and they were beginning to think it was not their day. Knowles talked his way into the referees notebook and it looked all over for LC/DC when another counter attack left the fleet footed Ladzio forwards bearing down on their goal, only to be denied by what must surely be the tackle of the season from Dennis Peck. The importance of that interception from stand in centre back Peck was underlined when Jonny Gray popped up again to lob Chiesa level in their next attack. One can only wonder where Chiesa might be in the table had Jonny been let off the leash by the missus more often this season... Five minutes later and Chiesa finally took the lead. Gray found Trew with an audacious back heel and he in turn picked out the run of Knowles, who burst into the box and clipped the ball into the far corner past the despairing dive of the keeper. With howling wind, freezing snow and a rampant Rossonieri in their face, Ladzio were understandably keen for the half time whistle to blow, but before it could save them, Danny Trew made it four. The Chiesa midfield won the ball from a Ladzio goal kick, and DT was on hand to turn his marker and clip a shot over the keeper and just under the bar. A deseved goal for an impressive forty five minutes work from Chiesa's target man. A two goal cushion at half time then, but LC/DC knew that the hard work was just about to begin. Ladzio had the wind now, and were bound to come at them with gusto in the second period. That said however, Peck and 'Hornchurch Hatchet' Warren Hardwick had begun to cope with the pace of Ladzio's forwards, and with advice from Director of Football Dave Knowles ringing in their ears, Chiesa were determined to hold on to their lead. If the plan was to try and see out the first fifteen minutes without alarm, then it failed miserably. With their first attack of the half, Ladzio halved the advantage, awful marking from a free kick leaving Glashan free to crash home his second of the game from ten yards. With forty minutes still on the clock, it waould have taken a brave man to back the LC/DC to keep it at three goals against. However, Chiesa began show a side of their character that had been lacking recently. Organization and discipline replaced the slackness and finger pointing of previous weeks, with skipper Hodsoll rallying the troops whenever concentration wavered. The defence were superb, dropping deep to limit the space for Ladzio forwards to run in, Knowles and Jordan sacrificed their attacking ambitions to shield the back four, Gray and Cy Taylor worked tirelessly on the wings, while Trew making holding the ball up look easy in less than favourable conditions. The Director of Football was giving constant encouragement from the technical area, and Colin Williams was playing almost as an American Football style kicker, regularly finding the Ladzio half with goal kicks and free kicks that he was taking due to Harris' inability to kick - what a sweet strkier of a ball he is! The hard work paid dividends when Matt Gillham latched on to a mis hit shot from Knowles fifteen minutes from time. Controlling the ball instantly, Maggsy dummied as if to shoot with his right foot before switching to his left and unleashing an unstoppable shot that flew into the roof of the net. Another classic goal from the Chiesa enigma. Ladzio looked beat from then on, and Cy Taylor almost made it six before the end, only to be denied by a fine stop from the Ladzio keeper. In fairness to the visitors, the gale force wind that made it so difficult for them in the first half had dropped to a mere breeze in the second, making life easier for the home side. Still it was a magnificent effort from Chiesa, and restores belief that their promotion hopes are not dead and buried after all. The downside is we inadvertantly did the hated Hammers a favour by beating their Championship rivals, but rest assured, Chiesa will be giving their all in the two games that are looming against the Woodford Chavs. LCDC; (4-4-2) Harris; Hodsell, Peck, W Hardwick, Williams; Taylor, Knowles, Jordan, Gray; Trew, M Gillham Gols - Gray 2 Knowles Trew M Gillham Tarjetas Amarilla - Knowles Arbitro - B Harris