With both teams harbouring ambitions of promotion, this was a game neither could afford to lose. Maze started the game as favourites having humbled the Hornchurch Rossoneri 3-0 in last seasons Arthur Atkinson Cup Final, but the visitors were desperate to put the record straight following that dismal display, and when you add in the pre match boasts from their opponents on the Maze website messageboard, La Chiesa needed no firing up for this clash of the Division Three heavyweights.

 

The LC/DC backroom staff had every intention of printing the home sides over confident assessment of what they were to do to the Rossoneri and sticking it on the dressing room wall to negate the need for a team talk... but computer said no...  you cant print out that darned messageboard... nevertheless it was a determined Chiesa that took to the field in their change kit of all blue, despite being without influential midfielder Dean Jordan (work), forward Dennis Peck (wearing ludicrous knitwear), wingers Matt Gillham (ankle) & Jonny Gray (factfinding mission to Bangkok) , and full backs Darren 'Skip' Hodsoll (holiday) and Terry Soteriou (fallen out of love with the game).

 

Having seen Maze goal machine Danny Steel stick eight goals past them in three games in 04/05, Chiesa assigned defensive midfielder Chris Young a mission to reduce the threat posed by the 50 a season man, but it was last weeks own goal 'villain' Warren Hardwick who was the first hero this time, launching himself into a superb last ditch tackle on the Maze No 9, to stop the Hornchurch Boys going behind early doors. Chiesa were struggling to get out of their half in the opening twenty minutes, not helped by both Colin Williams and Adam Jeffers having to leave the field to recieve treatment. Maze were dominating but keeper Mark Harris was largely untroubled as the home side were being restricted to longe range efforts that were flying past the post, until they were almost gifted a goal in bizarre fashion. The usually reliable Young misjudged a back pass to Harris, and Steel was onto it in a flash. With an open goal at his mercy, the deadlock seemed certain to be broken only for the ball to spin agonisingly wide of the far post. A let off for the LC/DC and no mistaking... 

 

Chiesa were struggling to get into the match, with Ryan Sibbons seemingly free to roam the midfield as he pleased, but they crept back into the game after half an hour or so. Williams and Jeffers were combining on the left, and lone striker Danny Trew was holding the ball up well when the delivery was right. Iain Gay and Knowles got more involved in the action, and it was Knowles that had their first shot on goal when a Williams cross was punched to the edge of the area by keeper Ashley Turner. The LC/DC boss' shot was goalbound but blocked by his own full back Matt Pallett. Even so when Trew larupped the rebound goalwards it seemed Chiesa had snatched an unlikely lead, only for Turner to deny them with a fantastic reflex save. Iain Gay then saw a free kick fly just wide, and Cy Taylor was close to getting on the end of a cut back as Chiesa enjoyed their best spell of the half before tragedy stuck on the stroke of half time.

 

Wayne Gannon had been causing problems all half playing just off target man Steel, and when he tricked his way past Hardwick on the edge of the box, it was the Hornchurch Hatchet's natural reaction to chop him in half. The free kick was fired in and when the Chiesa wall jumped, the ball struck Knowles on the upper arm as he protected his boat race. Referee Catherall saw this as deliberate handball and awarded a penalty, booking Knowles in the process. A harsh decision to say the least, and when Steel rolled the ball past the wrongfooted Harris, Maze had the lead with the last kick of the opening forty five minutes, and Chiesa were deflated.

 

Although Maze had the better chances and more possesion, Chiesa had looked dangerous on the break, and the five man midfield was enabling them to play some attractive football. With a little more effort, and perhaps a little less emphasis on defending, there must surely be a way back into this game, the Azzuri told themselves.

 

Their cause was not helped when Trew copped an unfortunate one early in the second half and had to leave the field for almost twenty minutes contemplating crown jewels, leaving the substituteless Chiesa down to ten men. A tactical rejig saw Jeffers move up front and Pallet into midfield as the LC/DC gambled on a 3-4-1-1 formation. It almost paid dividends when good work from Taylor released Jeffers who poked the ball past the onrushing Turner only for his shot to be cleared off the line by a covering defender... Maybe Chiesa's best chance had gone...

 

Or maybe not... In the 68th minute, moments after the obligitary Sunday Morning 'handbags' when Maze captain Ben Gillespie reacted angrily to a tackle from Iain Gay ("You want it?? Who you talking to?! I dont make threats...etc etc" - how tedious), a free kick was awarded twenty five yards out...Colin Williams territory... Dead ball specialist Col had been dismayed by the quality of his free kicks in the aforementioned Cup Final, but he is a consistent saver of Chiesa bacon, and when his fierce shot was fumbled into the back of the net by Turner, the boys in blue were level.

 

Trew saw this as a perfect time to re enter the proceedings, Chiesa reverted to 4-5-1 and five minutes later they were in front. Williams bent in a free kick from the right, and as Maze struggled to clear, Jeffers and Taylor saw shots blocked before the ball looped to Knowles. Last weeks penalty miss villain let fly with a first time volley that flew into the top corner to "smash Chiesa" in front to the delight of their travelling army of fans.

 

With just over a quarter of an hour remaining though, the Hornchurch Azurri were far from certain to take all three points home with them. The next fifteen minutes or so were all about back to the wall defending, spilling blood for the cause, doing anything possible to defy the onslaught that was no doubt in store... no surprise then that with ten minutes left, Chiesa found themselves 3-2 down, a sidefoot finish from Gannon after being granted the freedom of St Chads on the left hand side of the LC/DC box levelling things up on 75 mins, and Steel  outjumping Harris to nod home from close range on 80.

 

Groans...

 

Surely Chiesa didn't have anything left. Playing with ten men for a quarter of the match against one of the leagues top sides must have left them exhausted and they had given all they had to give. But that is to reckon without the superhuman spirit that is instilled in each member of the squad over the course of the season. Matt Pallett was impressing at right back and linking well with Cy Taylor, who was getting the better of his marker down the Chiesa right. The formation was again switched, this time to 4-4-2, and the visitors thought they had levelled things up when Iain Gay played a clever one-two on the edge of the area only to shoot wide of the near post, but with four minutes remaining, they were indeed back on terms. Williams swung in a vicious free kick from the left touchline and as the Maze defence stood and watched, Knowles darted round the back to deflect the ball past Turner and grab a precious point for his team.

 

Chiesa hearts were in their mouths on two more occasions before the final whistle was blown, Steel shooting wide when

clean through, and Gannon denied by a combination of Harris and Williams, but when the final whistle sounded, les bleus had refused to be beaten and showed that they have the stomach to dig in and battle when necessary, as well as play their unique brand of sexy football.

 

Maze would be rather less happy with a point you feel, given the pre match confidence, and having edged possession and chances, maybe they will see it as two points dropped, but the LC/DC played some great counter attacking football against the odds, particularly in the second half and, unbeaten in half a dozen games now, are gearing up for one last assault on the Divison Three promotion race.

 

 

Gols - Williams Knowles 2

 

Tarjetas Amarillas - Knowles Gay