The Hornchurch Rossoneri were unbeaten in six coming into the match, and expectations were high following last weeks hard earned point at Maze, but Chiesa struggled to get going early on against a predominately young side who were a player short. Indeed, a casual observer would not have been aware of the numerical difference in playing staff in the opening twenty minutes, as Sprint were enjoying the majority of possession, Chiesa often misplacing their passes as they attempted to play their way out of trouble.

 

The home side thought they had taken the lead on fifteen minutes, only for the linesmans flag to come to Chiesa's rescue - the ball having gone out of play before a cutback was nodded in. A succession of  corners for Sprint caused panic in the Chiesa ranks before the visitors had their first opportunity of the game, Adam Jeffers shooting just wide after a free flowing counter attack caught the home side on their heels.

 

Samuel Knowles and Iain Gay were both guilty of blasting overwhen presented with chances on the edge of the box, before Chiesa's patient passing game finally came good. A clever ball down the right touchline found lone striker Jeffers and he delivered a low cross that was crying out to be met. Dennis Peck was arriving on the scene, but it was a Sprint defender who turned the ball into his own net to hand Chiesa the lead. Unfortunate for him, but it was the sort of cross that defenders at all levels dread.. leave it and the striker has a tap in, get the clearance wrong and its an O.G.

 

Not long afterwards, Jeffers looked to have doubled LC/DC's advantage when Iain Gay broke from midfield and found him with a cunning through ball, only for the goal to be ruled out by the linesmans flag. It was a sight that we had not seen the last of... Jeffers did not have long to wait before he was on the scoresheet however, getting on the end of a Colin Williams cross after a move involving Peck, Knowles and Gay, to nod past the home keeper at the near post.

 

That goal sent the striker affectionately known as 'the string' into double figures for the season, but his joy was short lived as within two minutes Sprint had reduced the deficit. Chiesa came off second best in three succesive ariel challenges, which left a one on one between Sprints left winger and keeper Mark Harris. The result was that Chiesa's lead had been cut in half.

 

At half time, the biggest compliment LC/DC could pay their hosts was that half the side were unaware they were playing ten men. Although Chiesa had misplaced plenty of passes, the backroom staff were quietly pleased with their approach to the game - the five man midfield again enabling them to pass the ball around on the floor rather than resort to a typical Sunday Morning 'Hoof!', although certain members of the hardcore elite Chiesa Massive voiced concerns about the quality of the final ball.  McCarthy and Hodsoll were playing the ball out from the back, while Colin Williams was seeing a lot of the ball on the left, and Chiesa's most dangerous moments were coming from his trusty left peg.

 

Jeffers had a glorious chance to restore the two goal lead in the first minute of the second half when a through ball from Knowles sent him clear, but Chiesa's top scorer blazed over the bar when one on one, a bobble apparently to blame...

 

Cy Taylor is known as the 'Soul Provider' throughout Sunday Morning Football Stadiums the length and breadth of the country, but his goalscoring touch seemed to have deserted him this season... what goalscoring touch I hear you ask.. any how it seemed as though his persistence had finally paid off when Peck sprung the offside trap and presented him with a golden chance that he finished with ease, only for the referee to disallow the goal after consulting his linesman... when will Chiesa EVER get one of those go their way???

 

Knowles saw yellow for the politest dissent you are likely to hear on a Sunday am (Referee Carroll later claimed to prefer players to swear at him???), before justice was seen to be done as Iain Gay unselfishly squared  to Taylor when clean through, and C-Y slotted home for his long overdue first of the season and make it three-one Chiesa.

 

Although the game was safe and LC/DC missed a succession of chances to increase the lead, the visitors constant fury at the linesman and some petty infighting combined to interrupt the flow of their play and Sprint, inspired by their captain, came close to nicking a goal back on a couple of occasions... an open goal missed after a dodgy pass back was one let off, Chris Young throwing himself at the Sprint forward to spare Hodsolls blushes,  and a free header flicked just wide another as Chiesa took their foot off the gas. Hodsoll saw yellow for aiming more abuse at the controversial linesman, before Chiesa wrapped the game up in the eightieth minute... Knowles and Williams exchanging passes on the left, and the Chiesa player manager cutting back for Peck to score his seventh goal in eight games.

 

Mark Harris produced a magnificent fingertip save to keep the score at four - one, and that's the way it finished. Job done for the boys from the Church of the Horn, and despite other results at the top not going their way, Chiesa fans can rest assured that their team will not give up on promotion until it is mathematically impossible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gols - og Jeffers Taylor Peck

 

Tarjetas Amarillas - Knowles Hodsoll