LEAGUE TABLES
Saturday 16th January
Vanarama National |
17 |
Chesterfield
|
15 |
19 |
18 |
Dagenham & Red
|
14 |
18 |
19 |
Yeovil Town
|
15 |
17 |
20 |
King's Lynn
|
14 |
15 |
21 |
Weymouth
|
16 |
9 |
22 |
Barnet
|
14 |
9 |
23 |
Dover Athletic
|
12 |
7 |
Thurlow Nunn Div One |
10 |
Diss Town
|
12 |
15 |
11 |
Framlingham Town
|
11 |
13 |
12 |
Needham Market Res
|
12 |
13 |
13 |
King's Lynn U21s
|
11 |
12 |
14 |
Cornard United
|
12 |
11 |
15 |
Sudbury Reserves
|
10 |
11 |
16 |
Debenham LC
|
10 |
10 |
Playing against a team two steps below them, Lynn must have thought that their chances of reaching the last sixteen in the FA Trophy for the first time were very promising.
Hornchurch had not played since the 19th December, they had only been allowed to train in the past week and had lost three players on dual registration terms - their leading scorer, Chris Dickson, spending the afternoon as an unused substitute at Dartford.
If their were such thoughts, and Ian Culverhouse's many changes to the starting line-up might have to reflected this, they were wrong.
The Urchins might have welcomed the services of Dickson as they had many chances in the first half but lacked the finishing touch.
An early free kick for Lynn was put well off target by Dayle Southwell while at the other end Sam Higgins side-footed wide.
The home side were dominant in midfield and further chances fell to Remi Sutton and Higgins without troubling Archie Mair.
Lynn took the lead on 18 minutes slightly against the run of play, Sonny Cary's cross headed home by Kairo Mitchell from three yards.
Lynn came more into the game in the remainder of the first half but a Michael Clunan free kick, which hit the side netting, and a Rory McAuley header, which was saved by Joe Wright, were their best efforts whilst the home side had a goal disallowed for offside.
Hornchurch started the second half on the front foot, Liam Nash putting the ball wide from Ellis Brown's cross. The duo linked up again on 52 minutes and this time Nash's overhead volley beat Mair.
Mitchell had a chance to restore Lynn's lead with only the keeper to beat but shot over and at the other end Mair did well to deny Charlie Ruff.
Wright then did well to keep out a Mitchell effort.
The introduction of Adam Marriott, Michael Gash and Cameron King turned the game Lynn's way but Wright was on form and produced excellent saves to deny Marriott and Gash.
With five minutes remaining McAuley was dismissed having picked up his second caution as the game headed for a penalty shoot out and the end of Lynn's hopes.
Hornchurch: Wright, Sutton, Muldoon, Hayles, Christou, Brown, Clark, Higgins, Nash, Winn (Spence 71), Ruff (Stimson 79). Subs: Stimson, Spence, Hassan, Thackway. Booked: Christou, Brown, Stimson. Scorer: Nash 52
Lynn: Mair, Brown, Callan-McFadden, McAuley, Clunan (King 65), Jarvis, Fleming, Kelly, Mitchell (Gash 65), Southwell (Marriott 65), Carey. Subs; Smith, Richards, Gash, Marriott, King, Barrows, Kiwomya. Booked: Jarvis, McAuley, Fleming, Carey. Sent off: McAuley (second yellow) Scorer: Mitchell 18
Penalties: Hornchurch (all scored): Clark, Brown, Higgins
Lynn: (all saved) Marriott, Gash, King