Full-time: Chelmsford City 2-1 Hornchurch
Finley Wilkinson’s home debut heroics won the Essex derby for Chelmsford City against rivals Hornchurch, at the EMJ community stadium.
Wilkinson scored both goals in the 2-1 win steering the Clarets three points clear of today’s visitors, moving Chelmsford up to 13th.
The Barnet loanees two goals secured the win for Robbie Simpson’s men with Tommy Wood’s late goal for the Urchins not being enough to get any points on the road.
Simpson introduced new signing Wilkinson into the starting 11 for the first time after he recently signed on loan, coming in for the injured Charlie Ruff. Clarets’ new striker Saleem Akanbi was one of the five named on the bench alongside Ryan Blackman who made his long-awaited return after 140 days out through injury.
The Clarets were forced to use the options on their bench after just four minutes as Ruaridh Donaldson could not continue after his treatment, so Jacob Bland was called into action by Simpson.
City started off the brighter in the derby and warned their Essex rivals of their danger in the 9th minute, as Mason Terry produced a good save from close range denying Jake Hyde, which was ruled offside afterwards.
Less than ten minutes later the Clarets came calling again and this time these calls were answered in a swift counter attack. Goalkeeper Ted Collins’ long goal kick set away Archie Tamplin, after he caught a Hornchurch free kick. Tamplin took it down after some fortune saw the ball bounce off Wilkinson, and with Archie racing in on goal, an incoming tackle found Wilkinson who slotted home into an empty net.
In the 43rd minute City came close to doubling their lead again, just before half time. Kane Crichlow produced a fantastic turn to beat his man he then played it across the box to Hyde whose low range effort was fantastically saved by Terry once again. The West Ham loanee rather kept his side in the game throughout the first 45.
The second half became a bit more of an open contest as Liam Nash had a few chances to put Hornchurch level. The two chances came in two minutes but neither effort managed to get on target going wide and over.
As Chelmsford continued to defend well to hold onto the lead Sam Oguntayo took a knock in the 65th minute forcing Simpson into his third change in just over an hour. Ryan Blackman was called upon to play his first game since late August.
Hornchurch continued to attack Ted Collins’ goal and in the 73rd minute were awarded a corner. Unlike the simple tap in required for Wilkinsons’ first goal, his second involved picking the ball up from the edge of his own box from the cleared corner and winning a foot race against any Hornchurch player that stood in his way. He then unleashed the ball into the top left corner completing an amazing run and securing a second goal.
Following the goal, Daryl McMahons side began to create more chances in attempt to restore the game.
The first chance fell to Adams, who’s low range effort from outside the box went just wide of the post. The next effort came even closer to threating Chelmsford City’s clean sheet. The attempt came from Weston whose shot managed to beat Collins but not the Clarets captain Cameron James who managed to head the ball off the line.
With just four minutes of normal time to play the Urchins were eventually rewarded for their attacking efforts, when Wood volleyed the ball passed Collins after a cross came in from the left-hand side. Despite getting a goal back, Hornchurch would make the short journey back home empty-handed, with the Clarets returning to winning ways infront of the 1047 respective fans.
Chelmsford have no time to celebrate the win however, as their focus goes straight to Chesham United away from home on Tuesday, who sit one place and one point above the Clarets in the league.
Chelmsford City XI: Collins (GK); James (C), Edwards, Barbrook, Oguntayo (Blackman 65′); Penney, Donaldson (Bland 4’); Crichlow, Tamplin (Barnum-Bobb 48′), Wilkinson (Appiah 80’); Hyde (Akanbi 77’)
Unused substitutes: none
Yellow cards: James 15′ Penney 55’ Collins 86’ Akanbi 90+4’
Goals: Wilkinson 17’ Wilkinson 73’
Hornchurch XI: Terry (GK), Adams, Gibbs, Scott (C), Wraight (Nash 46’), Hearn, Weston, McQueen (Wood 64’); Harvest, Clements (Scannell 46’); Bertram-Cooper
Unused substitutes: Phillips, Muldoon,
Yellow cards: none
Goals: Wood 86’
Attendance: 1,047
Words by Ed Groves
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