Hornchurch v Chelmsford City, National League South, Hornchurch Stadium, Saturday 21st September 2024, 3:00pm kick-off.
Chelmsford City’s league campaign resumes this weekend with a short trip to the Hornchurch Stadium, in what will mark the club’s first National League South Essex derby of the season.
Robbie Simpson’s Clarets extended their winning run to three games in all competitions last Saturday when they ran out as 2-0 winners in a FA Cup Second Qualifying Round all-Essex clash against Tilbury. Prior to that, City earned their first two league wins of the season earlier this month after comfortably beating Maidstone United and Bath City.
Daryl McMahon’s Hornchurch side are also undefeated so far in the month of September and will represent a tricky test for City, with the Urchins having enjoyed a solid start to life back in the sixth tier of English football.
Here’s all that Clarets supporters need to know ahead of the game…
Team & match stats:
- Both sides are undefeated in all competitions so far this month (Hornchurch: P3, W2, D1; Chelmsford City: P3, W3).
- Hornchurch have not conceded a goal at the Hornchurch Stadium in the last 337 minutes of National League South football that they have played at their Upminster-based home.
- Chelmsford City and Hornchurch last met in the National League South during the 2012-13 season. City ran out as 2-0 winners at the Hornchurch Stadium, but the Urchins recorded a 4-1 win in the reverse fixture.
Highlights of our last away game in the National League South can be seen in the video below.
Opposition:
Hornchurch sealed their long-awaited return to the National League South earlier this year after being promoted to the sixth tier as Isthmian League Premier Division champions. The Urchins earned an impressive 100 points in their promotion winning 2023-24 campaign, which marked the end of the club’s 11-year exodus from Step Two of non-league football.
The backbone of the Urchins’ success last term was their impressive home form; Daryl McMahon’s men only lost one league game at the Hornchurch Stadium in 23-24. So far in the National League South, Hornchurch have continued to make their Upminster-based ground a fortress, having only tasted defeat in one of the four games which they have hosted on their home soil this season.
Hornchurch’s strong defensive record up to now has been integral to helping them collect 7 points out of a possible 12 from their home matches. The Urchins have conceded seven goals this season, with only one these strikes being let in at the Hornchurch Stadium. Since McMahon’s side were defeated 1-0 by Eastbourne Borough in their opening home game of the season, Urchins goalkeeper Mason Terry has been a standout performer and recorded three consecutive National League South clean sheets on home turf.
Terry, who will celebrate his 20th birthday ahead of Saturday’s match, has enjoyed an impressive career so far in both academy and non-league football. The tall shot-stopper joined Hornchurch on loan during the summer months from Premier League side West Ham and was a regular fixture in the Hammers U18s’ double winning 2022-23 season. Terry earned both an U18 Premier League South and FA Youth Cup winners’ medal in 2023 before getting his first taste of senior football last season with Concord Rangers. Despite Concord’s relegation from the Isthmian League Premier Division, Terry impressed fans and earned the club’s Supporters’ Player of the Season award.
𝑺𝑼𝑷𝑷𝑶𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑬𝑹 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑶𝑵
— Concord Rangers FC (@ConcordRangers) April 20, 2024
Congratulations to Mason Terry who before kick off today was announced as our Supporters Player of the Season!
A very well deserved award and thank you to Mason for your efforts this season🙌#YAMC💛💙 pic.twitter.com/OJsOW7U0tR
Former Claret Jazzi Barnum-Bobb has been a regular feature in the Hornchurch backline which has played in front of Terry so far this season. Barnum-Bobb made the switch across Essex during the summer months after making 117 appearances across two stints playing in Claret. The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines international also wore the captain’s armband on a number of occasions last season, after being named as Chelmsford City vice-captain by manager Robbie Simpson.
Hornchurch have further Chelmsford City links elsewhere in their team as well; former City captain Tom Wraight departed the EMJ Community Stadium to join the Urchins in December 2021 and has been a regular for the club ever since. Ollie Muldoon also is a member of McMahon’s squad – midfielder Muldoon left Chelmsford City in 2020 and joined Hornchurch. Like Wraight, he has gone to make over 100 appearances for the Urchins.
Team News:
Ryan Blackman is set to remain absent. Cameron James and Geofrey Okonkwo are continuing to progress in their recoveries from respective knee injuries.
Following last weekend’s win over Tilbury, City manager Robbie Simpson shared the following injury update: “We had to make two-and-a-half substitutions [against Tilbury] because of injuries. We’re hopeful that those injuries aren’t going to rule those players out of the Hornchurch game. I’m hopeful about one of them, but less so about the other. We’ll get Arron Benstead to assess them.”
First-team players Callum Watts, Louis Dunne, Bradley Williams, Kane Crichlow and Freddie Hockey all featured for Chelmsford City U21s on Monday, playing a part in the team’s 4-0 win over Northampton Town.
Today's lineup as we take on @ntfc at the EMJ Community Stadium! #TheFutureIsClaret pic.twitter.com/leDvR1raTm
— Chelmsford City Under 21s (@ClaretsUnder21s) September 16, 2024
Getting there:
Supporters travelling by car to Saturday’s game should know that the journey from the EMJ Community Stadium to the Hornchurch Stadium takes around 30 minutes. Car parking is available at the ground on a first come first served basis. When full, street parking is available along Bridge Avenue and opposite the ground in Brookdale Avenue.
Hornchurch Stadium is around a 20-minute walk from Upminster Station, which is served by London Underground, London Overground, and c2c services.
The Chelmsford City Supporters Club coach is travelling to Saturday’s game, and at the time of writing, seats on the coach are still available. Details of the Supporters Club coach travelling across Essex can be seen below.
Matchday & ticketing information:
Tickets for Saturday’s match can be purchased online, via Hornchurch’s official ticketing website. Tickets can also be purchased on matchday at the Hornchurch Stadium with cash or card payment.
Ticket prices for Saturday’s game are as follows:
- Adults: £15
- Concessions (65+/Students with valid ID): £10
- Under-18s: £5
Hornchurch have noted that “soft segregation” will be in operation for this fixture, meaning visiting Chelmsford City supporters will be housed in the area behind the away dugouts during the match. Away supporters will still enter the ground via the main turnstiles and will still have access to all three bars at the Hornchurch Stadium.
How to follow the game:
Radio Clarets will provide live audio commentary of proceedings at the Hornchurch Stadium.
Clarets fans can find pre-match coverage of Saturday’s match and live updates of proceedings in Essex by following the club’s X (formerly Twitter) page: @OfficialClarets and Instagram page: chelmsfordcityfc.
Post-match reactions will be found on the club’s website, official social media channels and on ClaretsTV.
by