Match Preview
Next up - AFC Hornchurch away on Saturday, 10th December at The Stadium, Bridge Ave, Upminster RM14 2LX, Ryman League Div 1 (North). Kick off 3pm.
AFC Hornchurch and more particularly its predecessors have been regular opponents of ours since 1938 when they were known as Upminster. On the face of it then it is surprising that Saturday's 61st meeting will be only the seventh this century. I am, by the way, a pedant and count this century as starting on January 1st 2001.
We scored a double over the then Hornchurch towards the end of the 2000/1 season, the second game coming when they were forced to play two league games on the same evening (the other was away to Clapton). This attracted the attention of the BBC who sent Hazel Irvine along to do a piece for the next weekend's Football Focus.
They did the double over us the next season at the start of a period when money began to be pumped into the club and they eventually rose to the Conference South. That success lasted no more than a season as the club folded and were reconstituted as AFC Hornchurch in the Essex Senior League.
I guess money was still available as they claimed the championship at the first attempt then won Ryman North the next season. Eventually there was another season in the Conference South but two relegations have seen them back in Ryman North where they finished fifth last season.
This season they are 10th, eight points and seven places better off than us. In midweek they beat Premier Division AFC Sudbury in the league cup and whilst there may be doubts about the strength of side's put out in that competition they haven't lost since a 1-0 defeat at Soham twelve games ago in mid-October.
From Ware's point of view Ken Charlery faces injury problems which leave us pondering the availability of Marcus Rose, Josh Oyinsan and Brian Haule. If there is still no Rose and with his replacement, Jordan Odofin, hors de combat with a broken foot, we could see Murat Karagul in the centre back role yet again whilst Joe Reynolds should be available after his work-related absence last week.
Our ten latest games against (AFC) Hornchurch:-
| 30 October 1998 | Isthmian League Div 3 | A | 1 | 1 | Callcut |
| 20 February 1999 | Isthmian League Div 3 | H | 4 | 1 | Callcut 2 (1 pen.), Hart, Gough |
| 6 November 1999 | Isthmian League Div 3 | A | 1 | 3 | Beattie |
| 3 January 2000 | Isthmian League Div 3 | H | 3 | 4 | Gildersleve, Beckett, Hart |
| 14 April 2001 | Isthmian League Div 3 | H | 2 | 0 | Kearney, Crace |
| 1 May 2001 | Isthmian League Div 3 | A | 2 | 1 | Waldron, Hart |
| 21 August 2001 | Isthmian League Div 3 | H | 0 | 2 | |
| 29 December 2001 | Isthmian League Div 3 | A | 0 | 1 | |
| 23 December 2006 | Isthmian League Div 1 (North) | A | 1 | 2 | Crawford |
| 21 April 2007 | Isthmian League Div 1 (North) | H | 1 | 2 | Neilson |
Our best and worst against (AFC) Hornchurch:-
| 10 March 1951 | Spartan League Div. 1 (East) | A | 7 | 4 | Sandmann 4, Cliss, Long, Whybrew |
| (as Upminster) | |||||
| 25 August 1973 | Athenian League Div. 1 | H | 4 | 0 | Tibbals 2, Higgs, Own Goal |
| 8 April 1939 | Spartan League Div 2 (East) | H | 0 | 6 | (as Upminster) |
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