THIS WEEKEND’S MATCH PREVIEW – AFC HORNCHURCH (AWAY)

Red Nose Day is upon us and Dulwich Hamlet will be looking for less of the comic and more of the relief when they head up the District Line

It's been a sorry season for the Urchins, reaching the playoff final last term only to be well beaten by Lowestoft Town AFC Hornchurch were highly fancied to in the tight of the battle for promotion once more. However problems with the facilities at The Stadium meant they faced a seven game road trip to start the season before finally returning home on the 2nd September and it was not until a week later they registered their first victory of the campaign as prompted VCD Athletic were turned over 2-0 away.

Key players too had left for pastures new, among them the prolific, if controversial, Stefan Payne, his absence from the strike force placing even greater weight on the shoulders of the equally deadly in front of goal George Purcell.

The fans would have to be patient for home league victory as, though both Harrow Borough and Merstham were beaten at the Stadium in the FA Trophy, it would not be until the 9th December that the Urchins would claim all three points from a Ryman fixture in front of their own fans. By then the expected battle for the title had long been replaced by the travails of a relegation dogfight, something that had not crossed the minds of the Urchins faithful back in the balmy days of summer.

Like a whale breaking the surface to breath the Urchins have rarely poked their heads out of the drop zone but hope springs eternal and with the battle for survival at the bottom as tight as things are at the top there remains a belief at Bridge Avenue that escape is still a real possibility. Since the turn of the year a number of useful results have been garnered, victory over Grays on New Year’s Day as well as over fellow strugglers VCD and the doomed Bury Town, a creditable goalless draw with Bognor.

By last Saturday they had the chance to once more pop their heads above water but things took a turn for the worse as they went down to a 2-1 defeat at Witham Town allowing their Essex rivals to leapfrog them out of the relegation places. A poor showing their set the scene for a steely show against Canvey Island in midweek. Leading by a goal from who else but George Purcell, the Urchins were reduced to ten men when ‘keeper Sam Mott saw red for a professional foul. With no replacement custodian in reserve on the bench, it fell to skipper Elliott Styles to don the gloves for the last 55 minutes of the game. Fortunately he was rarely tested before Martin Tuohy sealed the win with a late penalty, for which Canvey’s John Easterford saw red, as the Urchins cut the gap between themselves and safety to a single point.

With both sides in need of the points, expect a pulsating battle rather different from Dulwich Hamlet’s 2-0 home victory over the Urchins back in September. Then AFC Hornchurch enjoyed much possession but did little with it whereas the Hamlet took their chances to pick the points thanks to Xavier Vidal and a maiden senior goal from Shawn McCoulsky.

Speaking to the Romford Recorder Urchins’ supremo Colin McFarlane reckoned his team were capable of overturning that result in the rematch if they are in the correct frame of mind.

“As long as we approach it in the right manner we can do well. Dulwich are a good side, the best footballing side in the league.” said McFarlane.

“They might struggle to play their style of game on our pitch, but that’s their problem. We have to approach it and apply ourselves like we did against Canvey Island.”

Match Day Admission Prices

• Adults: £10.00
• Concessions: £7.00
• 12 - 16 year olds: £3.00
• 11 and under: Free