Match Report: Hornchurch 1 Yeovil Town 2

Late goals from Zain Westbrooke and substitute James Daly saw Yeovil Town grab an important win at Hornchurch on Tuesday night.

The Glovers were struggling to find their way through a resolute defence when manager Billy Rowley brought Ryan Jones, Slavi Spasov and Mason Obeng on in a triple change just after the hour which swung the initiative in the Glovers’ favour.

Westbrooke turned home from a scramble inside the box on 72 minutes before Daly, on as a substitute just 90 seconds before, smashed home a second with 12 minutes of normal time remaining.

The hosts’ Charlie Pegrum pulled a goal back with a minute remaining but Yeovil saw the game out for the win which moved them in to fourth place in the National League table with 15 games played.

First half

Yeovil made six changes from Saturday’s home defeat to Altrincham with on loan Bristol City defender Seb Naylor and striker Owen Dean with defender Joe Gubbins, midfielder Zane Westbrooke, winger Charlie Lennon and striker Ste Walker all starting. Naylor lined up on the left side of our usual formation whilst Dean was out the right wing with Lennon on the left.

Hornchurch suffered a blow after just seven minutes when defender Ryan Inniss suffered a knock and had to be replaced.

On 14 minutes, it was Naylor who found Lennon down the left and almost picked out Dean arriving in the area only for the Urchins’ defence to scrambling to clear. Six minutes later Johl Powell fizzed a ball in to the box with Dean lurking again.

There was some defensive work to do with the giant frame of Ryan Loft causing issues when the home side got the ball forward, but there was nothing much to trouble Jos Barker in the Yeovil goal.

At the other end, Hornchurch keeper Arthur Nasta pulled off an outstanding save to keep out a goal bound effort from the outside of the boot of Brett McGavin. That is about as near to a proper shot on target as we have mustered for all our possession.

With the game ticking in to nine minutes of stoppage time, Barker was called in to action to deny Loft with his legs.

Half-time: Hornchurch 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

The home side had a huge opportunity to open the scoring with five minutes of the second half played when Charlie Pegrum squared the ball to substitute Jack Sandat who blazed it over.

Hornchurch had brought on wingers Myles Weston and ex-Glovers’ loanee Angelo Balanta and both made an instant impact causing issues down both flanks. Loft flashed a close range header just past the post before Dean was denied by Nasta at the other end.

Billy Rowley made a triple substitution with 62 minutes gone with Ryan Jones, Slavi Spasov and Mason Obeng replacing Walker, Lennon and Dean. Something was needed to unlock the hosts’ defence.

That something came with 71 minutes played when the Glovers took the lead. A ball whipped in from the left by Gubbins caused chaos inside the Hornchurch and there was Zain WESTBROOKE to smash home his first goal in green-and-white.

McGavin pulled a free-kick just wide soon after before Urchins’ substitute Harry Hearn came within inches of pulling level moments later.

James DALY came off the bench with 12 minutes remaining and within seconds of his arrival he doubled the advantage, smashing home a half volley from the left flank. The substitutions have changed the intensity of the game and swung it in Yeovil’s favour, but it needed a fine save from Jos Barker to tip a Pegrum on to the post.

Muller flicked a header just why and then Daly had a great chance to put the game out of sight when he tore down the left and Nasta did well to tip his effort wide.

With a minute to go, Hornchurch pulled one back when Weston’s effort was turned home by Charlie PEGRUM to set up a nervy finish, but Yeovil hung on to take the three points.

Full time: Hornchurch 1 Yeovil Town 2

Substitutes: Hayden Muller (for Jordan Norville-Williams, 39), Mason Obeng (for Charlie Lennon, 64), Ryan Jones (for Owen Dean, 64), Slavi Spasov (for Ste Walker, 64), James Daly (for Johl Powell, 77), Loick Ayina (not used), Archie Davies (not used).

Hornchurch: Arthur Nasta, Frankie Edwards, Ryan Inniss (for Tom Dallison, 7), Jack Baldwin (for Jack Sandat, 23), Will Greenidge, Charlie Pegrum, Miles Bracking, Alfie Massey (for Myles Weston, 46), Tom Wraight, Ryan Loft (for Henry Hearn, 70), Josh Walker (for Angelo Balanta, 46).

Substitutes (not used): Rhys Byrne, Nathan Ferguson.