Robins put blues behind them with gritty triumph

September turned out to be a month the Robins would like to forget.

No league wins, the earliest possible exit from the FA Cup and the departure of the manager and many of the first team squad players could hardly regarded as the ideal preparation for this Ryman Premier League game.

In addition, Francis Vines was without the services of Justyn Roberts, Dean Carpenter, Adrian Toppin and Charlie Ide, all injured or unavailable, stretching his squad to the absolute limit, with only a temporary loan player, goalkeeper and two youth team players on the substitutes bench.

In spite of all this, Vines took three points from Hornchurch, who are also in a state of transition, and he will have been full of praise for the application and determination shown by his players, many of them almost on their knees as a result of injury and exhaustion at the final whistle.

Michael Spencer’s fierce shot for the Urchins flew just wide of the far post in the opening minutes and the Robins were served notice early on that they had a battle on their hands, when Paul Shave crocked Paul Honey with a fierce tackle in the early stages setting the scene for the rest of the game.

Shave continued to stamp his personality on the game and anything else in range until his late substitution and Honey, amazingly, managed to play through the pain barrier for the entire game.

The Robins enjoyed spells of pressure, with Kenny Beaney demonstrating his ability to cause problems with his precise delivery of set-piece corners and free kicks, but the battle was mainly in midfield where both teams showed a willingness to slog it out in the quest to create chances.

Billy Coyne’s long throws were a potent weapon for the visitors and Elliot Styles came close to giving the visitors the lead with a header that passed just wide.

The clearest chances, however, were created by the Robins.

Louis Bell’s low cross from the right gave Richard Jolly - presented with his Golden Boot award for last season before the game - the chance for a crisp shot that was blocked on the line and Danny Slatter’s drive from just outside the penalty area got a touch from Behcet and flew just wide.

Late in the half, some slick interpassing involving Danny Slatter, new signing Craig Faulconbridge and Jolly set up a shooting chance for Beaney but his finish lacked the power to beat Urchins keeper Darren Behcet.

What turned out to be only goal arrived eight minutes into the second period, when Ronnie Fletcher clattered into Slatter just inside the area and Faulconbridge stepped up to score in style from the spot after some gamesmanship from the Urchins goalkeeper.

Bell produced two dangerous runs for the Robins down the right flank and, at the other end, Mark Goodfellow hit his shot inches wide of the far post when the visitors created an opening down the left side.

Barry Stevens limped off with what looked a serious leg injury, to be replaced by Rashid Kamara, and the game continued to be finely balanced.

Hornchurch won a series of corners, but David Ray, David Graves, and Lewis Gonsalves were a reliable defensive barrier and, behind them, Nick Hamann impressed with saves from Wayne Gray and substitute Kris Lee.

Carshalton came close to putting the game out of reach when Bell summoned up the energy for a final attack down the right and, when Faulconbridge drove the ball across the front of the goal, Kamara was denied by a fine reflex save from the feet of Behcet.

With seconds left, youth team player Louis Chin came on for Bell, but the Robins negotiated almost five minutes of added time to secure a confidence boosting win.

Robins; Nick Hamann, David Ray, Lewis Gonsalves, Danny Slatter, David Graves, Paul Honey, Louis Bell (Louis Chin), Kenny Beaney, Craig Faulconbridge, Richard Jolly, Barry Stevens (Rashid Kamara)

Subs not used: Matt Reed, Paris Downs

Attendance: 241

Forthcoming games

Tuesday, October 13: Carshalton Athletic v Waltham Abbey, Ryman League Premier Division, kick-off 7.45

Saturday, October 17: Aveley v Carshalton Athletic, FA Trophy, kick-off 3pm