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Whyteleafe dominated the early exchanges and in the 2nd minute, Paul Scott found Sam Butler in the box. He was forced wide, but got in a cross to debutant Stefan Ball who's shot was partially blocked and looped into the arms of keeper Darren Behcet. Behcet saved again in the 5th minute from a Fred Fleming corner following a Ball corner. In the 10th minute, Ball took a free kick on the right, and Behcet made a great save to tip round Ryan Royston's header. A minute later, Butler found ball and he laid it off to Daryl Coleman who's shot was blocked.
'Leafe took a well deserved lead in the 12th minute. Another free kick from Ball found Danny Oakins at the far post. He headed across goal where Royston was on hand to slot home from close range. Fleming headed just wide from another Ball free kick in the 14th minute.
Hornchurch's first chance came in the 15th minute. Wayne Gray found Andy Tomlinson in the box but he mishit his shot wide. Ball went close in the 23rd minute, volleying just over the bar after Coleman's long throw was flicked on. Robert O'Hara made his first save in the Leafe goal in the 41st minute, saving a shot on the turn from Gray. Leafe had another good chance a minute later when Lee Sidwell volleyed from a Ball free kick. Behcet fumbled the ball but it fell kindly for him and the defence cleared.
Leafe conceded a free kick in the area in the 47th minute when O'Hara was harshly penalised for holding the ball for over 6 seconds although he seemed to be obstructed from making his kick by Jo Flack. The defensive wall blocked the shot from Jamie Dormer. Behcet made another good save from Sidwell in the 54th minute when a long Coleman throw was partially cleared to him and he hit a fine shot from 25 yards. Butler made a good run in the 57th minute, his cross finding ball beyond the far post, but his shot went across the face of goal.
The game changed in the 59th minute when Coleman was sent off. He won the ball with his challenge but the referee deemed that it was dangerous. Flack soon took advantage, slotting home the equaliser in the 65th minute. Leafe however soon picked up their game and in the closing stages, despite being a man down, had the better of the chances. Butler made a good run down the left in the 73rd minute and shot just over the bar from a narrow angle. Two minutes later Jordan Wilson was brought down 25 yards out as he ran at the defence. Butler's free kick was deflected by the wall just wide of the post. O'Hara had to make a good save from Flack in the 79th minute and the final good chance fell to Scott in the 84th minute. He beat two defenders in the box but his shot was well blocked.
Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Conroy (Goodchild 35), Coleman D, Fleming, Coleman R, Royston, Ball (McDowell 67), Sidwell, Oakins (Wilson 67), Scott, Butler.