Lewis Smith and Martin Tuohy celebrate against a goal for Hornchurch (Rob Newell/TGS)

Hornchurch look to topple leaders

Lee Power Friday, January 11, 2013
12:46 PM

Urchins set to host Salisbury

Hornchurch boss Jimmy McFarlane is looking forward to the visit of Conference South leaders Salisbury tomorrow (Saturday).

Urchins booked a semi-final place in the Essex Senior Cup in midweek, as Martin Tuohy’s hat-trick downed Colchester.

And McFarlane said: “We know Martin is clinical but I was looking for a performance.

“I wasn’t taking the game lightly, but we had to juggle it around. Martin needed minutes and it was pleasing to see that sort of performance, his workrate was good, and to get a hat-trick was fantastic.

“You don’t have to be in-form to run around and show workrate.”

Tuohy put Urchins ahead at Salisbury on the opening day of the season, before the hosts hit back with a second-half brace for the points.

They now top the table, while Urchins are looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

McFarlane added: “We deserved a point at Salisbury. They’re a good side, full-time, but we beat Eastleigh.

“I keep saying I’m not worrying who we’re playing against. I’m more worried about us. If we put it in, we can compete with anyone.

“Only once have we looked out of our depth, at Welling on New Year’s Day. We looked a league below that day.

“The mood is good, even though results have been topsy-turvy. We can’t dwell on them, we’ve got to move on.”

Urchins could be without captain Elliot Styles for the rest of the season, though, after he broke his collarbone against Colchester.

McFarlane said: “It was so innocuous. He was running towards the dugout to make a tackle, they went shoulder to shoulder and he fell backwards and landed awkwardly.

“You knew straight away, Elliot doesn’t make a lot of fuss, but a few of them said they heard the crack. I didn’t.

“He’s got to go to the fracture clinic on Tuesday but it’s probably 6-8 weeks, then he has got to get fit again, so maybe 10 weeks in total. So his season is probably over.

“It means I’m on the phone again looking for players, but it has got to be the right one. We need proven players. We’re in a bit of a sticky situation.”