Ryman Premier: Kingstonian 1 Hornchurch 0
Hornchurch returned empty-handed from west London after a frustrating afternoon at Kingsmeadow.
Jimmy McFarlane’s men had won on their last visit, in the Ryman Premier play-off semi-finals last season, and good work from Junior Luke created a chance for Martin Tuohy on eight minutes, but the striker poked his effort wide of the target.
Luke had the next opportunity for the visitors in a scrappy first period, turning in the box on 33 minutes but firing over the crossbar.
And Junior Dadson made a good break on the left just before the interval, evading Ks keeper Rob Tolfrey, but seeing the home side defend well to deny Urchins an opener.
It was a similar story at the start of the second half as Moses Ashikodi played a superb ball into the box, but the home defence were able to clear the danger after a scramble.
Sam Mott produced a good save at the other end to deny Kingstonian the opener on 53 minutes.
And Ashikodi fired a speculative long-range effort high and wide for the visitors just past the hour mark as frustrations grew.
The former West Ham youngster made way for George Purcell moments later, as manager McFarlane shuffled his pack.
And the move almost paid immediate dividends as substitute Purcell created the best chance of the game, pulling the ball back from the byline into the path of Luke, who blazed over from six yards.
Purcell sliced a decent chance of his own wide from man acute angle on 71 minutes, as Urchins continued to press.
But they were caught out three minutes later when Phil Starkey lost possession and Tommy Kavanagh pounced to drill a shot wide of Mott to give Ks the lead.
Starkey made way for Elyon Marshall-Katung as the visitors were left chasing the game and they came close to levelling when Tuohy saw a header cleared off the line, before Purcell sent another effort wide and Dadson was too high with his 83rd-minute attempt.
Urchins had another effort cleared off the line in the last minute of normal time before Marshall-Katung headed straight at Tolfrey to sum up their day in front of goal.
Defeat leaves them with only one point from three matches ahead of their long trip to Leiston on Tuesday.
Hornchurch: Mott, Starkey (Marshall-Katung 77), Bentley, Styles, O Beckles, Curley, Luke, Davis, Tuohy, Ashikodi (Purcell 63), Dadson. Unused subs: Hursit, Griffin, Homans.
***
Ryman Div 1N
Waltham Abbey 2 Romford 1
Romford snatched defeat from the jaws of victory after conceding twice in a minute late on at Capershotts.
Paul Martin’s men broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half when Ryan Imbert netted his third goal in three matches.
And they remained in front until the 84th minute, when James Peagram levelled for Abbey before Ben Bradbury followed up with a winner for the hosts.
Imbert and Tom Richardson had been presented with decent chances to put Romford ahead in the first half.
And Imbert opened the scoring on 49 minutes, following his opening-day double in the 4-0 win against Burnham.
It looked like being enough as the match drew to a close, but Boro were left stunned as Abbey struck twice in quick succession to snatch all three points.
Romford: Ngoy, Ottley, Preston, Truman, Ishmail, Clayton, Cocklin, Seymour, Imbert, Richardson, Dematos. Subs: Reynolds, McLeavy, Tranter, Barry, Omand.
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