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By Bailey Howard
Hornchurch extended their unbeaten league run to fifteen dramatically on Saturday, after securing a thrilling 3-2 victory over Bath City at Bridge Avenue, thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Darren McQueen.
The Urchins boss, Daryl McMahon, had made four changes to the starting line-up from a week off, but last time out drawing 1-1 to Horsham, with Josh Rees returning to the midfield from injury to replace Harry Brooke and Myles Weston, Giles Phillips and Charlie Ruff replacing Charlie Pegrum, Makai Welch and Darren McQueen from the starting line up.
As the game got underway, the league leaders, Hornchurch, made a bright start to the game with Angelo Balanta twice going close in the opening exchanges, with one being well saved by Bath City keeper, Harvey Wiles-Richards.
Fifteen minutes had gone and Hornchurch attacked again, piling pressure on the Bath City defence, with a strong run and clever play down the left-hand flank by Myles Weston as he earned his side a corner. Although the initial delivery was cleared by the defence, the ball was recycled back into the box where Henry Hearn rose well to meet the ball with a firm header and was only to be denied by a sharp save from Wiles-Richard’s.
Despite Hornchurch dominating the early chances, Bath City grew into the game, and against the run of play on the twenty-second minute, it was Bath City who struck first. A well-rehearsed short corner routine paid off for the Romans as Kieran Parselle cleverly stepped over Will Jenkins Davies’s delivery, allowing Brad Ash to meet the ball in stride and fire a low effort shot into the bottom right-hand corner past Arthur Nasta in goal from just outside the six-yard box, 1-0 Bath.
Seven minutes later, the Urchins hit back in style. Henry Hearn, continuing his impressive form, latched onto a long ball over the top and drove at the Bath City defence. With a defender to his right, he unleashed a sensational, powerful strike and rifled it into the roof of the net past Wiles-Richards to bring the Urchins level, 1-1 Hornchurch.
After the equaliser, both sides continued to create openings, and near the end of the first half, Bath City came close when Parselle whipped a dangerous cross across the face of the goal, but narrowly evaded everyone and drifted just beyond the far post. Moments later, Hornchurch responded with a chance of their own, as Hearn delivered a teasing ball into the box that was only just out of reach for the stretching Charlie Ruff at the back post, which kept the game level.
Half Time – Hornchurch 1–1 Bath City
The second half got underway, and Hornchurch came out firing after the break and were soon in front at forty-nine minutes. Henry Hearn turned out to be the provider with a pinpoint cross for the returning Charlie Ruff, who powered his header home past Wiles-Richard’s to give Daryl McMahon’s Urchins the lead, 2-1 Hornchurch.
As the second half was drifting away, Hornchurch continued to push forward to double their lead, a long throw from Harry Gibbs only to be partially cleared into the path of skipper Tom Wraight, who fired over the bar from the edge of the box. Shortly after the hour mark, Wiles-Richards came up big for Bath City in goal as Henry Hearn threatened again and broke into the area and fired a powerful effort from a tight angle, but Wiles-Richards was equal to it, making a solid save to keep the score low.
Sensing the need to gain more control of the game, Daryl McMahon rang the changes, introducing Sean Scannell, Darren McQueen and Henry Sandat in an attacking triple substitution to finish the job and claim all three points.
On the Seventy-fourth minute, though, it was the Hornchurch keeper’s turn to impress, as Arthur Nasta pulled off a superb reaction save to deny Bath City’s Joe Raynes and prevent the visitors from levelling the match.
Bath City remained a threat to the Urchins, and on the eighty-eighth minute, they levelled the scoring from the penalty spot. Jordan Tillson was pushed in the back as he set himself to shoot, to which the referee pointed to the spot. Will Jenkins Davies converted the penalty calmly straight down the middle from twelve yards out past Nasta to level the game, 2-2 Bath.
Six minutes were added on by the fourth official, and there was still time for one late final twist.
Hornchurch piled the attacking pressure to hunt for all three points with a flying cross into the Bath area, and in deep stoppage time, the ball struck the arm of Parselle, and the referee pointed to the spot for Hornchurch. Cool and calm under pressure, up stepped substitute Darren McQueen, who slotted the ball comfortably low into the bottom right-hand corner past the driving right Wiles-Richards to slot home the winner and spark jubilant scenes around the ground.
Despite all the pressure Bath City gave, Hornchurch maintained their shape and discipline, successfully seeing out the final minutes without allowing the visitors a clear-cut opportunity to equalise, and the referee blew his whistle, sending the home fans happy once again as the Urchins secured their seventh win of the season to remain top and unbeaten in the National League South table.
Full-Time – Hornchurch 3-2 Bath City
Enterprise National League South
Saturday 18th October 2025 | Bridge Avenue
Attendance: 974
