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Report
By Bailey Howard
Hornchurch progressed to the fourth round in the Essex Senior Cup on Tuesday night after an impressive performance away at Redbridge, as Darren McQueen stole the show with a stunning hat-trick to secure a 3-1 win for the Urchins.
Manager Daryl McMahon made several changes to the starting Eleven following the 3-2 weekend Win against Bath. Rhys Byrne was in goal, with Henry Sandat also given the nod up front alongside McQueen, with Myles Weston, Henry Hearn, Tom Wraight and Harry Gibbs all being rested on the bench, while Nathan Betrum-Cooper returned to the line-up from injury in defence.
The game got underway, and it was the home side who struck first at Oakside Stadium on the eighth minute as Redbridge forward Ogunwomoju pounced on a loose ball and put the ball into the net past Rhys Byrne to put the Motormen 1-0 up and briefly stun the visitors.
But Hornchurch responded immediately, and in some style. Just two minutes later, a perfectly measured ball over the top from Gile Phillips released Darren McQueen, who calmly poked the ball and slotted it past the onrushing Samuel Nwabuko and into an empty net to level the scores and restore order for the Urchins.
From there, Hornchurch grew into the game and Harry Brooke was called into action with a vital block in the thirteenth minute to deny Redbridge a second, before Charlie Ruff saw a deflected effort roll just wide of the post up the other end. The resulting corner found Ruff again, but his header flew over the bar.
Hornchurch took the lead on twenty-seven minutes after some sharp link-up play as Charlie Ruff turned provider, threading a clever ball through to McQueen, who struck first time on the turn with a rocket shot that rifled past Nwabuko and into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 Hornchurch and complete a first-half brace.
The Urchins had chances to extend their lead before the break with McQueen constantly getting involved as he squared the ball to Henry Sandat after breaking the defensive line, but the young striker was crowded out before he could pull the trigger.
Just before the half-time whistle, Sandat was fouled 20 yards out and took the resulting free-kick himself, but his low effort hit the wall.
Half Time – Redbridge 1–2 Hornchurch
The second half started much like the first ended, with Hornchurch in control. Within minutes, the visitors nearly had a third as Gile Phillips sent a header just wide, before Henry Sandat rattled the crossbar with a fierce strike that left Nwabuko rooted to the spot.
In the fifty-fifth minute, Charlie Pegrum tested Nwabuko, but his effort was comfortably saved and exactly from that Redbridge mad a defensive mistake and Sandat punished and turned to be the creator once more, whipping in a dangerous ball from the right and McQueen arrived in the box to meet it and made no mistake, slotting home past Nwabuko to complete his hat-trick and all but to nearly seal Hornchurch’s passage into the next round.
Daryl McMahon made a triple substitution shortly after the hour mark, introducing Myles Weston, Angelo Balanta, and Henry Hearn in place of Charlie Ruff, Darren McQueen, and Harry Brooke to rotate his squad with one eye on Saturday’s upcoming league fixture.
Redbridge, though, pushed late on in search of a way back, with Nandi firing over from range in the seventy-sixth minute, but the Hornchurch backline stood firm.
Despite three added minutes at the end, the referee blew his whistle. A well-earned cup victory for Hornchurch, who have booked a spot in the next round of the Essex Senior Cup and now turn their attention back to the National League South this Saturday as we welcome Hampton & Richmond to Bridge Avenue.
Full-Time – Redbridge 1-3 Hornchurch
BBC Essex Senior Cup
Tuesday 21st October 2025 | Oakside Stadium
Attendance: 122
