A game that looked to be heading for a stalemate went Hornchurch’s way late on in controversial fashion as the home side got the benefit of a dubious offside flag to score the winner via a delivery from the free-kick they were awarded.

Fleet hit the post and were the more likely scorers in the second-half but left without the points thanks to the Urchins’ 90th minute strike.

Josh Wright reverted to the side that had won at Tonbridge, bringing Ben Coker and Kwesi Appiah back in, moving Finlay Barnes and Dom Samuel to the bench.

The closest chance for the visitors arrived with 10 minutes on the clock when a corner delivery from Coker was met by Appiah in the middle who dragged his effort wide of the mark.

Former Fleet top scorer Dominic Poleon hit an effort high while another shot was wide before Tom Dallison did well to stop Angelo Balanta tucking away a cross.

Josh Coley came close to nudging the Fleet in front after some tidy football from the visitors saw Appiah slot a ball into his path but an important block made for a comfortable save for Arthur Nasta.

Coker came close to a spectacular finish when his delivery into the box looped towards the bottom corner but crept narrowly wide.

A chance to open the scoring early in the second-half for the Fleet came when a corner into the area eventually made its way to Coker who curled a ball towards goal. Tom Dallison was up well with a close-range header (pictured) and thought he had found the breakthrough but a superb save from Nasta kept the game goalless. Coley arrived for the rebound but his effort was off target.

Ben Chapman tried his luck with a low first-time effort as a loose ball in midfield sat up for him but Nasta was down smartly to gather that.

The Fleet continued to enjoy much of the second half on top and there was a chance for Josh Passley before substitute Samuel let fly with an effort on 83 minutes that took a deflection on its way to the target and then hit the post on its way out for a corner.

Hornchurch hadn’t really had much of a sniff until Appiah cleared from Tom Wraight in a dangerous position, but Matt Hall also had to pull off a strong save to deny former Fleet man Myles Weston.

However, with the game running out of normal time, the deadlock was broken. With Samuel on the attack and looking to play Charlie Seaman through, a touch from Weston sent the ball away from him. While Seaman was in an offside position, it wasn’t him who took the final touch but the referee indicated a free-kick to the hosts as the linesman flagged, much to Josh Wright’s frustration as he was stood right in front of it. From the resulting set-piece, the ball fell to Angelo Balanta who dragged the Fleet defence out of position and tucked the ball home.

The Fleet pushed for a late equaliser but the three points slipped away from the visitors to leave much riding on Saturday’s visit of Hampton & Richmond Borough to the Kuflink Stadium. 

EUFC: Hall, Passley (Olagunju 87), Dallison, Nelson, Coker, Seaman, Kennedy, Edser, Chapman (Barnes 78), Coley (Samuel 71), Appiah. Subs: Cosgrave, Manktelow, Wyllie, Sandford.
HFC: Nasta, Gibbs, Phillips, Edwards, Ling, Rees, Wraight, Weston, Sandat (Alexander 60), Poleon (Hearn 84), Balanta (Bertram-Cooper 90). Subs not used: Byrne, Greenidge, McQueen, Pegrum
Attendance: 1,220 (254 away)
Images courtesy of Ebbsfleet United/Ed Miller/Tom Harris