Match Report: Clinical Hornchurch End Uxbridge’s FA Cup Dream
Uxbridge 0–4 AFC Hornchurch | Emirates FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round
Saturday 17 October 2026 | Attendance: 863
It was one of those days where the scoreline paints a brutal picture, but the story on the pitch was far more frustrating for the home crowd. Uxbridge came into this cup tie brimming with confidence, protecting a fine home record that had seen them unbeaten at Honeycroft in all competitions since January. However, drama struck before a ball was even kicked when George Moore picked up an injury during the pre-match warm-up. In a true test of character, Moore shook it off to take his place in the starting lineup, but AFC Hornchurch ultimately showed why they sit higher up the non-league pyramid, putting on a clinic in ruthless finishing to run out 4–0 winners and march into the FA Cup First Round Proper.
Uxbridge actually started like a house on fire in front of a noisy crowd of 863. Right from the opening whistle, the Reds looked determined to cause an upset, with Francis Amartey giving his marker nightmares down the right flank. Inside the very first minute, Amartey beat his man and pulled a tantalizing ball back into the box for George Moore. The keeper parried Moore's strike, and Trevan Robinson got to the loose ball first, only for Arthur Nasta in the visitors' goal to save that as well, setting off a desperate goalmouth scramble where Robinson just couldn't get the ball under control enough for another clean strike before Hornchurch frantically hacked it away.
Just sixty seconds later, Amartey came even closer. Taking matters into his own hands, he twisted and turned the defenders before firing a low drive that smashed against the base of the post, with the Hornchurch goalkeeper gathering the loose rebound just in time. Uxbridge kept pouring the pressure on through a series of set pieces, but luck simply wasn't on their side. Jack Burchell found himself in space in the box just minutes later from a short corner only to shoot straight at the keeper, while Cole Brown hooked another volley over the bar.
That goal seemed to suck the wind right out of Uxbridge's sails, and Hornchurch seized complete control of the tempo. Eight minutes later, a swift sequence of one-touch passes through the middle sliced the home defence open. Morris produced a fantastic diving save to deny the first effort, but Charlie Pegrum reacted quickest to the loose ball, tucking the rebound into the bottom corner for 0–2.
Uxbridge tried their best to mount a response before the break. Amartey continued to do damage on the wing, setting up Brown for a hit that took a massive deflection and looped inches over the bar. Trevan Robinson then showed brilliant strength to muscle past his man down the left, but his cross-shot drifted wide of the target. Just when it felt like Uxbridge might grab a lifeline before halftime, Hornchurch hit them with a knockout blow in the 39th minute. Another deep delivery floated over to the back post found Dominic Poleon completely unmarked to slide the ball home, sending the Urchins into the dressing rooms
with a commanding 3–0 cushion.
HT 0-3
Danny Edwards threw Brian Nelson into the action for Eddie Allsopp at the interval, and the half started in similar fashion to the first, with Uxbridge creating chances. Four minutes in, Ciaran Martin whipped a dangerous ball into the box. Robinson timed his jump perfectly and powered a header goalwards, forcing Arthur Nasta in the Hornchurch goal into a brilliant full-length save before the rebound was dramatically cleared off the goal line. Two minutes later, Toby Nnadozie found himself free on the edge of the penalty area; he drove into the box and rattled the upright for the second time in the match—it was probably at that point the home faithful realised it wasn’t going to be their day.
Despite all that home pressure, Hornchurch showed zero mercy on the break. In the 52nd minute, a long ball over the top caught the Uxbridge backline out, allowing skipper Tom Wraight to race through on goal and calmly slot past Morris to make it 0–4 and end the match as a contest. To make matters worse for the Reds, captain Sam Deadfield picked up two quick bookings in the space of a few minutes, getting his marching orders for a late trip on the hour mark. Although there were certainly doubts as to whether the second infringement was him at all—a case of mistaken identity really compounding the day’s events.
To their credit, down to ten men for the final half-hour, Uxbridge dug deep to avoid further damage, though Hornchurch came close to a fifth when a low effort hit the post from Alfie Massey and a header from Hearn that clipped the top of the bar on 66 minutes.
The match then drifted towards the inevitable conclusion, with Hornchurch seeing plenty of possession, and Uxbridge sitting back to avoid further damage. However even down a man,
The Reds kept searching for a consolation goal right up until the final whistle. In the 90th minute, another great save by the Hornchurch keeper sparked a chaotic scramble on the line, before substitute George Winser slid in at the far post with the keeper beaten, only to watch his effort fly high and wide. It capped off an afternoon where the ball simply wouldn't go in for Uxbridge, bringing a frustrating end to a memorable FA Cup journey.
FT 0-4
Uxbridge: Morris, Brown, Martin, Burchell (Duffy), Massey, Nnadozie,Robinson (Lawal), Deadfield, Amartey (Winser), Moore (Prior-Tack), Allsopp (Nelson). Unused Subs: Coomes, Orlowski
