Wealdstone 1 AFC Hornchurch 0

WEALDSTONE reignited their faint Ryman Premier play-off dreams with a gutsy performance at Grosvenor Vale on Tuesday night.

Ryan Ashe's goal after 90 seconds was enough to send Gordon Bartlett's men up to eighth in the table on 49 points, just six off the last play-off spot with seven games remaining.

The manager said it was a 'must win' match if his side were to even entertain the prospect of gate-crashing the top six - and how the players granted him his wish.

It would have been so easy for them to sit back and protect their early lead, but they played expansive, free-flowing football that was perhaps worthy of more goals, even though clear-cut chances were at a premium for both sides for the rest of the match.

"It was a fantastic goal by Ashey," said Bartlett. "He ran so far to get onto the end of the cross and it was a great header. I was pleased with the way we played and I was confident we would not concede."

The Stones defence, marshalled by the outstanding Alan Massey, mopped up countless long balls from their play-off rivals, reducing Sean Thomas to a mere spectator for long periods.

And, in all honesty, the result never looked in doubt after Ashe converted with less than two minutes on the clock. Davis Haule collected the ball on the left and fired in a wonderful cross for Ashe to nod past Urchins keeper, Darren Behcet.

Greg Ngoyi should have done better when played through on goal, but his low shot was snaffled up by Behcet.

Stones used the increasing wind to their advantage and James Gray and Ashe both had half chances before skipper Gray was yellowcarded for a cynical block on a visiting forward.

Hornchurch winger Elliot Styles was the next name down in referee Colin Lymer's book for a crude attempted elbow on Kieron Forbes, as frustrations started to boil over.

Kris Lee fired a warning shot early in the second half as the heavens opened, while the flow of the game became disrupted by Lymer's penchant for blowing up over innocuous challenges.

With 20 minutes left, Lee blew the Urchins' best chance of the game, pulling his low shot well wide after taking advantage of a rare error by the water-tight Stones defence.

On the few occasions Hornchurch got to the byline, either McCoy or Massey made goal-saving headers, and the hosts then expertly ran down an inexplicable four minutes of added time to secure what may prove to be a pivotal win in their quest for the play-offs.

Wealdstone: Thomas,McCoy, Chappell, Gray (cpt), Massey, Ashe,Forbes, O'Leary, Haule (Clarke,90), Ngoyi, Hicks.