Horsham 4 v Tonbridge Angels 3
Saturday 28th April 2007
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Mark Wells

Horsham will hope to have won over a host of new fans after ending the campaign with an action packed win against Tonbridge Angels on a sun-kissed April afternoon. The newcomers among a healthy attendance of 573, enticed to the Atspeed Stadium thanks to the Club's free admission voucher in the local newspaper, would no doubt have been thrilled by a match that saw seven goals, one hat-trick, a penalty, two sendings-off, two players stretchered off and some outstanding saves from Horsham's Alan Mansfield.

Horsham and Tonbridge had enjoyed a highly satisfactory season, having been jointly promoted from Division One last year, and were vying for the right to finish in eighth spot and the kudos of finishing highest of the three promoted sides with Ramsgate just one place behind. The Hornets hold something of an Indian sign over their opponents, having won each of the previous three league meetings but, in 33 goal striker Jon Main, the Angels had a player who would almost single handedly end that barren run of success with a classy hat-trick.

The opening quarter of an hour of the match was a fractious affair in which referee Irvine Woodward's failure to administer more severe punishment to Angels' Alex O'Brien set the tone for the remainder of the match. With just five minutes gone, an altercation between Jacob Mingle and Ray Powell saw the two joined by players from both sides as a minor skirmish ensued during which O'Brien ran fifteen yards to apparently swing a punch at Mingle, an offence missed by both linesman and Woodward who showed yellow cards to the initial combatants. Three minutes later, O'Brien further enraged the home fans when his obvious foul on Mingle earned the follically challenged centre-back a caution. Nigel Brake and Andy Howard were both left needing treatment in the visitors' first meaningful attack when Main cleverly flicked the ball over Howard's head only to be dispossessed by Brake's covering challenge, a brave tackle that saw the full-back innocently caught by Main's outstretched leg. Although Brake was to recover after a few minutes, of more concern to the Hornets' physio Geoff Brittain, the recipient of an award in recognition of his 2000th match prior to the game, was Howard who suffered concussion and had bitten through his tongue. Clearly unable to continue, the defender was replaced by last year's goal hero against Tonbridge, Tom Graves. The visitors' front pairing of Main and Powell were linking well early on but it was a mistake from young goalkeeper Matthew Bromby that saw the hosts take a seventeenth minute lead. A poor goal kick was returned by Lewis Taylor, over the top of the surprised Angels defence, and when the on-rushing 'keeper mistimed his leap on the edge of the area, Carl Rook was able to nod the ball home despite the efforts of John Beales on the line. At the other end, Alan Mansfield's heroics helped maintain the lead after the Horsham 'keeper performed two miraculous stops in the space of thirty seconds. Fraser Logan's corner was helped on to Powell who got the slightest of touches only for Mansfield to show good reactions to palm the ball away to safety then, as the emphasis of the attack was switched out to the right, Robbie Kember's pass enabled Powell to deliver a wonderful pass to the far post where Main was denied by the diving 'keeper from only six yards. Kevin Cooper might have extended the Hornets' lead but Rook's through ball carried just too much weight and Bromby was able to pluck the ball off the striker's toe while supporters were distracted by the arrival of an ambulance, apparently called to tend a stricken supporter who had collapsed on the sidelines. A fine ball from Nick Barns towards Main was missed by Horsham's skipper, and player of the year, Eddie French who recovered in the nick of time to prevent Powell getting in a shot but it wasn't long before the visitors got back on level terms when Barns picked out Powell on the Tonbridge right and his first time pass saw Main beat Graves to the bouncing ball to direct it over Mansfield's head and into the back of the net. Logan almost grabbed a spectacular second, shortly before the break when Powell's quickly taken free-kick allowed his team-mate time to move into space and send a blistering drive curling inches past the far post with Mansfield beaten. Yet it was the hosts who got their noses back in front on forty-three minutes when a throw-in on the right was played into centre midfield and out wide to Stuart Myall on the opposite flank. A quick advance, and a clever one-two with Cooper, enabled the full-back to send in a teasing cross to the far post where Rook climbed superbly to nod the ball back for Brake to stoop and head home from close range. The bustling Scott Kinch tried his best to get the Angels back on level terms before the interval, winning the ball and releasing Main but, when Graves headed the striker's cross away, Logan's follow-up volley was too high. Tonbridge were to suffer a further setback when Graves' determined run was halted by Jon Heath's strong challenge, the defender staying down in some discomfort before being led from the field on a stretcher with a suspected broken ankle. A total of nine minutes of injury time was played, during which player/manager Tony Dolby came on for the unfortunate Heath, before Mr Woodward's whistle called a halt to the first half's proceedings.

Horsham were hit by a lightning start by the visitors after the interval, conceding twice in the opening three minutes of the half with Main completing his seventh hat-trick of a highly productive season. Scrappy play at the back allowed the forward to grab his second of the game after just thirty seconds, stroking the ball diligently past Mansfield, before a neat exchange of passes with Powell saw him beat the shellshocked goalkeeper again on forty-eight minutes, Main showing just why MK Dons had offered the stylish target man a trial earlier in the year. Dolby's disgraceful tackle on John Westcott rightly earned the boss a yellow card, although the look of amusement on his face at Woodward's gesture indicated that he was prepared to do anything within his power - whether lawful or not - to ensure his side protected their lead. With the tackles beginning to fly in, Hornets boss John Maggs decided to replace Brake with Matt Geard, a brave decision given the fiery left-footer's reputation, but the home side almost fell further behind when Logan outjumped Graves to nod the ball down towards Powell. The ball having dropped behind him, Tonbridge's number nine swivelled quickly to send a terrific overhead shot that was matched by Mansfield's save. As a second ambulance arrived on the scene, Powell's flicked header went wide of the post after Lewis Taylor had failed to meet Main's free-kick. Kinch should have punished more slack marking when he ghosted in unnoticed at the far post to meet Dolby's cross, only to head wide of the target, and Main's lob cleared both goalkeeper and crossbar after turning Kevin Hemsley with ease inside the box. Horsham were struggling to create much in the way of an attacking threat although Westcott received a huge cheer when he turned Dolby inside and out before hitting his cross behind the goal. Cooper then had a goal correctly chalked off for offside, after being put through by Rook's intelligent pass, before another flashpoint between Mingle and O'Brien earned both players a lecture from the referee. Tonbridge's ill-discipline had begun to gather momentum, hardly helped by the example shown by their player/manager, and they were to suffer when, just moments after Kinch had collected a booking, Powell took exception to Myall's raised boot and struck his opponent in front of the linesman to give Woodward little option but to reach for the red card. The visitors' persistent infringements served only to stir up the home fans, whose vocal support increased dramatically, but they were aghast when Westcott fired over from close range. However, their groans soon turned to cheers when Myall was dumped to the floor by O'Brien inside the box and Taylor stepped up to score his second penalty in five days to make the score 3-3 with just six minutes remaining. Logan was immediately replaced by Jack Roberts as the furious Dolby led a group of four players who surrounded the referee in continued protest of the penalty award and, within minutes, Tonbridge were reduced to nine men when Barns received a straight red card for a foul on Geard in front of the main stand. Geard's twenty-yard effort tested Bromby's handling as the home side went for the grandstand finish and he was unfortunate not to win his side a second penalty when he appeared to be upended by Kinch's clumsy challenge. However, justice was seen to be done in the eighty-ninth minute when Myall's corner was played short to Westcott who crossed into the crowded penalty area for Graves to head into the goalmouth where Rook applied the finishing touch to scenes of delight on three sides of the ground. Several supporters thought that Mingle's deflected free-kick had dropped in to the goal, moments later, rather than on to the top of the net and there was just time for one final attack from the visitors but, when Dolby headed down towards O'Brien, the man who had so antagonised the Horsham faithful with his first half display provided them with a moment of humour as he collided with Mr Woodward who put his whistle to his lips and brought the curtain down on an entertaining season that had surpassed all expectations.

Horsham: 1.Alan Mansfield 2.Andy Howard (Graves) 3.Stuart Myall 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Lewis Taylor 7.Jacob Mingle 8.John Westcott 9.Kevin Cooper 10.Carl Rook 11.Nigel Brake Substitutes: 12.Matt Geard 14.Tom Graves 15.Dean Wright 16.Shane Graham 17.Gareth Williams

Tonbridge Angels: 1.Matthew Bromby 2.Robbie Kember (Parks) 3.Jon Heath (Dolby) 4.Alex O'Brien 5.Steve Aris 6.John Beales 7.Nick Barns 8.Scott Kinch 9.Ray Powell 10.Jon Main 11.Fraser Logan (Roberts) Substitutes: 12.Ian Parks 14.Adam O'Neill 15.Jack Roberts 16.Tony Dolby

Goalscorers

Horsham: Rook (17,89), Brake (43), Taylor (84 pen)

Tonbridge Angels: Main (38,46,48)

Attendance: 573