HORSHAM 7 ARUNDEL 1

HORSHAM:
1.Alan Mansfield 2.Tom Graves 3.Stuart Myall 4.Eddie French 5.Andy Howard 6.Lee Carney 7.Jacob Mingle 8.John Westcott (Salaam) 9.Simon Austin (Wright) 10.Carl Rook 11.Nigel Brake Subs: 12.Kevin Hemsley 14.Jamie Baxter 15.Yinka Salaam 16.Dean Wright 17.Rob Frankland
Scorers: Rook (31,68,72 pen), Austin (41), Brake (60), Mingle (66), Wright (90)

ARUNDEL:
1.Ben O'Connor 2.Andrew Boxall 3.Josh Sutcliffe 4.Lloyd Walker 5.Stuart Hack 6.David Walker 7.Robert Grove (Axell) 8.Dave Towers (Towers) 9.Scott Tipper 10.Matt Huckett 11.Mike Huckett (Wimbleton) Subs: 12.Matt Axell 14.Jason Wimbleton 15.Scott Towers 16.Josh Biggs 17.Steve Colbourne
Scorers: Matt Huckett (72)

reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines

Carl Rook bagged his first ever hat-trick for the club as Horsham strolled to their biggest FA Cup victory since 1960 with a 7-1 win against Arundel at a sun drenched Queen Street. Leading by two goals to nil at the break, the Hornets dominated the second period, running in five further goals and creating many more, with teenage striker Dean Wright providing the icing on the cake by scoring his first goal for the club with virtually the final kick of the game.

After two disappointing defeats, Kevin Hemsley found himself relegated to the subs' bench for this match and would have been joined by Nigel Brake, had Gary Charman not been forced to sit out the game after suffering a hairline fracture to the cheekbone at Hastings United the previous week, as John Maggs gave his side a shake up. Stuart Myall came in at left-back for his first start of the season, allowing Brake to take up Charman's customary wide position, with Tom Graves filling the other full-back slot alongside centre-backs Eddie French and Andy Howard. The visitors, currently 4th in the Sussex County League, had already claimed the scalp of Molesey in the Preliminary Round and at least one travelling supporter was confidently predicting another replay, and an Arundel victory, over their Ryman Premier League hosts.

There was a sense of nostalgia about the meeting of these two sides as it was the County Leaguers who provided the very first opposition for Horsham at the Queen Street ground back in 1904 and even lay claim to having scored the first goal in the stadium's 83 year history. Ironically, it was the Mullets who might have broken the deadlock in this match but leading scorer Scott Tipper headed Josh Sutcliffe's deep cross past the post after just two minutes. Graves responded for the home side by firing a shot wide but the opening quarter of an hour was a cagey affair with neither side overly ambitious in the energy sapping heat. Brake was proving a dangerous outlet down the Horsham left and his electrifying pace took him inside the Arundel penalty area only for his cross to deflect up into the air and on to the roof of the net, with French heading the subsequent corner wide. A quick break by the visitors saw Sutcliffe successfully keep the ball in on the Horsham byline before finding Matt Huckett who laid the ball in to Dave Towers' path but the midfielder snatched at the shot, slicing well wide of Alan Mansfield's goal. Horsham were making good use of both flanks with Brake and John Westcott both looking in positive mood and another incisive run from Brake saw Arundel forced into a hasty clearance at the near post and Graves released Simon Austin but the former Maidstone United player could only find the side netting. Mingle's sharp pass in to Rook was neatly laid off to Westcott who couldn't take it in his stride and the Arundel defence breathed a sigh of relief after a further reprieve had seen Rook send Austin scampering through again, only to repeat his effort of earlier, hitting the side of the goal when he might have done better. Referee Martin took exception to Mike Huckett's comments following the shot on goal and promptly booked the Arundel number eleven. Huckett's misery was compounded, just minutes later, when Rook claimed his first of the afternoon, heading home unmarked after being found by Westcott's precise cross. Tipper almost claimed an instant equaliser for his side when he rose to meet Sutcliffe's free-kick but he headed over the top with the goal gaping. Horsham continued to enjoy the bulk of the possession but, despite some strong running into the heart of the visitors' defence by both of Horsham's wide men, all too frequently the ball was cleared by a mass of red shirts and, when the ball did drop to Rook, his drilled cross-shot failed to pick out a colleague in yellow and green. Sutcliffe's outstretched boot denied Mingle what looked a certain goal and  Brake nodded a difficult chance wide from another Westcott cross but the home side got the goal their efforts deserved four minutes from the break when Graves was allowed to carry the ball from inside his own half before finding Rook on the edge of the area. The striker's neat control and touch created a shooting opportunity for himself but the ball rebounded in to the path of Austin who calmly sidestepped goalkeeper Ben O'Connor before rolling the ball in to the empty net. Myall wasted a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 when he curled a free-kick wastefully high and the Huckett brothers combined for Mike to send a right-foot shot the same way as the half concluded with Horsham justifiably two goals to the good.

H/T: Horsham 2 Arundel 0

A quiet opening to the second period came to life on the hour with the first of five goals in twelve minutes. Lee Carney had already gone close with a dazzling, weaving run before he dissected the Arundel back line, playing in Graves who unselfishly squared the ball into the middle where it was turned home by Brake for his first of the season. But the hero turned villain, shortly after, earning a caution for a reckless challenge on Andrew Boxall. Arundel made the second of two early substitutions with Rob Grove following Mike Huckett off the field to be replaced by Matt Axell but, just three minutes later, it was 4-0 when Mingle applied the required finish to a spell of keep-ball from the home side. Rook added a simple third on 68 minutes, turning on to Carney's measured pass to slip the ball past O'Connor and inside the far post and Mingle might have added another when he drifted into the box to get on the end of a return pass from Brake, poking the ball past the post from close range. Number six wasn't long in coming, though, when Westcott was bundled over by Sutcliffe and Rook sent the 'keeper the wrong way from the spot. Suddenly, Horsham's record 10-1 FA Cup win against Southwick beckoned with still some eighteen minutes remaining and the home side dominant in all areas of the pitch. But Matt Huckett caught the Hornets defence napping when, from the restart, he latched on to Tipper's through pass and beat Mansfield from close range but Rook almost made it three goals in a minute when he spooned Westcott's pass over the top from eight yards. That was Westcott's final contribution to the afternoon and he received appreciative applause when replaced by Yinka Salaam with fifteen minutes remaining. Horsham continued to create goalscoring opportunities against their now demoralised opponents and Myall, Carney and French all went close and Brake was denied at the death by a smart save by O'Connor who got down well at his near post. But the final word belonged to Wright, a 53rd minute replacement for Austin, who got one of the biggest cheers of the afternoon when he found himself on the end of Rook's knock down to tap the ball into the net from a couple of yards to open his Horsham account  in this, his 12th appearance for the club. The full-time whistle blew almost immediately and Horsham's supporters were able to look forward to Monday's draw after a first FA Cup victory in almost three years.

More match photos can be found here

NEXT MATCH: v Chelmsford City (h) Saturday 22nd September ko 3.00pm