HORSHAM 0 BILLERICAY TOWN 1

HORSHAM:
1.Alan Mansfield 2.Andy Howard 3.Stuart Myall 4.Eddie French 5.Tom Graves 6.Matt Geard 7.Jacob Mingle (Bolger) 8.Dwain Clarke 9.Lee Farrell (Davis) 10.Simon Austin (Taylor) 11.Gary Charman Subs: 12.Lewis Taylor 14.Yinka Salaam 15.Gavin Bolger 16.Danny Davis 17.Rob Frankland

BILLERICAY TOWN:
1.Ronnie Worster 2.Dave McSweeney 3.Danny Kerrigan (Semanshia) 4.Darren Blewitt (Alaile) 5.Steve Heffer 6.Paul Shave 7.Neil Marron 8.Leon Hunter 9.Rikki Burbridge 10.Billy Bicknell 11.Lee Hodges (Black) Subs: 12.Michael Black 14.Michael Alaile 15.Wayne Semanshia 16.Jamie Dormer 17.Scott Keys
Scorers: Bicknell (16)

reporter: Mark Wells
photographs: John Lines

Famous names from Horsham's past gathered to commemorate the last ever league match to be played at the old Queen Street ground but most of them left disappointed after a fourth successive league defeat that finally extinguished the Hornets' rapidly diminishing play-off dreams. Browning, Parker, Spriggs, Mobsby, Stepney, Osborne, Kirby...all names that evoke magnificent, and sometimes painful, memories for Horsham followers but it is the name of Billy Bicknell that will be permanently etched in the Horsham history books after his 16th minute goal settled this untidy affair to bring an unsatisfactory end to 104 years of football at this charismatic venue.  

A minute's applause was enthusiastically received prior to this match, in memory of all those who had represented and supported the club over the years, before the current side took to the hallowed field for the penultimate time led, fittingly, by Gary Charman - Horsham's longest serving player handed the captain's armband by John Maggs in a touching tribute by the manager.

Having looked favourites to take one of the four play-off places at the start of the year, a spate of injuries, and a failure to strengthen the side, had seen Horsham's chances of promotion disappear and there was plenty of evidence of the club's plight as Nigel Brake, Lee Carney, Ian Payne, Paul Seuke and Kevin Hemsley were all ruled out of this clash with the 11th placed Blues who were looking to secure a league double over their hosts following their 1-0 win in Essex at the beginning of February.

Just 2 minutes were on the clock when Rikki Burbridge had the game's first effort on goal, the Blues striker giving Alan Mansfield a comfortable save, but both sides struggled to make much of an impact on a pitch softened by an earlier shower. Dwain Clarke's 13th minute free-kick was the best the home side could muster in the opening exchanges but Ronnie Worster was equal to the shot, diving across his goal and showing a safe pair of hands in making the catch. But it was an error from Clarke, 3 minutes later, that was to lead to the game's only goal. Already looking out-of-sorts, the former Staines man was comfortably dispossessed by Danny Kerrigan who quickly spread the ball wide to Lee Hodges and the one-time West Ham pro headed for the Hornet's penalty area where he squared for Bicknell to slip the ball past Mansfield from 10 yards.

Burbridge was a bootlace away from making it 2-0, less than a minute later, when Bicknell turned provider, crossing the ball low in to the box but fractionally beyond his strike partner as Horsham's fragility at the back continued. Worster almost allowed the home side back in to the game when he fumbled a long range shot from Simon Austin but the 'keeper was able to gather the ball ahead of the lurking Lee Farrell and a long throw from Stuart Myall saw Clarke's shot blocked with Eddie French's follow up header going wide. Charman went close when he headed Clarke's cross into the side netting but Horsham might have guessed that it wasn't going to be their day when Worster produced an excellent save to turn Jacob Mingle's strike over the crossbar after Leon Hunter's foul on Farrell had earned the hosts a free-kick, and the Billericay man a yellow card.

Half an hour in and Mingle was beginning to create the room in midfield but Matt Geard wasted a fine passing move by shooting wide from 30 yards. A positive break out of defence by Andy Howard was frustratingly ended with an overhit pass to Farrell that ran out for a goal kick but it was the visitors who might have ended the half with a further goal when the impressive Hodges released Kerrigan down the left flank only for Burbridge's swinging boot to send the shot out of the ground when well placed.

Charman followed that by sending in a left foot curler that gave Worster few problems in the Blues goal and the half ended with just the single goal dividing the sides.

H/T Horsham 0 Billericay Town 1

Supporters were given a glimpse of the future as the club's youth squads were paraded on the pitch during the interval and, upon the resumption of play, Maggs introduced attack minded midfielder Lewis Taylor for Austin but it was more uncertain defensive play from the Hornets that almost let in Billericay, just 3 minutes after the restart, when some unconvincing passing outside their own box resulted in French's last ditch tackle preventing Burbridge from troubling Mansfield.

Clarke wasted a terrific crossfield pass from Charman, now playing up front alongside Farrell, when his poor touch enabled Kerrigan to dispossess him and Hodges quickly released Bicknell down the left to race in and fire narrowly over the crossbar. Charman's determination created another opportunity when he nicked the ball away from Hodges and exchanged passes with Taylor but his low pass in to the box was cleared and Geard's cross was comfortably claimed by Worster.

A comical error by Mansfield presented Billericay with a dangerous free-kick, inside the penalty area, when he fumbled a headed backpass from Myall. The defender put his foot on the ball, Mansfield picked it up, and referee McGann deemed the touch to have been a backpass. The 'keeper's embarrassment was spared with a sensational save, diving full length to his right to turn Darren Blewitt's curling strike behind for a corner.

An element of niggle was slowly creeping in to the game and Burbridge was cautioned for catching Graves with a flailing arm before Geard was flattened on the edge of the Blues' penalty area to signal a bout of 'handbags' between Farrell and Hunter. Geard and Steve Heffer were lectured by the referee but the tone was set and Geard and McSweeney tangled once more before the full-back landed a headbutt on Geard in front of the main stand. Farrell, again, arrived on the scene as did players from both sides as an unsightly brawl ensued. Hodges appeared to land a punch on Mingle as he and Taylor tried to wrestle Burbridge away, with stewards and both benches intervening to try and restore order, before Geard and McSweeney were shown the yellow card.

Mingle and Farrell were promptly withdrawn, with Gavin Bolger and Danny Davis joining the fray, but the visitors had the ball in the net again when Burbridge rose unmarked to head Hodges' free-kick past Mansfield only for his effort to be wiped out for offside. Charman was cautioned for catching Paul Shave with a sliding challenge though, thankfully this time, the incident passed off peacefully with Mr McGann allowed to deal with the foul accordingly. Burbridge continued to cause problems for the home defence and was narrowly off target with a 70th minute header but the attention began to turn towards events off the field as scores of home fans headed towards the much loved Cowshed end, led by 'The Messiah' (aka supporter Dave Clarke) bedecked in beard and white robes as they took up their places behind Mansfield's goal. Before long, the open terrace was a riot of colour and noise with scarves, flags, luminous wigs and  flares that filled the air with green and yellow smoke to the accompaniment of scores of horns that turned Queen Street in to a scene more reminiscent of the San Siro on 'derby' day. If not before, then surely the result of this match had now become an irrelevance to those in attendance and it was a case of enjoying what was left of their time at what had, for many, become their second home.

Back on the pitch, a mix-up between Worster and Heffer saw the ball cannon off of the 'keeper's chest but, sadly for the home fans, fell kindly to a Billericay shirt. Worster made the most of a challenge from Charman to eat up a few minutes before Hodges drilled a low shot wide of Mansfield's left hand post. Another injury, this time to Kerrigan, saw play held up for treatment for the full-back whose subsequent substitution gave Wayne Semanshia the final 8 minutes of the action, long enough to get himself booked for a foul on Geard. Horsham's attempts at finding that equalising goal became more frantic but it was the Hodges inspired Blues who looked most likely to score and Neil Marron's clever touch almost sent Bicknell in for his second of the game but Mansfield was alert to the danger.

Hodges took well earned applause when he left the action with 2 minutes remaining and, job done, he sat back to watch Bicknell almost charge down Bolger's underhit backpass before a late flurry of corners had the home fans almost willing the ball in to the net. An equaliser then would surely have started to dislodge Queen Street's foundations a few weeks early, such was the mix of emotion, passion and frustration around the ground, but a flying save by Worster, from Charman's header, was as close as they came and, at 4.50pm, Mr McGann's whistled signalled the end of an era.

After the game, Mingle was presented with the supporters' player of the year award and chairman Frank King made an impassioned speech from the steps of the main stand in which he thanked the fans, players and manager John Maggs for their contributions and support. How many of them return for the season's opener at Worthing's Woodside Road remains to be seen but, what was clearly evident this afternoon was that Horsham Football Club has a huge part to play in the lives of the town's community and the sooner the club is welcomed back home, the better.

NEXT MATCH: v Heybridge Swifts (a) Saturday 26th April ko 3.00pm