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reporter: Mark Wells
This absorbing Ryman Premier Division
clash went the way of the Hornets for the second successive season
with Jacob Mingle's superb 87th minute strike crowning an outstanding
display from John Maggs' side against one of the division's title
favourites. Unchanged from the side that began the match against
Arundel last weekend, the Hornets remained without the
injured Lewis Taylor and Lee Farrell while Gary Charman returned to
the squad after recovering from his fractured cheekbone. Chelmsford,
second in the table but without an away win this season,
weren't without their casualties either and travelled without Dean
Palmer and Mario Noto whose recent return from a broken ankle
was soured by an unfortunate broken wrist in last weekend's FA Cup tie with
Burnham Ramblers.
After a typically cagey
opening, Ricky Holmes give early warning of his ability when his
purposeful run was curtailed by a tug of the shirt by Eddie French but
Lee Protheroe's free-kick was weak, hitting the defensive wall before
being cleared. A reckless challenge by Stuart Ainsley on Mingle
brought the game's first caution after just five minutes and visiting
goalkeeper, Danny Gay, had to palm the ball away to safety from Lee
Carney's resulting free-kick.
John Westcott, a thorn in Arundel's side
the previous Saturday, looked in confident mood early on with a neat 'Cruyff-style'
turn bamboozling Chris Duffy and a cut back and cross that saw Simon
Austin's goalbound volley blocked by Andy Duncan. And it was from a
Westcott corner that the hosts almost took the lead when skipper Eddie
French's powerful header brought a fine save from Gay who reacted
sharply to prevent Carney from converting the loose ball. At the other
end, Alan Mansfield came to Horsham's rescue when Kezie Ibe took
advantage of a fortunate ricochet to race in on goal but the shot
cannoned away off the legs of Mansfield who spread himself well on the
edge of his eighteen yard box. Protheroe suggested that he might not
be Chelmsford's dead ball expert when he wasted another good position, blasting a free-kick
high over the top following an infringement that saw the Horsham
captain pick up a booking, and the ever dangerous Holmes chased a
seemingly lost
cause to fire in a dangerous ball across the face of goal that eluded
both Jon Keeling and marker Tom Graves. Austin became referee Bull's
third booking of the afternoon when he brought down former Spurs
midfielder Jeff Minton and Aidan Collins followed, soon after, for a
foul on Carl Rook. Holmes, who has recently signed a two year contract
with the Clarets, fired over after a nice one-two with Ibe on the edge
of the box and Austin showed admirable skill at the other end when he
turned sharply to escape the attentions of Protheroe and Ben Sedgemore
before sending a left foot shot high and wide. Rook hooked a
speculative effort just past the goal and, when Mansfield saved low
from Holmes' shot, it looked as if the two sides were destined to go
in to the break on level terms. However, with the respective managers
preparing their half-time team talks, Chelmsford forced a corner on
the left and, when Keeling's cross found Holmes lurking unmarked
beyond the far post, the Clarets' playmaker hit a thunderous volley
that was deflected into the Horsham net via the head of
Ibe who claimed his sixth goal of the season. The goal was harsh on the
home side who had dealt confidently with everything their
opponents had thrown at them during the preceding 45 minutes and, with
the half-time whistle blown less than twenty seconds later, Maggs had
to ensure that his players remained upbeat for the second period.
H/T: Horsham 0 Chelmsford City 1
 Whatever the Horsham supremo said over the half-time cuppa had the
desired effect as it took just nine minutes for the hosts to pull
level. A long ball down the line was flicked on by Austin to Rook who
held the ball up for Nigel Brake to swing in a cross
that was finished tidily by
Westcott, stealing in
ahead of Duffy to send a
left footed shot low into the corner of the net.
Horsham scored three times in eight
minutes against Arundel last week and they might have made it two in
three minutes here when Carney's deep free-kick was nodded back by
Andy Howard for French to launch himself headlong only for Gay to keep
out the header with a splendid reaction save. Gay was at it again,
shortly after, when good anticipation by Westcott saw him take
possession of the ball outside the Chelmsford box and float an
inviting cross towards Rook whose header was destined for the bottom
corner until the former Heybridge Swifts custodian produced a
fingertip save. From the corner, Graves' shot was deflected over as
the hosts, with their tails up, went in search of a second goal.
Horsham had a strong call for a penalty denied them when Austin's shot
appeared to strike Duncan's hands and tempers flared as Myall's strong
challenge on Holmes, from the subsequent clearance, saw the Horsham
man pick up a yellow card. Ibe had a sight of goal when Carney's
challenge fell to the big number nine but, having exchanged passes
with Keeling, Ibe stopped his run when the attack looked to have
broken down and Protheroe's clever pass went harmlessly through to
Mansfield. Horsham continued to work hard to deny their opponents
space and Austin might have done better when home pressure set up a
chance but a lack of composure saw him slice his hurried volley wide
of the post. Both sides made a substitution with a little over twenty
minutes remaining, Keeling being replaced by Bertie Brayley and Gary
Charman coming on for Myall with Brake slipping back into defence for
the home side, and Chelmsford introduced Spencer Knight for Ainsley a
few minutes later. Ibe still looked like the visitors' biggest threat
and a loose header from Austin allowed Holmes to release the striker
but Howard was equal to the task, making a timely intervention before
Minton, whose battle with the excellent Carney had been a fascinating
feature of the game, put in a cross that Ibe controlled well before
skilfully turning Howard and drilling a left foot shot inches wide of
the angle of post and crossbar. Minton went close with a header as the
Clarets went in search of that illusive away win but it was Horsham
who almost grabbed the killer second goal when Westcott's dangerous
cross was tipped behind by Gay and Charman headed Carney's corner wide
from a good position. However, there was to be a happy ending for the
Hornets when an incisive break brought the wining goal, just three
minutes from the end of the game.
 Chelmsford went close with a far
post volley that was blocked and Carney began the charge out of
defence, moving the ball out to towards the right touchline where
Rook's unchecked run took him to the edge of the area before picking
out Carney who had continued his run into the box to set up
Mingle
to sidefoot sweetly past Gay from 18 yards and spark scenes of
euphoria around the ground. Straight from the kick-off, Brayley was
given far too much room on the edge of the Horsham penalty area and
drifted along the face before hitting a low shot just past the post
with Mansfield beaten. Sedgemore was lucky to escape with only a
booking after lashing out at Mingle, following a foul by the Horsham
man that also earned him a caution, and Rook became the final player
to go into Mr Bull's notebook after being adjudged to have taken a
dive in the Chelmsford penalty area but nothing could take away the
delight among the Horsham players and supporters at the final whistle
as they had once again upset the odds to defeat one of the division's
fancied teams and maintain their 100% home record for the season. The
win lifts Maggs' side up into fourth place, a point above Chelmsford
but still four behind surprise early season pacesetters Hendon.
NEXT MATCH: v East
Thurrock United (a)
Tuesday 25th September ko 7.45pm |
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