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reporter: Jim Bravery
Eastbourne Borough were the hosts for their first home friendly of the
new season, having already played three away games prior to this one -
winning two and drawing the other - and marked the occasion by
donating the day's gate receipts towards the campaign against the
closure of sections of the local district hospital.
The game got underway with Horsham kicking into a stiff breeze, minus
key players such as Lee Carney, John Westcott and Carl Rook and
impressive midweek trialists Chamal Fenelon and Gary Cook. With
Fenelon having played for the Priory Lane outfit last week, it would
appear that it is not only John Maggs who the ex-Crewe trialist is
trying to impress !
Borough’s first attack saw the lively Crabb brothers making inroads
toward the Horsham penalty area. Their presence, control and electric
pace was to be a feature of the match that the home side probably felt
they had done enough to win but they will find the new season
difficult if they don’t convert some of the clear cut chances they
managed to create. Yet it was the Hornets who struck first after just
3 minutes when a long clearance out of defence found the experienced Neil Jenkins caught in two minds
and an apparent lack of a call from goalkeeper Lee Hook led to a total
misunderstanding between the two players enabling Dave
Labranche
to slot the stray pass into the empty net before Andy Ballard could
get in a challenge, much to the
delight of the travelling fans who had made the trip to the coast.
A fifty yard crossfield pass by Lewis Taylor almost let Nigel Brake
in, the defender's effort going out of play for the first of a brace
of corners in quick succession, but the scores were soon level when,
just a minute after making a routine save from a free kick, Alan
Mansfield was left to pick the ball out of the net when Pat
Harding
finished off a brilliant left footed cross by Nathan Crabb, his
beautifully placed header giving the Hornets stopper no chance at all.
With only eight minutes gone, one might have thought there was going
to be a hatful of goals but, apart from a couple of shots that hit the
woodwork and some unbelievable misses, the score would remain the same
at the final whistle.
Mansfield prevented Harding from giving the hosts the lead with a fine
full length save and only a hasty clearance from Ballard denied
Labranche another opening. The Conference South side took control of
the next twenty minutes as numerous openings were either wasted or
intercepted by the Hornets' defence. Matt Crabb should have done
better than to head wide when well placed and that was followed by a
cracking long shot from Andy Atkin that caught everybody by surprise,
cannoning off Mansfield’s far post and out to safety and Nathan Crabb
had two good chances that failed to trouble Mansfield. Horsham won a
free kick on a rare foray into the Borough half and the well rehearsed
kick that was so successful last season almost worked again as Geard’s
floated cross reached Gary Charman on the edge of the area and his
header into the box found acting skipper Kevin Hemsley falling
backwards and rifling in a volley that just cleared the bar. How
fitting it would have been for the ex Borough player to score on his
return to Priory Lane. At the other end, Atkin wasted a couple of good
chances and Matt Crabb went through on goal only to threaten the
corner flag with his shot rather than the isolated Horsham 'keeper as
half time approached. However, the visitors might have gone in to the
break ahead when Charman hit a perfect pass from right to left wing,
finding Brake who hit a teasing low cross into the box, and Labranche’s first time volley went narrowly over the crossbar.
H/T:
Eastbourne Borough 1 Horsham 1
The second half got underway with Horsham making three changes, Eddie
French taking over the captain's arm band in replacing Hemsley, Stuart
Myall came on for the injured Geard while Yinka Salaam made way for
Tom Graves. Mansfield was called upon to make a good save, low down
from Atkin, after 48 minutes but that was the last action for the big
striker as Danny Leach took over to partner Harding up front. Charman
took a knock soon after that needed treatment before he was able to
continue and, while this was happening, Borough made another couple of
changes, Seb Kazemi and Alex Keane coming on for Darren Baxter & Neil
Jenkins respectively. Andy Howard conceded a free kick just outside
the area and the finishing shot saw Mansfield completing a save at the
second attempt to keep the scores level.
Horsham almost created a goal when a long cross from Brake found
Charman who knocked the ball into the path of Graves but his effort
went just wide of the post. Charman then wasted what appeared to be a
great opportunity when Lee Farrell worked a good pass to the unmarked
winger but instead of controlling the ball he went for the spectacular
volley and missed the ball completely earning some predictable jeers
from the home supporters. Sadly, Charman appeared to have pulled a
muscle attempting to execute the spectacular finish and Maggs wasted
no time in replacing him with Dean Wright with twenty minutes
remaining.
Shots at each end from Matt Crabb and Graves were comfortably claimed
by the respective 'keepers before Darren Baker was introduced in place of
Ballard. Wright had a great chance to finish off a good move he
himself had started by picking the ball up midway inside the Borough
half and slipping a great pass out to Taylor who was overlapping down
the right. When the midfielder chipped the ball back to the edge of
the area, Wright had continued his run but hit a volley that
unfortunately cleared the bar by a good few yards. At the other end,
French made a poor pass that went straight to Matt Crabb who rounded
the advancing Mansfield and squared the ball across the six yard box
for the tap in but, amazingly, some last ditch covering from the
Hornets rearguard averted the danger and got the ball away to safety.
Borough put Dean Brooks on in place of Nathan Crabb with just over ten
minutes to go, the Borough winger deserving the applause from the home
supporters for his contribution in the game.
Chances continued to be created at either end during the latter stages
and Myall's corner beat the Borough defenders only to elude the
lunging leg of Graves and, with time running out, Mansfield again come to
the Hornets' rescue clutching a corner from Matt Crabb and then
following that up with a double save from Harding. Farrell managed to get
away from his marker but only won a corner while another chance for
the home side saw Leach put a good pass to the unmarked late sub
Brooks but he somehow steered his effort wide of the post. The final
Borough substitution saw Ethan Strevett replace Marc Pullan. With only
a couple of minutes remaining Horsham almost fashioned a last minute
winner but Howard’s header from Taylor’s corner was saved by Hook.
NEXT MATCH: v Herne Bay (h) Tuesday 31st July ko 7.45pm |
