FOLKESTONE INVICTA 4 HORSHAM  1

FOLKESTONE INVICTA:
1.Charlie Mitten (Stonebridge) 2.Kevin Watson 3.Roland Edge (Friend) 4.Frankie Chappell 5.Tom Bryant 6.Samuel Kola Okikolu 7.Charlie Glyde 8.Richard Shittu 9.Leigh Bremner 10.Mark Saunders (M.Everitt) 11.Jimmy Corbett Subs:12.Michael Everitt 14.James Everitt 15.Damian Abel 16.Liam Friend 17.Luke Stonebridge.  
Scorers: Saunders (18), Glyde (19), Shittu (30), M Everitt (90)

HORSHAM:
1.Paul Seuke 2.Stuart Myall (Salaam) 3.Nigel Brake 4.Tom Graves 5.Kevin Hemsley (French) 6.Lee Carney 7.Jacob Mingle 8.Lewis Taylor 9.Simon Austin 10.Lee Farrell (Davies) 11.Gary Charman Subs 12.Eddie French 14. Yinka Salaam 15.Andy Howard 16.Steve Davies 17.Ian Payne
Scorers: Taylor (pen, 88)

reporter: Jim Bravery

Horsham’s world came crashing down to earth with a bump at the picturesque Buzzlines Stadium after a mediocre display that seemed a far cry from Monday night's Welsh extravaganza. On a sunny, yet bitterly cold, afternoon Horsham's return to league football created little excitement to warm the travelling supporters among a sparse crowd of 275, the visitors taking the festive spirit too literally and handing out gifts aplenty to their lowly opponents.

Apart from Alan Mansfield, absent after becoming a father during the week, the Hornets were unchanged from the side that impressed the watching millions in Monday's FA Cup tie, and were expected to make light work of struggling Folkestone who sat second from bottom in the Ryman Premier League at the start of play and were without a win in their last eleven matches. However, when Lee Carney misplaced a pass straight to Jimmy Corbett in the first minute, the tone of the match was set. Fortunately, the winger pulled his shot wide of the target, as did Richard Shittu minutes later from a comparable error by Lewis Taylor.

Home goalkeeper Charlie Mitten picked up a mystery leg injury, presumably caused during the pre-match warm up as there was no one near him when he went down, and was replaced by 18 year old Luke Stonebridge for only his second appearance this season. Ironically his other game came in last month's League Cup defeat against Horsham YMCA.

Horsham’s high tempo quality passing game seemed to have been left back in Wales as attempts at constructing attacking moves frequently broke down with a combination of poorly directed passes, a lack of control and some snappy challenges from the hard working hosts.

A rare sortie on the home goal only rewarded the Hornets with a corner after Gary Charman's run at the defence saw the ball deflected behind the goal. The kick, though, was poor and easily cleared. Horsham created their first real chance on thirteen minutes. For once, a neat passing move from Jacob Mingle found Carney overlapping down the right and, as he cut inside, he pulled the ball back to find Simon Austin on the penalty spot. Good control and a shimmy to the right gave him the shooting opportunity but the young 'keeper got his body behind it to make an excellent save and the loose ball was cleared from the danger area by a team mate.

Horsham were made to pay for their slackness on 18 minutes when another pass went astray, sending right back Kevin Watson away on the right before putting in an inch perfect cross onto the head of the unmarked Mark Saunders who gave Paul Seuke no chance from 12 yards out, leaving the Horsham defence questioning each other as to who afforded him so much space. As if that was not bad enough, within two minutes the score had doubled. The ball found its way into the Horsham penalty area, Leigh Bremner’s attempt was blocked but the rebound fell nicely at Charlie Glyde’s feet and he made no mistake, hitting his shot low and wide of the diving Seuke who could only help it on its way into the net .

Hit by this double-whammy, Horsham tried desperately to hit back and earned themselves a free kick, some 25 yards out, but Nigel Brake's shot was headed dangerously over his own bar by the defending Shittu. At the other end, ex-Folkestone favourite Stuart Myall was put under pressure from a deep cross and was relieved as his powerful header was clutched by Seuke from under his own crossbar.

Taylor hit a good cross to the far post only to see Carney attempt the impossible with a volley that failed to trouble the home 'keeper. Charman was the next midfielder to give the ball away with all his team mates in support and, with the Hornets defence exposed, the quick break out should have meant another goal but Corbett had strayed a couple of yards off side to the relief of the Horsham players. Horsham’s casual play continued when a terrible clearance from Hemsley was well punished by the home side. Seuke brilliantly saved from Shittu in a one-on-one but the ball rebounded to the striker who was able to roll the ball just inside the far post for an amazing third goal that had the home fans jumping around with delight after barely half an hour on the clock.

Corbett was booked, soon after, for a foul on Brake and Taylor’s name was also added by Mr Lennard, five minutes later, but the official seemed to have missed the first infringement by Shittu on the Hornets number eight.

Carney managed to set up a couple of chances, the first one finding Lee Farrell in the box and, with his back to goal, Monday's goalscoring hero swivelled and shot but only managed to hit a defender and the ball was cleared. The second effort was cleanly saved by the confident youngster as he plucked Carney’s free kick from the top of Charman’s head. With half time rapidly approaching, a superb through ball found the dangerous Saunders on the edge of the box and he crashed the loose ball into the net to the cheers of the home fans but, this time, the linesman’s flag was raised and the goal was ruled out for offside and, from the restart, Mr Lennard brought the first half to a close with Saunders questioning the official all the way to the changing rooms.

H/T Folkestone Invicta 3 Horsham 0

The second half got underway with Horsham still having a lot of possession but creating little in the final third of the pitch and, although the visitors did show some more urgency after the interval, the home defence were put under little or no pressure. However, Horsham's quest for goals left them exposed to the quick breakaway and they were grateful to Seuke when Shittu beat the offside trap and homed in on goal only for the 'keeper to hold on to the big striker's shot.

John Maggs introduced Yinka Salaam in place of Myall in the 58th minute and, shortly afterwards, the substitute put Mingle through but the home custodian was alert enough to come off his line and clear in the nick of time. A telling Brake cross followed but the watchful Saunders, back defending, made a good clearance. Next it was Hemsley’s turn to be replaced, club captain Eddie French coming on for the final 25 minutes. With Lee Farrell having a quiet day Maggs threw on Steve Davis to try to liven up the non existent attack with less than 20 minutes to go.

With little action to liven the travelling Lardies, they used the time to put their song writing to the test and, with such words as Rook, pasta and house keys in the verses, it did lighten the gloom of a previously uneventful afternoon. A poor challenge from the disappointing Brake earned him another booking as the home team kept pushing forward resulting in a more open game with both sides seeing a lot of the ball. A Salaam cross was made to look easy by Stonebridge and, once his kick went out of play, it was time for two home substitutions; skipper Roland Edge making way for Liam Friend and Saunders coming off for Michael Everitt.

With the match petering out, a harmless looking ball into the path of Davis found Tom Bryant wrestling him to the ground inside the penalty area and referee Mr Lennard pointed to the spot to give the Hornets a slim, if rather belated, lifeline. Taylor calmly sent the 'keeper the wrong way to make it 3-1 but, with only two minutes left, it was always going to be too little too late.

But there was still time for a twist in the tail. As Glyde took the ball into the corner to eat up time, Brake's foul presented Folkestone with a free-kick and, from the resulting cross, the static defence allowed substitute Everitt a sniff at goal and he made no mistake, smashing the ball past the hapless Seuke to make the journey back on the coach a pretty sombre one.

Horsham now find themselves exactly halfway in the league, only three points separating them from Carshalton Athletic who now occupy second to bottom place. The cup run has been excellent for the club's profile but, if promotion is still expected, results against teams at the bottom have got to be gained.  At the moment, 8 wins and 6 losses is not promotion form and, if we are not careful, we could end up scrapping around in the survival places.

NEXT MATCH: v Walton Casuals (h) Tuesday 18th December ko 7.45pm