HASTINGS UNITED 1 HORSHAM 0

HASTINGS UNITED:
1.Lee Worgan 2.Danny Spice 3.Jimmy Elford 4.Rhys Whyborne 5.Kevin Rose 6.Danny Williams (Poole) 7. Lee Carey 8.Scott Kirkwood (Cham) 9.John Bradley (Henham) 10.Danny Ellis 11.Russell Eldridge Subs 12.Tom Poole 14.Tom Cusden 15.David Henham 16.Nima Cham 17.Jani Seitsonen
Scorers: Rose (25)

HORSHAM:
1.Alan Mansfield 2.Andy Howard (Myall) 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Tom Graves (Salaam) 7.Lee Carney 8.John Westcott 9.Simon Austin 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman (Mingle) Subs: 12.Stuart Myall 14.Yinka Salaam 15.Dean Wright 16.Jacob Mingle 17.Rob Frankland

reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines

A first half strike by Kevin Rose condemned Horsham to another awayday defeat, their third of the campaign, as Hastings United continued their impressive start to the season. The Arrows have responded superbly since suffering a 6-0 opening day defeat at Billericay, recording home wins against Maidstone, Ashford and Margate and they worked tirelessly to defend that 100% home record once Rose had headed home a 25th minute corner. Yet the afternoon's events were almost overshadowed by a worrying injury to Horsham's Gary Charman who required treatment from paramedics after being felled by Danny Spice's flailing elbow in an aerial challenge that left the winger unconscious amid rumours that he might have broken his jaw. Fortunately, the fears were allayed when he rejoined his colleagues on the bench for the final quarter of an hour of the match to see the visitors battle in vain to produce a late equaliser that would have given the scoreline a slightly more accurate look.

Sadly, this was to be an afternoon to forget for the Hornets who, just five days ago, would have topped the table with a victory at bottom of the league Leyton yet who now sit in 9th place - their lowest of the season after two back-to-back defeats. Already missing the sidelined Lee Farrell and Lewis Taylor, Horsham were forced to kick off the match without the talented Jacob Mingle who had been held up on the way to the game along with Stuart Myall and Yinka Salaam. Add to that the injury to Charman, and two efforts that hit the woodwork, and it all made for a day of frustration and disappointment for the large and vocal following who had made their way up from West Sussex.

Both sides shared even possession during the opening 20 minutes with John Bradley laying off Spice's pass for Jimmy Elford to shoot from distance after just 3 minutes, a deflection making for an easy save for Alan Mansfield. Tom Graves, drafted in for the delayed Mingle, nodded wide at the near post after a nicely worked corner routine involving Lee Carney and Nigel Brake and only a timely header from Spice prevented John Westcott's cross from reaching Charman at the far post. Rook was inches away from getting on to the end of a long throw from Carney before a long diagonal ball in from Elford opened up the Horsham backline sending Danny Ellis racing clear of Nigel Brake, only to be denied by a spectacular save by Mansfield. A disputed corner brought the game's only goal on 25 minutes. Kevin Hemsley appealed for a free-kick, after appearing to have been pushed off the ball, but referee Andy Davies' decision to award a corner proved popular with the home fans who were celebrating their good fortune when the flag-kick sought out the head of Rose who headed home from 8 yards. The Hornets came agonisingly close to an equaliser within 2 minutes when Carney's free-kick was was flicked on by Charman and Elford glanced a misdirected header against Lee Worgan's left hand post. Spice's challenge on Charman brought an angry confrontation between Tommy Warrilow and Arrows' assistant boss Norman Kane, just after the half hour mark, with the linesman stepping in to separate the two men while the unfortunate Charman lay prostrate on the floor before being led from the field by Rob Frankland and Geoff Brittain, Charman's legs resembling those of a punch-drunk boxer. Maggs, no doubt wondering what he'd done to deserve such ill-fortune after the recent injuries to Farrell and Taylor, wasted little time in sending on Mingle for the injured Charman but the remainder of the half was a scrappy affair with a promising Horsham attack broken up by a blatant pull on Graves by former Horsham YMCA player Scott Kirkwood and miscontrol by Horsham's blond haired utility man wasting a good opportunity carved out for him by the combined efforts of Mingle and Westcott.

H/T Hastings United 1 Horsham 0

Simon Austin might have made it 2 goals in 2 games for his new club, 9 minutes after the restart, but he blazed Westcott's pass high over the top from on the penalty spot but there was little else for the Horsham supporters to enthuse about from a game in which their side regularly played into their opponents' hands with misplaced or underhit passes food and drink to the Arrows' uncompromising defence. However, the Hornets  gradually began to enjoy greater spells of possession and when the ball was worked out wide to Westcott his cross was headed over the top by Rook. A free-kick from Andy Howard dropped invitingly for Mingle on the edge of the box but his snatched effort went comfortably wide of the target and a weak defensive header by Spice almost put Austin clear but Worgan was alive to the danger and rushed smartly out of his goal to head clear. When a daisy cutter from Carney thudded against a post with a little under 20 minutes remaining it was becoming evident that it wasn't going to be Horsham's afternoon and Ellis reminded the visitors of their need to defend when he collected Russell Eldridge's pass and surged through the middle before blasting his shot over the top.  The introduction of Stuart Myall for Andy Howard brought the inevitable good-natured barracking of the former Hastings player and he was soon in trouble when Eldridge won the ball on the left touchline and put Tom Poole in the clear. The Hastings debutant, introduced to the action just minutes earlier for Danny Williams, bore down on goal and only Mansfield's legs prevented the hosts from doubling their advantage. A Horsham corner found Mingle delaying his pass and the hard working Hastings side were homing in on goal again, this time Lee Carey shooting too high. Another long ball out of defence and the lively Poole twisted away from Hemsley before rolling his shot across the front of the goal from an acute angle. Horsham really should have equalised when a good move saw the ball played out wide to Westcott who knocked the ball in low towards Rook but, with his back to goal, the big striker chose to ignore the unmarked Austin and turned instead to hit a shot that was deflected over the crossbar by a posse of covering defenders to the chagrin of Mingle who made his feelings know to his team-mate. Chances were being created at both ends of the pitch as the match crept towards its conclusion. Carney shot wide and Mansfield kept his side in the hunt for a point with a fine save from Poole. Another build up down the Horsham right saw Austin's shot deflected back to Carney and his deft chip to the far post picked out Brake, ghosting in unmarked, but he will feel that he should have done better than to head the ball wastefully wide from close range. The Hornets had a late appeal for a penalty turned down by Mr Davies, after the ball appeared to strike Elford 's arm, before Worgan got down well to repel a shot from Carney - Horsham's 'man most likely' - in the final seconds of the game but it was not to be and Horsham will look ahead to next Saturday and the hope that they can bounce back from this mini-malaise as they put league thoughts aside to concentrate on progress in the FA Cup.

More match photos can be found here

NEXT MATCH: v Arundel (h) Saturday 15th September ko 3.00pm