HORSHAM 4 MAIDENHEAD UNITED 1

HORSHAM:
1.Alan Mansfield 2.Stuart Myall 3.Nigel Brake 4.Tom Graves 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Lee Carney 7.Jacob Mingle 8.Lewis Taylor 9.Simon Austin (Farrell) 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman Subs: 12.Eddie French 14.John Westcott 15.Lee Farrell 16.Yinka Salaam 17.Paul Seuke
Scorers: Brake (45), Carney(61,82), Farrell (90)

MAIDENHEAD UNITED:
1.Louis Wells 2.David Clarke 3.Dominic Sterling 4.Dwane Lee 5.Mark Nisbet 6.Wes Daly 7.Ashley Smith (Newman) 8.Darthaniel Brown 9.Emmanuel Williams 10.Yashwa Romeo (James) 11.Ronayne Benjamin (Mafoko) Subs: 12.Serge Mafoko 14.Grant Cooper 15.Lee Newman 16.Gavin James 17.Francisco Ramos
Scorers: Lee (63)

reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines

It was a day of celebration for Horsham after an outstanding display in front of Queen Street's biggest crowd in sixteen years saw the club through to the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. Four quality goals, including a contender for Match of the Day's 'goal of the month' from Nigel Brake, had the massed majority of the 3,379 crowd in seventh heaven as Conference South Maidenhead's cup dreams were left in shreds.

In a week that had seen the media spotlight fall on the club at unprecedented levels, there was a fear that John Maggs' players might fail to do themselves justice on the day but, boosted by the lead given them on the stroke of half-time by Brake's thirty yard 'wonder goal', the Hornets took full advantage of the slope to add further goals through Lee Carney (twice) and Lee Farrell with Maidenhead's solitary reply coming through Dwane Lee's 63rd minute penalty.

With spectators queuing outside the ground more than three hours before kick-off, there was a real anticipation that Queen Street was about to witness an historic event in this final season before being turned over to property developers and, to mark the occasion, players of Horsham's previous FA Cup 1st round exploits were invited to take a bow in front of the fans. Owen Parker and Roy Spriggs, members of the first Horsham side to reach this stage of the competition in 1947, stood alongside Wilf Hugill and Mick Streeter from the 1966 team that played in front of 8,000 fans against Swindon Town in 1966 as the supporters gave each of them a warm ovation.

John Maggs caused something of a surprise when he dropped club captain Eddie French to the bench for this match, alongside John Westcott and goalkeeper Paul Seuke, a decision he admitted was the hardest thing he'd had to do in a week in which television and radio interviews, numerous telephone calls and preparation of the pitch had barely left the popular manager with time to recover from last weekend's illness. Horsham's cause was helped with the news that Lee Newman, so often a thorn in the club's side during his days with Lewes and, latterly, scorer of the Magpies' two goals that ended the Hornets' FA Trophy campaign last season, was kept on the bench after suffering hernia problems although, in ten goal Manny Williams, boss Johnson Hippolyte wasn't short of a quality striker.

Four coachloads of visiting fans helped to create a classic cup-tie atmosphere and, after a minute's silence in respect of the recently departed former Horsham star Den Daubney and murdered teenager Ricky Butler, the visitors got the game underway to a huge roar from the gathered crowd.

A number of  misplaced passes by the home side gave Maidenhead a comfortable start but it was the hosts who had the first effort on goal when Simon Austin headed Stuart Myall's cross straight into the grateful hands of goalkeeper Louis Wells. Carney fired over from distance, after intricate passing between Lewis Taylor and Jacob Mingle, before a mix-up at the back almost presented the Magpies with an open goal. A long punt downfield by Wells was left by skipper Kevin Hemsley for Alan Mansfield but the 'keeper was slow to react and was relieved when Yashwa Romeo's shot lacked the accuracy and cannoned behind for a corner off the ex-Three Bridges' man's chest. From the resulting clearance, a mistimed header from Lee almost let Austin in at the other end but Wells was quickly off his line to clear.

A missed header by Mingle gave Ronayne Benjamin a clear run on goal but the powerfully built striker was stopped in his tracks by a superb covering tackle from the impeccable Brake. Another crunching challenge by the Hornets' full-back began an attack from which they won a corner that saw Maidenhead's defence frantically clear the ball off the goal-line from Tom Graves' improvised backheel. Simon Austin earned himself a caution for recklessly bringing down Benjamin from behind as Horsham began to concede a number of unnecessary free-kicks. Brake's untimely lunge on Williams presented the Magpies with a dangerous looking free-kick but Dwane Lee's shot was weak, rebounding back off the wall and his follow up shot went wide of the upright. Ashley Smith tested Mansfield from range with a low shot and the crowd were on their feet when Carney latched on to a flick from Carl Rook only to be pulled up by a linesman's flag. Frenetic defending by the Magpies' defence saw shots blocked from Gary Charman and Carl Rook and, at the other end, a tantalising cross from David Clarke cried out for a Maidenhead player to get on the end of it but the ball ended up drifting harmlessly out for a goal-kick.

The deadlock was broken on the stroke of half time when play was allowed to continue after Mingle and Benjamin had each other in a headlock and Austin won his side a corner. A quick exchange between Carney and Stuart Myall saw the former send in a low cross that was cleared towards the centre circle where Brake reacted quickest to the loose ball to step forward and send a thunderbolt of a shot past Wells' despairing dive for a sensational strike that had a jubilant Frank King on his feet in celebration, joined in his applause by Sussex cricketing legend Chris Adams, a guest of the long standing chairman. There was just enough time for the shellshocked visitors to restart the match before referee Halliday blew for the end of an enthralling 45 minutes.

H/T Horsham 1 Maidenhead United 0

The importance of the next goal could not be understated and the early stages of the second half were a cagey affair with the occasional half chance created by the visitors and Horsham guilty of conceding cheap possession all too frequently. But the Hornets defence, for whom Myall and Graves were magnificent, stood firm to repel anything that their Conference South opponents could muster and were able to extend their lead just after the hour. A throw-in from Myall looked destined to be guided out for a goal-kick until the ball was stolen away from the dallying defender by Rook who laid the ball invitingly in to the path of Carney, inside the Maidenhead penalty area. A square pass to Taylor was skilfully guided on to Charman at the far post and when his sidefooted effort was spooned up in to the air off of the body of the diving 'keeper, Carney was on hand to produce a stunning overhead kick to send the ball crashing in to the back of the net and the old ground exploded in an orgy of celebration with Carney enveloped by his team-mates.

However, the celebrations quickly turned to despair when, from the restart, Maidenhead went on the attack and won possession of the ball out on the right. A probing cross was helped on by Benjamin, Williams went down under Hemsley's challenge, and Maidenhead had the vital lifeline of a penalty kick. Lee made no mistake from the spot, Gary Charman was booked for his protestations, and Horsham were back to defending their slender single goal advantage. There was no let up in the action as sloppy defending gifted Horsham a corner and only Wells' fingertips prevented Charman from threatening the scoreline with a trademark header. Dominic Sterling incurred the wrath of the home fans when his late tackle sent Carney flying in to touch, an offence that warranted the yellow card duly dished out by Mr Halliday, and Hippolyte took full use of the hold up in play to send on Gavin James in place of Yashwa Romeo.

Carney's deep cross to the far post saw Charman nudged off the ball, amid claims from the partisan crowd that he had been impeded, and Williams cut inside Myall to drag a shot narrowly wide of the post as the game continued to ebb and flow. Benjamin was replaced by Serge Mafoko with a little more than 15 minutes remaining and, shortly after, Lee Farrell came on for the ever diligent Austin to great applause for both players. The introduction of Lee Newman had Horsham fans wondering if the diminutive forward was going to upset their dreams once again when he replaced Smith on 79 minutes but, within minutes of his arrival, Horsham created another superb goal to finally break Maidenhead's resistance. With the ground reverberating to cries of "Horsham, Horsham", Rook received a throw from Charman and sent over a cross that was beyond his team-mates. Carney was forced out wide to retrieve the situation and, playing a neat one-two with Taylor, was suddenly back in the dangerzone waltzing past the statuesque defenders before planting his shot over the advancing Wells to give the hosts a 3-1 lead. Horsham were in dreamland but Charman's celebrations were too excessive for Mr Halliday who promptly booked the player for the second time in the match and the Hornets were set to play out the remaining eight minutes with ten men.

Newman had a sniff of a chance quickly snuffed out by Myall's superb block, which might have made for an interesting finale had it gone in, and Taylor was booked for disputing a free-kick decision as signs of anxiety showed on and off the pitch. The indication of a further four minutes of injury time was greeted with a few whistles from the fans but they continued their vocal encouragement of their side and were rewarded with a fourth goal. Carney had just flashed a shot wide when Myall dispossessed Mafoko and threaded a first time pass in to the path of Farrell who coolly took the ball in his stride before stroking it across the 'keeper and inside the far post. A minute later and it was all over and the fans poured on to the pitch to acclaim their heroes at the end of a pulsating 90 minutes of cup football.

More match photos can be found here

NEXT MATCH: v Eastbourne Town (a) Wednesday 14th November ko 7.45pm