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reporter:
Mark Wells
Horsham’s winning home run came crashing to a halt against an
impressive Staines side who took full advantage of an
uncharacteristically below-par performance from their hosts to run in
four goals and leapfrog them into second place in the Ryman League
Premier Division table. The Hornets also contributed to their own
downfall with a series of unforced errors that gifted the visitors at
least three goals and, although threatening an unlikely comeback at
1-4 down, they finished well beaten by a side who have lost just once
this season.
Horsham were unchanged from the team that defeated Wealdstone at the
weekend although boss John Maggs was able to include Lee Farrell in
the squad for the first time since August 25th. Staines had developed
a reputation as being a difficult side to beat this season and, in
former Walton & Hersham striker Mark Nwokeji, boasted a player who was
capable of causing the home defence plenty of problems…as Kevin
Hemsley and co were to find out during the course of the 90 minutes !
The Hornets kicked off the match on a pitch covered with a low layer
of mist, defending the Cowshed end of the ground, and it was the
visitors who might have taken an early lead when Victor Asombang put a
free header wide after just 3 minutes. The Swans adapted far quicker
to the conditions than their opponents and were pinging the ball
around with great control and accuracy on a pitch made slippery by the
day’s heavy rainfall. Jacob Mingle made a vital interception inside
his own penalty area after Hemsley lost possession of the ball and
Alan Mansfield had to push Gareth Risbridger’s shot behind for a
corner as the visitors continued to threaten. Gary Charman produced
Horsham’s first real effort on goal on 18 minutes when he fired over
the top but, inevitably, it was Staines who took a deserved lead just
two minutes later when a cross from the right by Marc Charles-Smith
was nodded home at the near post by Victor
Asombang.
Horsham’s frustrations continued when Mingle sent a free-kick over the
bar and the same player produced a similarly disappointing finish to a
rare free-flowing move by the hosts. But they were to conjure up a
surprise equaliser, just 5 minutes after going behind. A strong run by
Nigel Brake ended with the ball finding its way to the far post where
Mingle and John Westcott seemed at sixes and sevens with each other
before Westcott took control and crossed low in to the goalmouth where
Carl Rook
was on hand to steer the ball home from close range.
The home side were given little time to dwell on their good fortune as
Mansfield’s fine save from Nwokeji’s volley presented Staines with a
corner that was to see them regain the lead in the 29th minute.
Westcott was dispossessed after picking up the headed clearance and
Andre Scarlett
was allowed to run at the defence before playing a one-two with a
team-mate and sending a low shot through the legs of Andy Howard and
into the bottom corner of the net. Horsham were stunned and Brake’s
slip almost let the Swans in for another goal, moments later. A poor
kick from Mansfield, and a mistake by Hemsley, put the home goal under
further pressure as Maggs’ side looked a pale imitation of the team
that had so comprehensively outplayed Hastings and Wealdstone in their
two previous matches. Visiting goalkeeper Shaun Allaway, once a
£300,00 signing by Leeds United, kept Lee Carney at bay with a good
low save from a well struck free-kick but Mansfield remained the
busier of the two ‘keepers, saving another effort from Nwokeji with
Brake hacking the loose ball away to safety from the foot of the post.
Some fine skill from Simon Austin saw him control a difficult pass
before turning well and hitting a shot that was saved by Allaway’s
legs but the visitors were to have the final say of the half when
Brake was dispossessed on the goal-line and
Risbridger
was on hand to shoot in to the empty net after Mansfield had saved
Asombang’s close range header.
H/T Horsham 1 Staines Town 3
Horsham had destroyed Wealdstone’s hopes of a second half comeback on
Saturday with a goal immediately after the restart but they were to
find themselves on the receiving end this time with Staines taking a
three goal advantage after 48 minutes. Again it was the Hornets
defence that was culpable as a misplaced pass by Hemsley was returned
to the dangerous
Nwokeji
who took two touches to set himself up to crash a twenty yard shot
past the diving Mansfield for his 10th goal of the season. There then
followed ten minutes of gung-ho football that might, should, have
resulted in more than just the one further goal that came from the
boot of Charman on 56 minutes. The winger, arguably Horsham’s best
player on the night, saw a goal controversially ruled out, just a
minute after Nwokeji’s strike, for an offside call against Austin and
then Westcott somehow contrived to hit the crossbar from Brake’s
inviting cross. A hat-trick of near misses befell the Hornets when
Carney’s flighted cross was nodded back across goal by Charman only
for Rook to completely miss the ball at the far post. Nwokeji
maintained the threat at the other end, dragging a shot wide of the
target after a good run, but Horsham finally achieved the reward their
earlier pressure had demanded when Carney burst through the middle to
release
Charman
who cut back on to his right foot before curling a measured shot
across Allaway and into the corner of the net. Before the game could
be restarted, Maggs sent on Farrell in place of Austin but the former
Lewes striker was to find his chances limited in the half hour that
remained and was booked for dissent within minutes of taking the
field.
Mansfield kept his side in the hunt with another save before Lewis
Taylor came on for Westcott and, within minutes, had fired in a shot
that sliced harmlessly wide of the Swans’ goal. Understandably,
perhaps, the visitors began to make the most of any opportunity to
kill time to the obvious anger of the home fans who unsuccessfully
implored that Mr Laker clamp down on the spoiling tactics. As the game
progressed, Horsham’s attacking threat diminished and Asombang nearly
added a fifth goal for the Middlesex side, shooting across goal from a
tight angle as the hosts continued to make mistakes at the back. A
throw-in by Tom Graves who, like many of his team-mates, had endured a
disappointing night, went straight to an opposing player who won a
corner and a further opportunity to slow the game down while, at the
other end, Rook narrowly failed to connect with Charman’s dangerous
cross. A heavy first touch took the ball away from Farrell as he
looked to latch on to Mingle’s pass and the pacy Dwain Clarke escaped
the attentions of Hemsley to power in a shot that was beaten away by
Mansfield before being replaced by Dean Thomas. Taylor sent in a
fierce volley that was well saved by Allaway following a poor
clearance but, as the mist descended once more, there was no hiding
place for Horsham’s players who must now pick themselves up for
Saturday’s FA Cup 3rd Qualifying round tie at AFC Wimbledon.
NEXT MATCH: v AFC Wimbledon (s)
Saturday 13th October ko 1.00pm |
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