HORSHAM 3 EAST THURROCK UNITED 0

HORSHAM:
1.Paul Seuke 2.Tom Graves (Myall) 3.Nigel Brake 4.Andy Howard 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Simon Austin 7.Jacob Mingle 8.Lewis Taylor 9.Jean Michel Sigere (Davies) 10.Lee Farrell (Geard) 11.Gary Charman Subs: 12.Eddie French 14.Stuart Myall 15.Matt Geard 16.Steve Davies 17.Alan Mansfield
Scorers: Sigere (6, 55), Charman (46)

EAST THURROCK UNITED:
1.Shane Gore 2.Kris Newby 3.Ashley Dumas (Husno) 4.Ben Wood 5.Steve West 6.Bradley Stevens 7.Rio Alderton 8.Gary Ansell 9.Jamie Richards (Faulkner) 10.Wayne Purser (Martin) 11.Lee Williams Subs: 12.Kurt Husno 14.Steve Harrison 15.Wes Faulkner 16.Danny Harris16.Max Cornhill 17.Keith Martin

Reporter: Mark Wells

Paul Seuke enhanced his growing reputation with a number of fine saves to help Horsham maintain their unbeaten home record against East Thurrock United and, with it, register their first league 'double' of the season. The Hornets' 'keeper proved an unassailable barrier, frustrating the visitors who had recovered well from the setback of falling behind to Jean-Michel Sigere's early strike but, ultimately, their inability to beat Seuke proved their undoing as the home side regained the initiative in the second half to run out comfortable winners and remain within touching distance of the teams above them.

Heavy rain had left this match in doubt, the Queen Street pitch still recovering from the rigours of the FA Cup tie against Swansea City, but, with an increasing backlog of fixtures, John Maggs was a relieved man when an early morning inspection got the thumbs up from the officials and he was further encouraged with the news that Tom Graves, Kevin Hemsley and Sigere had all been past fit to play after recovering from knocks. Lee Carney, though, was forced to watch from the terraces after picking up a one match ban. The visitors were looking to find some consistency under boss John Coventry, the former assistant manager overseeing just two league wins since replacing Lee Patterson back in October, and his side were looking to avenge the 1-0 defeat inflicted on them by the Hornets when the sides met at Rookery Hill earlier in the season.

Another good sized crowd gathered as Queen Street continued its countdown to what many hope will be a spectacular finale and most of them were grateful when Simon Austin hacked the ball clear from Horsham's six yard box after just 3 minutes as the Rocks looked to draw first blood. However, it proved a false dawn for the men from Essex as, in their first meaningful attack, the Hornets took the lead. Ben Wood's intended pass hit referee Lee Rendell and fell kindly for Austin who sent Lee Farrell scampering away down the right. Austin continued his run and collected the return pass from his team-mate before swinging in a right-footed cross that found Sigere, unmarked, to bring the ball down skilfully on his chest and fire low in to the corner of the net for the second goal of his month long loan spell.

Horsham were settling quickly on the clinging surface and, with Gary Charman and Nigel Brake eager to see a lot of the early ball, it was clear that East Thurrock's right-back Kris Newby was going to be in for a testing afternoon. A fine diagonal ball from Jacob Mingle saw Brake earn his side's first corner of the afternoon, one that was cleared from danger at the foot of the post, and Charman's overhit pass failed to make the most of Andy Howard's good position but, as the ball was returned in to the box, Charman's header brought an athletic save from Shane Gore. Some neat interplay in the middle of Thurrock's half saw Charman roll the ball square to Mingle but the midfielder's effort sliced horribly wide of the target and Farrell should have done better when played through by Sigere's flick-on but he shot wide of the near post from the edge of the penalty area.

A minute later, Graves flashed a header wide from Austin's cross and it looked like Horsham's fans were in for another anxious afternoon in which their side were unable to finish off their opponents. An appeal for hands against a visiting defender went unrewarded and a quick counter-attack saw Wayne Purser released in acres of space down the Thurrock left but, after partially evading Graves' challenge, the striker could only find the netting from an acute angle. On 28 minutes, Horsham wasted a gilt-edged chance to double their advantage when Farrell raced on to Mingle's first-time pass and rolled the ball invitingly to the onrushing Sigere whose touch took him away from the covering defenders only for Gore to push his shot away. Following up, Mingle had the whole goal to aim at but was left frustrated as Ashley Dumas recovered to hack the ball off the line and the danger was averted.

The hosts were almost made to pay for their failure to convert the opportunity when a quickly taken corner found the head of skipper Steve West but Seuke was equal to it, reacting brilliantly to produce an instinctive close range save and then having the presence of mind to kick the ball clear to Brake as the ball rebounded dangerously inside the six yard box. East Thurrock were again denied, less than 5 minutes later, when the hosts struggled to clear the ball convincingly and Dumas was allowed to get to the goal line and deliver a terrific cross to the far post where Newby, unmarked, volleyed back across goal only for Andy Howard to clear Lee Williams' cheeky backheel off the line and his follow up shot was kept out by Seuke.

A linesman's flag didn't deter Seuke from making another fine save with his feet, following a Dumas free-kick, before injury caused Graves to hobble off to be replaced by Stuart Myall. Charman received a painful blow to the back from a robust challenge by West, whose angry exchange with Mingle provoked a minor scuffle with several players becoming involved, before Mr Rendell showed the errant skipper a yellow card for his actions to bring an untidy end to a fairly entertaining half.

H/T Horsham 1 East Thurrock United 0

Any latecomers to the second half would have missed seeing the hosts double the advantage given them courtesy of Charman's 8th goal of the season. A positive restart by the Hornets saw Taylor's penetrating delivery picked up by Charman on the flank where he was impeded by Newby and the free-kick was clipped in to the near post for Horsham's long serving player to flash a header past the static Gore to provide the hosts with the perfect start to the second half.

Rio Alderton's frustrations got the better of him when he received a needless booking, bouncing the ball off the back of Austin's head on the touchline, but his afternoon was about to get worse when, just 4 minutes later, Sigere pounced to make it 3-0 in Horsham's favour. Handball by Bradley Stevens gave the hosts a free-kick in front of their own dug-out and Myall's quick thinking released the French U21 international inside Thurrock's penalty area. With the shooting opportunity looking to have escaped him, the on-loan Lewes star showed good feet to side-step two defenders before smashing the ball home to the fury of the visiting 'keeper who lambasted his sleeping team-mates. Farrell might have made it four, shortly after, when a strong run down the left from Brake saw him release the striker with a measured pass but his low shot bobbled past the far post with Gore beaten.

Thurrock replaced the ineffective Jamie Richards with Wes Faulkner, just after the hour, but play was then held up for several minutes when Hemsley was left prostrate on the deck after an off-the-ball incident, unseen by most of the spectators. A head injury had left the Hornets skipper looking groggy, despite treatment from Geoff Brittain, but he remained on the pitch and was almost caught out when Purser slipped away from him inside the penalty area but Brake was quickly on the scene to bang the ball in to touch.

Brake's misdirected header saw Gary Ansell pick out Dumas but the full-back's low drive was well defended by Seuke, diving low at the foot of the upright to keep the ball out, while, at the other end, a high, hanging cross by Brake was only headed out as far as Austin whose instant volley was cleared off the line. A hat-trick beckoned when Charman's pass found Sigere unmarked inside the penalty area but he elected to pass to Mingle and his shot was blocked by Alderton and the crowd were nearly treated to a 'Brakey Special' when Myall's intelligent throw picked up the full-back in centre midfield. Taking one touch to tee the ball up, Brake let fly from some 30 yards, bringing an excellent save out of Gore and warm applause from around the ground.

Slack defending from the visitors saw them concede possession to the rampaging Brake who crossed low in to the box where Ansell stole in in front of Farrell to put the ball behind for a corner. A slip from Howard almost let in substitute Keith Martin, a 70th minute replacement for Purser, but the young defender showed admirable pace and determination to win the race for the loose ball and shepherd it away from the danger zone. Ansell curled an effort too high, in what was by now a rare attack by the Essex side, before Sigere was withdrawn from the action to a great ovation from the crowd - Maggs clearly wanting to protect his prised asset for Tuesday's match trip to Harlow. Former Horsham YMCA forward Steve Davies came on for his 5th appearance of the season.

But it was Sigere's strike partner, Farrell, who was the focus of attention when, with just five minutes remaining, he was caught by Stevens' dangerous challenge whilst on the floor, an act that looked suspiciously like a stamp, leaving stud marks just above Farrell's knee and leading him to leave the field on a stretcher. There were fractious scenes as East Thurrock won a harsh looking free-kick on the edge of Horsham's penalty area with Martin seemingly harbouring a grudge against anyone in a yellow and green jersey. But the incident, and the free-kick, came to nothing. Sub Kurt Husno's run and cross was food and rink for Seuke, who showed a safe pair of hands at his near post, and an effort from Martin rolled almost apologetically back to the Horsham 'keeper as the visitors looked to take something from their brief trip in to West Sussex.

Horsham had a couple of half chances to add to their tally in the dying moments; Davies was denied an opening via a defender's outstretched boot, Taylor's cut back was intercepted before Davies could reach the pass and a Geard free-kick cannoned behind off the back of Charman's head but it was left to the abrasive Martin to have the final say when he latched on to Williams' pass, took the ball round Seuke, then sliced his shot in to the side netting.

NEXT MATCH: v Harlow Town (a) Tuesday 15th January ko 7.45pm