HORSHAM 1 CROYDON ATHLETIC 5

HORSHAM U18s:
Dominic Burchell, Matt Dingle (Ali Green), Danny Bryant (Sam Lee), George Magnus, Niall O'Hagen, Michael Dale, Matt Whiteford, Jay Brynin, Dean Wright, Elliott Hawkes (Jordan Williams), Pat Surlis.
Scorer: Green

Horsham Youth went into this game with Croydon Athletic without seven players and, despite a 5-1 defeat, came out of the match with plenty of positives.

Horsham gave a debut to Under 16s goalkeeper Dominic Burchell with team-mate George Magnus keeping his place in the centre of defence following his good performance a week earlier at Burgess Hill. A further three players from the Under 16s side took their places on the bench.

Croydon, one of the front runners in the League with only one loss in eight, started the game at a fast pace with plenty of loud vocals from their players but Horsham were not to be intimidated and matched their opponents in the early stages with the Hornets' only moment of danger coming when Matt Dingle, who had a good game after moving to the full back position, made a clearance off the line to save his team from going behind. The Hornets were looking to take the game to Croydon with both wingers, Matt Whiteford and Pat Surlis, looking dangerous. It was a cross from Whiteford that gave Horsham their best chance of going ahead but striker Elliot Hawkes saw his shot saved. Croydon now began to take a stronger grip on the game and were looking powerful on the right flank where their winger had plenty of pace and strength and it was a cross from the right that forced Horsham into a second clearance off the line with Magnus being the player in the right position this time.

The end to end football continued and the Hornets had a decent shout for a penalty turned down after a challenge on Dean Wright. Just minutes later, Athletic went ahead after some calamitous defending and when Horsham failed to clear a ball in the box Croydon striker Dan Moody took his chance. The visitors, now with the confidence of being ahead, started moving the ball with more composure and another cross from the right forced Burchell into making a good punch to clear the ball to safety. Ten minutes before half time Croydon scored a second goal, following a corner, with Navid Zandi netting for his team and the two sides went in at the break with the Hornets two goals down.

An injury to left back Daniel Bryant meant Horsham introduced a third Under 16 player, Sam Lee, to the game. Horsham again started the half in decent fashion with skipper for the match Jay Brynin leading by example in central midfield as the Hornets made an attempt to score the all important third goal. But it was Athletic who made sure there would be no comeback as Moody put them three goals to the good. With there being no doubt as to which way the points were now going the visitors showed the advantage of being an academy team who train three times a week as they totally dominated the game for a long spell, putting the Horsham defence under constant pressure, but Magnus and Niall O'Hagen in central defence both put in solid performances.

Eventually the home defence did succumb to another goal, again following a corner which resulted in a superbly taken header from Kieran Ogunkoya. Hawkes was replaced by Jordan Williams as the Hornets continued to work hard and play football as they searched for a consolation goal but, unfortunately, it was Athletic who scored again with Moody completing his hat trick. Horsham made their final substitution and reshuffled the pack as Dingle was replaced by Under 16s top scorer Alex Green, with Williams dropping back to the full back position. The lively young striker made an instant impact as Wright put him through on goal but his effort went straight at the 'keeper. Minutes before the end, the Hornets had another chance as Green again found his way into the box and this time struck his shot wide of the Croydon stopper where the ball hit the post before being cleared away but the linesman, who was in a good position, adjudged the ball to have already crossed the line to give Green a goal for the Under 18s on his debut and the Hornets a deserved reward.

Despite the heavy defeat manager Ivan Raby was happy with his team " I was pleased with the way the lads applied themselves against a strong side. We kept going to the end, trying to play football. We had to make a lot of changes but everyone did well, with the younger players getting a taste of the football they will be stepping up to next season"

NEXT MATCH: v Leatherhead (a) Thursday 14th February ko 7.45pm