Horsham, last season's beaten finalists in this competition, missed out on a chance of revenge against holders Lewes in the quarter-finals going down to defeat in extra time in their third round clash at Hanbury Stadium.

Horsham moved Elliot Hawkes back to a forward role to replace the injured Dean Wright and young Adam Hutchings was selected to play alongside brother Danny in midfield for the tie and Horsham settled quickly and were soon in control of the game in central midfield, passing the ball around well and were able to put together some decent passages of play. But, not for the first time this season, they were unable to make the final pass for a strike on target and the teams went in all square at the break.

The second half saw Heath starting to close down the ball quicker to deny the Hornets time to play their passing game and the match started to lose shape with Horsham having to defend the Blues' long ball game. Tony Nwachukwu replaced Hawkes up top and, soon after, the Hornets had to reshuffle the pack when they lost influential defender Tom May to injury. The final third of the game saw Heath have the better chances and it was thanks to keeper Tom Baxter that Horsham were able to take the game into extra time.

The first period of extra time saw the Hornets take a firm grip on the game and this is where they should have won the game but, once more, they will look back and wonder how they failed to score. The lively Pat Surlis seemed to have made the breakthrough when he headed over the onrushing 'keeper but the ball was cleared away although a number of supporters standing at the end insist the ball crossed the line but nothing was given by the officials. A minute later, the Heath 'keeper once again made an error in letting a shot hit his shoulder but the ball incredibly span upwards over the bar. Then came a dramatic moment in the game when the Heath left winger knocked a ball back into play that had clearly gone off for a throw. Protests from the Horsham bench fell on deaf ears from the linesman and the winger got into the box and earned his side a penalty. Fortunately, justice was done as the taker put his effort over the bar but the game was now becoming very heated with protests coming from nearly every incident from both sides. The next controversial moment soon followed when a shot for Heath from close range struck the arm of Andy Whittingham who was defending on the line. The referee pointed to the spot and gave a red card to the unlucky defender and, this time, Standing despatched the penalty past Baxter to give the home side the lead.

The second period saw ten man Horsham throw everything at the hosts but it was a day when the ball was not going to go in for them and, in the final minute, Baxter sent in a free kick from the halfway line and with everyone forward the ball broke free and Heath were able score a second on the break through Bailey to give them a quarter final tie at Lewes.

NEXT MATCH: v Worthing (a) Monday 19th November