HORSHAM 1 KINGSTONIAN 1

HORSHAM U18s:
1.Tom Baxter 2.Harry Pleece 3.Andy Whittingham (Danny Bryant), 4.Tom May 5.Matt Dingle 6.Danny Hutchings 7.Joe Baker (Jordan Williams) 8.Elliott Hawkes (Adam Hutchings) 9.Dean Wright 10.Michael Dale 11.Tony Nwachukwu. Sub not used: James
Scorer: Danny Hutchings

Horsham Youth bounced back from a couple of poor results over the previous weeks with a solid team performance to earn a point against league leaders Kingstonian at Queen Street.

The Hornets management and players had a long pre-match talk and the team went out with a fresh attitude and approach to the game. This was evident in the opening part of the match as Kingstonian were given no time to settle and were reduced to shooting from long range. The visitors did win a series of corners but these were dealt with by the Hornets defence, with Tom May making an impressive debut at centre half alongside Matt Dingle. Horsham enjoyed some good passages of play and went close to taking the lead through Joe Baker. Horsham had a scare when goalkeeper Tom Baxter suffered a knee injury but after lengthy treatment the Horsham captain was able to carry on. Ten minutes before the break Hornets midfielder Elliot Hawkes was put through with just the keeper to beat but, as he went round him, he appeared to be brought down only for the referee to wave play on. With the ball still in play, Tony Nwachukwu still had a chance to open the scoring but his effort was cleared for a corner by a retreating defender. Horsham continued to dominate play before half time but the teams went in with the game goalless.

Horsham came out after the interval expecting a backlash from the visitors but weathered the storm with hard working midfielders Michael Dale and Danny Hutchings working tirelessly to deny Kingstonian any space in the centre of the park. The Ks did again force a number of corners but despite his injury Baxter was confident and claiming all the ariel balls although he was clearly playing through the pain barrier. Dean Wright was having a great game leading the front line and bringing his teammates into play and he set up Nwachukwu who had a chance to score but could not quite get the ball under control with only the keeper to beat. Kingstonian were sending in a number of long diagonal balls to the flanks but their wingers were unable to get the better of Hornets fullbacks Harry Pleece and Andy Whittingham, who were also instrumental in starting plenty of counter attacks, for the Hornets. Midway through the half Horsham lost Whittingham who suffered a nasty knee injury and had to be stretchered off and was later taken to hospital for an x-ray but, thankfully, had only suffered severe bruising. Danny Bryant replaced Whittingham at left back but by now the visitors were dominating the play and Horsham were reduced to clearing the ball from defence only to see it come straight back when picked up by the Ks midfielders. After the long delay, the game moved into added on time and when a Kingstonian player went down in the Horsham box the referee gave what looked to be the softest of penalties. The spot kick was put firmly away by Ross Chalke and it seemed the visitors would be going home with all three points. But Horsham showed their character and spirit and took the game to Kingstonian. Adam Hutchings replaced Hawkes in midfield and Horsham were rewarded in the 96th minute when substitute Jordan Williams picked out a pass to Danny Hutchings who placed his shot past the outstretched fingers of the keeper into the bottom corner. A stunned Kingstonian had no answer to the equaliser and it was the Hornets who finished strongly in the remaining added on minutes before the referee finally blew in the 100th minute.

NEXT MATCH: v AFC Wimbledon (a) Thursday 18th September ko 7.45pm