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HORSHAM U18s:
Tom Baxter, Harry Pleece, Andy Whittingham, George Magnus, Niall
O'Hagen, Danny Hutchings, Matt Whiteford, Jay Brynin, Tony Nwachkwu,
Elliott Hawkes (Matt Dingle), Pat Surlis. Unused Subs: Ali Green,
Jordan Williams
Scorers:
Nwachukwu, Whiteford |
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Reporter: Richard Smith
I didn’t go to Banstead in the cold winter of 1963 yet it couldn’t
have been any colder than at Queens Street last night to watch the
Horsham Under 18’s take on their opponents from Tonbridge. However
despite the near artic conditions the excellent crowd of 79 who braved
the conditions were entertained greatly by two teams who battled out a
deserved 2-2 draw.
Horsham had a number of regular first team players back in their still
young side and were looking to bounce back after a number of
depressing defeats culminating in a recent 9-1 mauling away at the
hands of Leatherhead.
Kicking off and attacking the (now named) car park end Horsham put
their opponents under immediate pressure as they started with a strong
determination that saw them take an early lead after just 2 minutes. A
through ball down the middle allowed the pace of Horsham striker Tony
Nwachukwu to break through the two Tonbridge centre halves and with
some calm place the ball passed the out rushing Tonbridge goal keeper
into the back of the net. He celebrated with what looked like a triple
front loop with a pike followed by 16 front flips and would have
scored a perfect 10 if there were a judging panel at the game.
Tonbridge had justifiable complaints that the striker had used his
hand in the build up but the referee following up play can only have
had his sight obscured not to have given the decision. It was not
going to be the last time that the berated referee was going to either
miss a vital piece of play or make a strange decision during the
evening.
Tonbridge stirred them selves and had a goal disallowed 5 minutes
later for a foul on the Horsham keeper following a corner.
Both teams were playing with a positive freedom and half chances were
being created at both ends with only some good defending or mislaid
passes keeping the score at 1-0 although Tonbridge had another goal
chalked off for some pushing in the six yard box leading to the first
signs of frustration from their bench. The Tonbridge skipper Nick Rich
was driving his team on although occasionally his determination lead
to the vital ball not being played early enough or the wrong pass
being chosen.
The more controlled football was being played by the home team who to
their credit kept the ball moving to feet in a simple way and it was a
positive passing move that led to their second goal on 21 minutes.
Patrick Sullis the Horsham left winger broke down the left flank and
fired in a good cross and the on rushing Matt Whiteford met the ball
perfectly to plant his header into the bottom corner beating the fully
stretched arms of the Tonbridge keeper from 15 yards. His celebration
was a little less flamboyant but Horsham were now nicely positioned in
the game.
To their credit Tonbridge kept working to get their tall and burly
centre forward Jack Maddams into the game as he was proving a threat
in the aerial battle and on the ground and a turn and miss hit shot
from him was saved comfortably by the Horsham keeper. As the half drew
on both sides were guilty of wasting good possession with speculative
shots from distance that simply kept the Horsham management team warm
by retrieving the disappearing balls. It was Tonbridge however who
finished the last ten minutes of the first half with the momentum
without carving out a clear opening and the whistle brought a welcome
chance for the supporters present to de-frost and talk about summer
holidays in warmer climes. Peru looks a promising destination.
As in the first period the second half started with Tony Nwachukwu
making forages into the Tonbridge penalty area and on 48 minutes he
was bundled over by the keeper and last defender. Any penalty claims
were waved away by the referee who seemed to have developed a habit of
moving his arms in a random waving fashion thereby confusing all
players to the simplest of decisions such as throw in’s and corners.
Tonbridge responded to the early Horsham pressure by forcing a series
of corners that kept the Horsham keeper Tom Baxter on his toes as he
struggled to clear cleanly through the crowded penalty area with Jack
Maddams again causing pressure with his aerial presence. The Tonbridge
bench were still spending too much time arguing with the referee
instead of supporting their team who were putting Horsham under more
and more pressure, pressure that paid off with a super goal on 60
minutes. The goal was not dissimilar to the second Horsham goal as a
break and good cross came in from the left hand side. The Tonbridge
centre forward missed the ball as it came across but it ran on into
the path of the over lapping Tonbridge right back Matt Vitty who
crashed the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the area
for a very good finish. 2-1 and Tonbridge right back in the game and
forcing the play.
All the action is in the direction of the Horsham goal as Tonbridge
assert their dominance in a period where Horsham’s passing game
disappears underneath the move muscular Tonbridge approach. Horsham
bring on Mathew Dingle up front to try and hold the ball up better to
allow the midfield to try and regain their grip on the game but any
chances are still coming at the Horsham end. Nick Rich for Tonbridge
has a shot scrambled off the line and Horsham’s sole response is a lob
from distance by Daniel Hutchins that doesn’t test the Tonbridge
keeper.
The game is then defined by a busy 5 minutes that sees what looks like
a blatant penalty turned down, a surprise sending off, an equalising
goal and much head shaking by players, management and supporters a
like.
The penalty claims come from Horsham on 70 minutes when Tony Nwachukwu
is brought down in the penalty area as he makes in roads towards the
Tonbridge goal. The referee gives a corner, as he believes the ball
was won by the defender leading to a bout of handbags that would have
embarrassed the que at the Post Office on pension day. Both Tony and
the Tonbridge defender receive yellow cards however it is not clear if
this is for the scuffle, a dive, words spoken out of tune or songs
sung in tune. It did appear to be clear penalty and to his credit (for
the first time on the evening) the Tonbridge coach agreed that it
looked blatant which for some strange reason, bearing in mind the
decision went his way, just set him off on another bout of moaning.
4 minutes later Horsham were down to ten men as Mark Eton reacted to a
late challenge from Horsham’s left back Andy Whittingham and the
referee deems Andy’s challenge as a straight red. It was a foul, it
was worthy of a yellow but a red was surprising.
To compound Horsham’s problems Tonbridge forced a deserved equaliser a
minute after the sending off. A shot from substitute Charlie Sharman
found it’s way into the net, after a slight deflection despite the
attempts to hook it off the line by a Horsham defender.
At 2-2 the game is there to be won and again both teams upped the
tempo to try and forge a winner. Clear-cut chances were few but on 90
minutes Ashley Dann, another Tonbridge substitute powers into the
Horsham area and the Horsham defender takes a rash lunge that misses
the ball by a mile. To his credit Ashley stayed on his feet but his
control had gone and the chance went begging. It would have be a
nailed on penalty with any contact however having witnessed Mr Moran’s
referring performance for the previous hour and half he would have
probably have lived up to his name and waved play on.
The game ends with a Tonbridge free kick from 25 yards that is easily
cleared and the whistle goes. There was a slight debate on the pitch
involving 20 odd of the players which kept the departing crowd looking
over the shoulder to see if anything serious occurs which it didn’t.
A point all round was fair and a single point awarded to the referee
would also be fair if there had been an assessor present.
NEXT MATCH: v Horsham YMCA (a)
Thursday 28th February ko 7.45pm |
