Canvey Island 2 HORSHAM 4
Park Lane, Canvey Island
Attendance: 377
Saturday 16th August 2008
Ryman League Premier Division
Referee: Mr M George

CANVEY ISLAND

HORSHAM

1.Ricky Wiseman
2.Tarkan Mustafa
3.Andrew West
4.Richard Halle
5.Chris Moore
6.Kevin Dobinson (Patten,84)
7.Leon Gordon
8.David Lee
9.Leon Antoine
10.Ian Luck (Curran,65)
11.Gabriel Fanibuyan
Subs:
12.Craig Davidson
14.Ben Patten
15.Jay Curran
16.Stuart Batch
17.Mel Capleton

Goalscorers:
Moore (19), Curran (84)

1.Paul Seuke
2.Jack Page
3.Russell Eldridge
4.Eddie French
5.Sam Page
6.Lee Carney
7.Lee Carey
8.Gary Charman
9.Evan Archibald
10.Liam Baitup (Farrell,78)
11.Alex Haddow
Subs:
12.Lee Farrell
14.Andy Howard
15.Ian Payne
16.Shane Graham
17.Michael Dale

Goalscorers:
Archibald (12, 81)
Baitup (41)
Carney (79) 

Reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines
Goal highlights: Click here

Evan Archibald netted twice on his debut to help get the Hornets' campaign off to the perfect start with a 4-2 win against Premier Division 'new boys' Canvey Island. At a blustery Park Lane, the former Eastbourne Borough youngster scored the first and last goals of an impressive display by John Maggs' team that also saw last season's Division One top scorer Liam Baitup open his Horsham account with Lee Carney finding the net on his 290th appearance.

Horsham had failed to beat the Essex club in any of their previous four meetings and, by Maggs' own admission, his players were expecting a difficult test against the side who had secured their Premier Division place thanks to a penalty shoot-out victory against Redbridge in last season's play-off final. Yet, despite the boost of an equalising goal from Chris Moore, and the threat of the pacy David Lee and Leon Gordon, the Gulls were well beaten by a side who made the most of their hosts' defensive frailties to register four goals on the opening day for the first time since 2000.

Horsham, captained by Sam Page, were without the injured Jacob Mingle and the absent Mark Knee but were able to field a number of new signings including the skipper's younger brother Jack, Archibald, Baitup, Russell Eldridge, Alex Haddow and Lee Carey while Shane Graham took his place on the bench at the start of his second spell with the club. The hosts had also strengthened their own squad during the summer as they sought to make a quick return to the top end of the non-league pyramid from where they had proudly stood just two years previously before tendering their resignation following the departure of manager Jeff King. The much travelled Tarkan Mustafa, former Southend player Lee and Ipswich apprentice Ben Patten were among those hoping to make a good impression in front of the Park Lane faithful whose numbers looked to have been reduced for this match with several having made their way to Lords to cheer Essex  to victory in the final of the Friends Provident Trophy.

Horsham got the proceedings underway on a near perfect looking pitch, and with the advantage of a strong breeze at their backs, but the first moment of danger came from the left boot of Ian Luck who failed to live up to his name as he beat the offside trap only to see his low cross drift narrowly past the far post with Canvey's early play based on an uncompromising defence and the trickery of Gordon and Lee down the flanks, the latter giving teenager Jack Page a tough baptism at right-back.

However, it was Horsham who struck first when Carey slipped a low pass through the Gulls' static back line and Archibald ignored the offside pleas to clip the ball past goalkeeper Ricky Wiseman at his near post and in to the back of the net. It was almost 2-0 in the visitors' next attack when a neat build up saw Haddow collect a loose ball inside the Canvey penalty area and set up Gary Charman whose effort hit the side netting from a tight angle. Horsham were enjoying something of a purple patch and a fabulous crossfield pass from Haddow enabled Charman to beat his man and deliver an inviting cross for Baitup to send in an overhead volley that was saved by Wiseman, although the linesman's raised flag rendered the outcome an irrelevance.

Canvey weathered the storm and produced an equalising goal that would have left Maggs fuming when Lee swung in a free-kick towards the far post and Moore rose unmarked to head past Paul Seuke. A trademark free-kick almost restored the Hornets' lead when Charman headed Carney's pinpoint delivery back in to the box where the ball was hastily scrambled away from the predatory Baitup and Archibald, and only a timely challenge prevented Charman from getting in a clear shot on goal from a neat touch by Archibald.

Richard Halle showed good skill to retrieve an overhit cross and beat Jack Page to get in a low cross but the ball missed everyone as it travelled across the face of Seuke's goal and Fanibuyan was wasteful with a 20 yard drive that flew well wide of the target as Canvey began to enjoy some sustained possession. Haddow became the first Horsham player to be cautioned this season when he ran 20 yards to bring down Lee and there were appeals from Maggs' players when Wiseman went to ground, the goalkeeper catching Carey's inswinging corner and falling on his line with Eddie French attempting to bundle man and ball in to the back of the goal.

Baitup had the ball in the net on 37 minutes when Carey sent another measured pass through to his team-mate only for the linesman's flag to rule out the effort but the former Eastbourne Town striker had just a few minutes to wait before claiming his first of the campaign when Horsham chased down their hosts' attempts to play the ball out of defence and Baitup (left) collected a weak back pass to calmly skip round the stranded 'keeper and sidefoot the ball in to the unguarded net. There was still time for Fanibuyan to scuff a shot harmlessly back to Seuke, after determined work by Lee, and for Carney to follow Haddow in to Mr George's notebook for a 'full-blooded' challenge on Kevin Dobinson before Archibald spurned the opportunity to give his new side the comfort of a two goal interval lead when he charged on to Carney's pass only to shoot wildly in to the terrace behind Wiseman's goal.

H/T Canvey Island 1 Horsham 2

With the wind noticeably stronger after the break, the Hornets were indebted to Seuke for maintaining their lead when he reacted smartly to keep out Moore's back header from Lee's 53rd minute free-kick, the 'keeper diving low at his post to turn the ball behind. Neat footwork from Haddow took him to the edge of the Islanders' penalty area, where Mustafa was cautioned for felling his man, and Carey sent the free-kick comfortably in to the arms of the goalkeeper. Next it was Carey's turn to go to ground, this time it was Dobinson who was booked for his misdemeanour, and Moore soon followed when his off-the-ball trip on Archibald spoiled a promising looking attack for the visitors.

More fine work from Gordon, whose contest with Eldridge was becoming one of the highlights of an entertaining game, saw him control a long clearance and get away from his marker before swinging in a great cross where Leon Antoine tried, but failed, with a spectacular effort before Canvey made their first switch when Jay Curran replaced Luck.

Carey continued to look for the probing pass and another well executed ball sent the eager Baitup scampering away to bring a save out of Wiseman, the young forward doing well under pressure from Mustafa. Carey was also assuming command of any free-kick within range of goal and, when Moore handled, he sent another effort straight at the home custodian. Carey's confidence was growing throughout the game, alongside the excellent Carney, and the latter might have capped a fine display with a goal when Eldridge's quick thinking found him unmarked inside the penalty area where only the outstretched palms of Wiseman kept out a stinging volley.

Carney, though, was to get his reward a minute later when a mistake by Andy West left the midfielder in the clear and he took his time before confidently stroking the ball past Wiseman to make it 3-1 to the visitors with just over ten minutes remaining. With the game now apparently won, Maggs sent on Lee Farrell for the hard working Baitup and the substitute was immediately in the action, blatantly pulled back by West when attempting to put Archibald through on goal. But he was more successful in the Hornets' next attack when Sam Page's clearance was somehow missed by the Canvey defence and Farrell had a clear run down the right, cutting it back unselfishly for Archibald (above) to stick out a leg and claim his second, and Horsham's fourth, of the afternoon.

A free-kick on the edge of the Horsham penalty area gave the Gulls hope of reducing the deficit in the closing stages but Lee's effort went high over the top of Seuke's goal but they were to make it 4-2, six minutes from the end, when Seuke pulled out a terrific save from Antoine only for Curran to acrobatically convert the rebound. The goalscorer was to blot his copybook, though, when he was yellow carded for a frustrated challenge on Sam Page and Canvey's misery was increased when Fanibuyan lobbed over the bar from ten yards. Farrell almost made it five in the final minute of injury time when he raced on to Haddow's pass but Wiseman stood up well to narrow the angle and make the save. The final whistle went, seconds later, and the Hornets were up and running although they are sure to face a tougher test on Wednesday night when Staines Town, 1-0 winners against Billericay Town, visit Woodside Road.

NEXT MATCH: v Staines Town (h) Wednesday 20th August ko 7.45pm