There was nothing unlucky about this October thirteenth meeting for the Hornets who moved in to thirteenth place in the Ryman Premier Division table with a battling victory over visiting Maidstone United in this, their thirteenth match of the season.

Indeed, home fans might claim that luck was actually on their team's side as Maidstone saw a first half goal ruled out for offside before going on to spurn a number of late chances to preserve their unbeaten record on the road. The Hornets earned their luck, though, with a performance based on hard work, commitment and a sound defence in which the outstanding Ben Andrews suggested that he may have provided the long term answer to John Maggs' defensive concerns. The former Worthing man missed nothing in his role as centre-half, emphasising his versatility and growing value to the side just 10 days after his man of the match display from midfield in the defeat to Boreham Wood last time out.

Andrews' switch to the back four, in which he replaced the suspended Tony Acheampong, enabled fit again Claude Seanla to partner Pat Harding in attack and there was a change in the midfield where Delando Smith joined Jack Lyons, Gary Charman and Alex Haddow while Russell Eldridge had to content himself with a place on the bench. The visitors, beaten 2-0 at Woking in Saturday's FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round tie, stood in 7th place at the start of play but had gone just over 3 hours since scoring a goal having drawn their last league match at Bognor 0-0.

Horsham got the game underway, kicking towards the car park end of the ground, and should have been celebrating a second minute lead when Andrews, up for a corner, skipped past an opponent and delivered an inviting cross to the far post but Charman was uncharacteristically wayward with his header. Minutes later a hopeful ball forward by Jack Page, making his first start since late August, dropped on the edge of the box and, when Lyons' initial effort was blocked, Haddow fired the loose ball narrowly wide of the upright.

James Pinnock curled a shot wide for Maidstone but Horsham were determined not to let the visitors settle early on and, when Nathan Paul was harried in to conceding a throw, Charman's quick despatch set up Lyons who volley wide. The game settled down for a ten minute spell but Nick Barnes almost broke the deadlock in spectacular style with an opportunistic 35 yard volley that slammed in to the advertising hoarding at the side of Paul Seuke's goal.

Charman was gifted an opening by an awful clearance from Stones' 'keeper Jamie Turner on the half hour but the Horsham man mishit his attempted long range chip, to his clear annoyance. Goalless it may have been but it was an encouraging start for the hosts who were looking to arrest a dismal run of just one victory in nine games. Yet, for all their efforts, it took a superb reaction save from Seuke to keep the scores level when Jay Saunders retrieved an overhit corner to curl a dangerous ball back in to the danger zone where Peter Hawkins' flick was turned away at close range by the Horsham stopper.

That close call heralded a good period of pressure from the Kent side who went on to enjoy the better of the remainder of the half. Saunders beat Seuke with a well struck volley, only to see his effort rightly cancelled out by the linesman's raised flag, before the Hornets were caught upfield at a corner but Dean Hernandez-Bradshaw was unable to supply the finish to a swift counter-attack when he shot half-heartedly at Seuke from ten yards.

Paul was the next to try his luck, the full-back sending a low drive past the diving Seuke and the far post, and Matthew Wright was unfortunate to see his header just clear the crossbar as Maidstone continued to apply the pressure. Roland Edge brought the first half to a close when he fired over following a desperate scramble in the Horsham penalty area.

H/T Horsham 0 Maidstone United 0

Horsham began the second half as they had the first, spurning a great chance to take the lead when a patient build up ended with Smith's cross headed tamely at Turner by Harding. Seanla then dragged a shot wide before substitute Keelan Mooney wasted a terrific opening for the visitors when he was allowed to collect a short corner and advance unchallenged in to the box only to lift his shot high beyond the far post.

The Stones were made to pay when Horsham finally made the breakthrough on 54 minutes. A long throw from Jack Page was allowed to bounce inside the visitors' penalty area where it was touched on by Harding for Lyons to bury the ball in the back of the net. Only Turner's athleticism prevented Horsham from doubling their lead when the 'keeper got down smartly at the foot of his post to keep out Haddow's deflected free-kick but things threatened to turn ugly when Edge took exception to a foul by Seanla and was rightly cautioned for exacting his own revenge on the Frenchman with a crude foul.

Mooney appeared to have left his shooting boots in the dressing room when he wasted another good chance by blazing wastefully over the crossbar, to the chagrin of Barnes who had done well to create the opening. Both sides made changes as the match entered the final twenty minutes with the Stones' Ashley Dann replacing Wright and cramp bringing Seanla's evening to an early close as Eldridge came on in his place.

With Horsham's attacking threat reduced following Seanla's withdrawal, Maidstone pushed hard for the equaliser and Seuke's goal fell under siege for the closing minutes of the game. A scramble in the penalty area saw two shots from Dann blocked before Smith was able to clear and Seuke pulled off a fine save with his legs to repel Pinnock's powerful drive.

The goalkeeper was then forced to tip a goalbound chip from Edge over the crossbar and Dann volleyed wide as the Horsham defence struggled to make an effective clearance. Only the crucial intervention of Sam Page stopped Jamie Peacock from converting a late chance from close range, from a hanging free-kick, and, from Barnes' resulting corner, Edge's first time volley cleared the crossbar and Horsham managed to see out the three minutes of injury time without further drama to take the points.

NEXT MATCH: v Barton Rovers (h) Saturday 17th October ko 3pm