CONCORD RANGERS v HORSHAM

Thames Road, Canvey Island

Ryman League Premier Division

Saturday 28th January, kick-off 3pm

MATCH PREVIEW

Hugo Langton has held up our next opponents Concord Rangers as a shining example of a model non-league side but will take great delight in halting their impressive recent run when he takes his side to Thames Road this Saturday. The Hornets boss is still searching for his first league win since taking over from Justin Luchford in October but knows his side will be up against it against one of the division’s form sides. “For some reason, Concord don’t seem to be everyone’s cup of tea but I’m full of admiration for them,” he said. “They’re a very dangerous attacking team who played, and conducted themselves, very well at our place earlier in the season. They have some very talented players, their management and staff are good people and, for me, they are a great example of a forward thinking club. They don’t have the biggest support, I guess they’re going to struggle with Canvey playing just down the road, but I take my hat off to them.”

Hugo is expected to start with his favoured 4-4-2 formation and will be boosted by the return of Williams Peauroux and Tony Nwachukwu. “I’ve been sent reports on Concord and had them watched last weekend so we have an idea of how they are likely to play, and where their strong and weak points will be, and we will be working on combating these things at training tonight (Thursday).”

Concord have made good progress over the past couple of months, putting together a fine run that has seen them move clear of the relegation places they occupied during the opening months of the season. They have lost just once in their last 5 home games, having waited 11 matches before chalking up their first win at their Thames Road base. Although still some way off their 8th place finish of last season, the Beachboys are beginning to establish themselves as a respected Ryman Premier League team with a squad boasting experience at clubs such as West Ham United, Arsenal, Dagenham and even Hungarian side Ujpest FC!
 

TEAM NEWS

Horsham
The Hornets welcome back Williams Peauroux, after serving his one match ban, and Tony Nwachukwu returns to the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the last 3 games. Jake Jacobs is unavailable but Dean O’Keefe keeps his place in the squad while Craig Wilkins is expected to return to training next week. Goalkeeper Ken Westoby is out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament tear in his knee.

Concord Rangers
No team news available.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Down Memory Lane:

28th January 1992 - Horsham failed to take all 3 points from their visit to Cove after a rare off-night by Duncan Green that saw the goalkeeper gift their promotion rivals all 3 goals. John Walters went close to giving the Hornets the perfect start when he charged down goalkeeper Paul Riley’s clearance, only to see the ball roll narrowly past the post, but Green wasn’t quite as fortunate as his opposite number when he failed to hold Ricky Jones’ 10th minute cross and Dave Newberry scored from close range. Walters was the Hornets’ biggest threat and he brought a great save out of Riley while the inswinging corners of Marcus Cooke were causing frequent problems for the home defence with Steve Breach’s shot deflected wide and Jones heading another teasing cross off the line. Cove extended their lead, 4 minutes before the break, when the prolific Nigel Thompson scored from 20 yards but Horsham spurned two good chances to get themselves back in the game when Russell Gunn volleyed wide and Mark Dunk failed to bury a far post header. Despite enjoying plenty of second half possession, the visitors failed to get the better of Riley and his defence and conceded a third goal in stoppage time when Richard Sugg made the most of another Green error.
FINAL SCORE: Cove 3 Horsham 0 (Diadora League Division Three)