HORSHAM

Goalscorers

HIGHDOWN SAINTS: unknown

Man of the Match: Rueben Selby

Highdown saints 1 HORSHAM 1

Sunday 25th September 2011

Arun & Chichester League

Honours ended even in what turned out to be a hard fought 1-1 draw with old rivals Highdown Saints for Horsham Youth U15 on Sunday afternoon. In a game where chances were at a premium, the young Hornets started slowly and were lucky not to be a goal down after only four minutes when a well taken free kick struck the visitors' crossbar. In fact, Horsham never got going at all in the first half, spending much of it on the back foot, defending.

A series of corners from the Saints failed to create any clear cut opportunities but Horsham struggled to get their passing game going and only some good defensive work by Jared Ashmole, Joe Petchey, Jordan Walser and Aaron Pyzer kept the scores level. The young Hornets' best chance came courtesy of a great run from Andrew Roberts on the half hour mark but his cross fell just behind the onrushing Harry Lee and Jack Norris.

The deadlock was broken three minutes before the break when a through ball from the Saints midfield was not gathered by the advancing Tom Auston in the Horsham goal, leaving the hosts' striker with the simplest of tasks to tap into an empty net. Horsham, however, fought back and had a strong penalty appeal turned down just as the whistle signalled the end of the first half.

H/T Highdown Saints 1 Horsham 0

The second forty five was another tight affair but Horsham started to enjoy a little more possession and began to play some neat football. Two further penalty appeals were turned down, the first when Callum Nash appeared to be upended inside the box and then when Alex Moore seemed to be tugged back when clean through on goal. Highdown were still dangerous on the break and went close when a corner was headed just over the bar.

With the game drifting away and both sides cancelling each other out, the young Hornets looked as though they were heading for their first defeat of the season. But, with only a minute left on the clock, a well struck shot from Will Kerr hit the crossbar and with the home defence still reorganising, the ball was threaded through by Nash for Rueben Selby to run onto and calmly side foot past the advancing keeper.