Horsham 2 v Ramsgate 1
Saturday 1st April 2006
Ryman League Division One

Reporter: Mark Wells

Carl Rook's injury time header handed the advantage back to Horsham in the race for the league title as they edged out leaders Ramsgate in a thrilling clash at the Atspeed Stadium. With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Rook, who had earlier seen a goal ruled out for offside, missed an open goal and seen his twenty yard drive crash away off the upright, made it fourth time lucky when he appeared at the far post to head home Lee Carney's corner, sparking scenes of delirium among players and supporters alike.

With five points separating Horsham and Ramsgate at the top of the table, Horsham knew that they had to win to keep their championship dreams alive. With a game in hand on the Kent side, the Hornets' newly announced Manager of the Month, John Maggs, knew that victory would put the title race firmly in his side's hands. But the omens weren't good approaching the game. Horsham had failed to beat the Rams in each of their previous meetings, nor had they registered a goal against them. Jim Ward's team have the best defensive record in the division, had been beaten just four times in the league and only once on their travels and, with selection problems that saw Matt Geard suspended and Carney's groin injury limiting him to a place on the bench, it was clear that Horsham were going to have to be at their very best if they were to gain any reward from this fixture.

The local newspaper had clearly done a good job of promoting this top of the table clash as Horsham's second highest crowd of the season assembled, many of them buying flags, wigs and scarves with the result that the ground was awash with green and yellow as the players took to the field. There was a surprising face in the home team's line-up as Andy Walker stepped in to replace Carney, a month after declaring that work commitments would leave him unlikely to play any further part this season. The Rams weren't without their own problems, though, as their former Horsham striker Steffan Ball was ruled out with possible ankle ligament damage.

The visitors began the game attacking up the slope, with the advantage of the sun and a strong breeze behind them, and forced a corner as early as the first minute. But the crowd erupted just two minutes later when the Hornets opened the scoring. Andy Howard directed a free-kick towards Gary Charman who typically timed his leap to perfection, out jumping Liam Morris to head the ball into the path of Jamie Taylor, and the striker took his season's tally to twenty-five with an excellent first time shot. The Rams immediately went on the offensive and Tom Graves had to hoof clear as the ball pinged around the Horsham penalty area. Graves was involved at the other end, minutes later, when his throw was flicked on by Eddie French and Howard's mishit shot forced an important save from Jurgen Wild in the Rams' goal before Morris and team-mate Edd Vahid had to receive treatment after a clash of heads had left both players on the floor. Warren Schulz almost capitalised on some hesitant defending by the home side but his snapshot went narrowly wide of Rob Frankland's goal. Ramsgate had developed a reputation as being a strong, physical side but it was Horsham who fell foul of referee Chris Salt with Nigel Brake and Carl Rook both earning cautions for over-zealous tackles.

Ramsgate showed that their tenancy at the top of the table was no fluke as they passed the ball around confidently with good movement off the ball and some no-nonsense defending. Michael Yianni was next to try his luck for the visitors but his eighteenth minute shot went wide. But the hosts were full of endeavour themselves with Walker showing that he'd lost none of his competitive edge during his lay-off and, in Mark Hawthorne, they had arguably the best player on the field. The former Torquay United player celebrated his first anniversary at the club with an assured display in the centre of midfield, always making himself available for his team-mates and continually urging his side on, and has proven to be one of the driving forces of this season's campaign.

Dean Hill had to head French's effort off the line, following John Westcott's curling free-kick, and Frankland produced an outstanding tip over after Stuart Vahid's long range cross caught in the wind. Yet this piece of fortune proved decisive for the visitors as Schulz powered home the resulting corner to draw the sides level, despite the attentions of Walker on the goal-line. A determined Walker then earned himself a free-kick although his reaction to Mr Salt at his failure to punish his assailant reminded everyone of his temperament and it was probably these actions that resulted in his withdrawal in favour of Carney, shortly before the interval. Horsham's creative midfielder was quickly into the action, racing onto a through ball and lobbing the ball into the box where only a defender's outstretched boot denied Rook a goalscoring opportunity. Brake then played a quick one-two with Carney down the left flank and sent over an inviting cross but Taylor's header lacked accuracy and was cleared as the hosts finished the half strongly. However, they were nearly made to pay for allowing Edd Vahid to embark upon an unchallenged run from deep inside his own half that took him to within range of Frankland's goal but the home fans were relieved when Schulz blasted Vahid's pass wastefully wide as the half drew to a close.

Jim Ward made the first of his full quota of substitutes, a decision that would cost him later in the game, when he replaced Stuart Vahid with Simon Pettit and the sub almost made an instant impact but dragged his shot wide when well placed. Horsham might have grabbed a fortuitous lead when Brake held the ball up in the corner of the pitch for Hawthorne to run in and lob dangerously into the box only for it to drop inches wide of the far post. Apart from his assist in Taylor's goal, Charman had been uncharacteristically subdued during the match but he showed what a danger he could be from set pieces when he met Hawthorne's free-kick only to be denied by a fine save from Wild, diving low at his near post to push the ball behind. When the corner was cleared, Carney lobbed the ball back into the danger zone where Rook cleverly guided a back header over the advancing Wild only to have his goal celebrations cut short by the linesman's flag.

With Ward introducing David Cory in place of Yianni, Maggs decided to change his own team around, sending on Ian Payne in place of John Westcott with Charman moving to the right and Brake advancing into a wide left position and this reorganisation seemed to provide the hosts with an extra impetus with Charman in particular looking more menacing in his new role. As a result, the Hornets forced three corners in quick succession before the luckless Vahid suffered a further blow to the head when contesting a ball with Brake, who also needed attention from physio Geoff Brittain.

A further corner saw Graves come to close to adding another important goal to his impressive recent record when he directed Carney's cross goalwards. But the defender, who had claimed match winning goals against Tonbridge Angels and Crawley Town in recent weeks, was frustrated by another excellent save from the athletic Wild as the Rams clung on. Ward seemed intent on claiming a point from the draw and sent on defender Ollie Schulz in place of Shane Suter for the last of his permitted substitutions. However, you always felt that the visitors were capable of snatching a goal out of nothing and French and Howard worked hard in defence to snuff out the obvious threat. But Horsham were making the most of the running and the superb Wild continued to provide a formidable barrier in the Ramsgate goal, making a wonderful fingertip save to keep out Charman's flying header. Ward's use of his substitutes came back to haunt him with twelve minutes remaining as the luckless Vahid was forced to leave the field, leaving the visitors down to ten men. Horsham should have made the most of their numerical advantage when a superb passing movement involving Hawthorne, Graves, Carney and Charman saw Graves burst into the box and square the ball across the face of goal where the unmarked Rook incredibly put the ball wide of an open goal from just three yards. Rook seemed fired up by criticism from Hawthorne just minutes earlier and, when a neat interchange with Taylor left the former Dover man holding his head when his sweet strike cannoned away off the upright, you felt it wasn't going to be his day. That is until the game entered the fourth minute of injury time and the Hornets' umpteenth corner of an impressive second half display found its way to the far post where Rook steered the ball past the despairing 'keeper prompting euphoric scenes around the ground.

With just six games remaining, Maggs knows that a 100% record until the end of the season will secure Horsham their first championship trophy in ten years. Of course, nothing is certain in this game and there are sure to be many nails bitten before the season reaches its conclusion later this month.

Horsham: 1.Rob Frankland 2.Tom Graves 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Andy Howard 6.Mark Hawthorne 7.Andy Walker (Carney) 8.John Westcott (Payne) 9.Jamie Taylor 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman Subs: 12.Dominik Hudak 14.Florian Mateos 15.Ian Payne 16.Lee Carney 18.Gary Elliott

Ramsgate: 1.Jurgen Wild 2.Edd Vahid 3.James Gregory 4.Liam Morris 5.Dean Hill 6.Ben Laslett 7.Michael Yianni (Cory) 8.Warren Schulz 9.Shaun Welford 10.Shane Suter (O Schulz) 11.Stuart Vahid (Pettit) Subs: 12.Mark Munday 14.David Cory 15.Ollie Schulz 16.Simon Pettit 17.Danny Twyman

Goalscorers

Horsham: Taylor (3), Rook (90+4)

Ramsgate: W Schulz (32)

Att: 707