AFC Wimbledon 0 v Horsham 0
Saturday 2nd December 2006
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Jim Bravery

Alan Mansfield was the Horsham hero after pulling off a string of fine saves to help the Hornets to another excellent point that increases their lead at the top of the Ryman Premier Division. The young goalkeeper stood firm as the home side, urged on by their highest crowd of the season, lay siege to the Horsham goal during the second half and, but for an outstanding save in the final moments, the Dons would have claimed a repeat of September's last gasp victory that had dumped the Hornets out of the FA Cup. That defeat, and the manner in which it was achieved, still rankled with Maggs' men and they were determined to gain their revenge, taking the game to their more illustrious opponents and would have been disappointed not to have turned their first half possession into goals. However, the Dons' improved second half display meant that a point apiece was fair reward for two honest, skilful and hard-working sides.

Dons manager Dave Anderson stated in his programme notes that he was expecting another entertaining game with Horsham and the pre-match odds of 10/1 on a goalless draw look fair, given both side's attacking traditions. Wimbledon club officials were certainly hoping for plenty of goalmouth action to entertain the newcomers among a crowd of 2,707, many of them enticed to the Fans' Stadium for the first time under the 'Kids for Free' and 'each one, reach one' initiatives, as the Dons looked to boost their 'disappointing' attendances.

The first half got under way with Horsham’s forwards attacking the 'Tempest end' where the large contingent of home fans were situated but, rather than being intimidated by the partisan crowd, the Hornets set about trying to carry on from where they had left off at Bromley on Tuesday evening. The visitors soon settled into their passing game, showing little signs of the new found pressures of leading the table, and with Wimbledon also finding space to create chances of their own, it was always going to be a close encounter with an odd goal likely to clinch the three points. Lewis Cook was the first to cause the Horsham defence a problem, getting past Stuart Myall down the left and swinging in a dangerous teasing cross that beat everyone in the six yard box before being cleared by Nigel Brake. Carl Rook might have put Horsham ahead after Jamie Taylor, playing against his former side amid continued speculation of a possible move to Conference club Woking, found himself in space just outside the penalty area. His perfectly weighted pass to John Westcott invited the winger to get in an early cross that Rook managed to get a touch on but it ballooned into the air, giving Andy Little a routine save in the Dons' goal. At the other end, Wes Daly missed a gilt edged chance for the Dons when he elected to sidefoot his shot towards the bottom corner only to see his effort go well wide of the gaping goal. The Dons kept up the pressure and when the Hornets conceded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, Chris Gell’s effort hit the wall and went out for a corner. Paul Barnes had only passed a late fitness test but was influential in most of the home side's attacks and he found himself presented with a half chance when Scott Fitzgerald slotted the ball inside the defence. Kevin Hemsley reacted quickest to close down the danger, forcing Barnes away from goal, but the Dons man still managed to get his shot on target but Alan Mansfield was well positioned to save.

Myall’s free kick found Lewis Taylor at the far post but he was quickly surrounded by three defenders and the ball was ushered into touch and Fitzgerald looked to capitalise on casual play from Hemsley when the defender tried to nod Little's long kick back to his 'keeper, Mansfield having to dive at the striker’s feet to save. Daly was also causing problems for the visitors and his snapshot deflected off Hemsley for a corner with the resulting kick finding Lee Kersey whose header was well saved by Mansfield. Fitzgerald should have put the hosts ahead when Hemsley again found himself penalised for an unfair challenge but the striker headed the resulting free-kick inches over the 'bar. Jacob Mingle found himself in the referee’s note book for a lunged tackle in the sixteenth minute but the free kick was picked up by Westcott who picked out Rook on the right with a long pass and the former Hastings man almost caught Little out as his attempted cross went just over the angle of bar and upright with the surprised 'keeper flapping at fresh air.

Myall, taking his customary long throws from both sides of the pitch, launched an effort into the Dons penalty area and, when the headed clearance landed back at his feet, he unleashed a pile driver that threatened to burst the net before whistling just wide of the Dons upright. The Hornets were now seeing a lot more of the ball, with Gary Charman threatening the home defence with a typically dazzling run, but the visitors' luck was out in the twenty fifth minute when, for the second time in two visits, they saw a 'goal' chalked out for an apparent offside. Jamie Taylor's well struck effort was expertly palmed away by Little but only into the path of Westcott who slammed the ball back past the 'keeper and into the roof of the net, only to see it ruled out by the raised flag of the linesman. Brake's free-kick kept the pressure on the Dons defence who had to make a hurried clearance to avert the danger while, at the other end, Cook’s corner found the unmarked Jermaine Darlington but his shot was well blocked and cleared. The game was now more end to end with Jamie Taylor again making good ground to the right of the penalty area but his whipped cross into the danger zone was just too strong for the lunging boots of Rook and Charman to apply the finishing touch. Two minutes later it was Horsham again testing Little’s ability, the keeper opting to punch Lewis Taylor’s cross, after more good build up play involving Rook and Westcott had set the midfielder up.

There were half-hearted penalty claims after Myall's slide rule pass had found Jamie Taylor and the one-time Dons player went down under a challenge from skipper Steve Butler but the appeals were waved away. With half-time approaching, the Dons almost fashioned a goal out of nothing when a long clearance found Cook about eight yards offside but, with the linesman well behind play, he was allowed to continue his run and his superb ball into the box only found a relieved Charman who was able to clear the danger. There was still enough time for Horsham to apply some more pressure when Charman went on another mazy run, forcing a corner on the left. Brake’s well placed cross saw Little turning the far post delivery out for another corner. This time, Westcott’s delivery found skipper Eddie French whose back header landed at the feet of Hemsley at the back of the box, his first time volley just clearing the bar, before the referee's whistle sounded for the half-time break.

During the interval AFC Wimbledon's mascot, Haydon the Womble, had been encouraging the club's supporters to raise their volume and, as the second period prepared to get underway, it was clear that his efforts hadn't been in vein as the noise level reached deafening proportions for the players' return. One noticeable change in the second half saw Barnes playing in a more advanced position and it was he who had the first of several chances after only a minute when a good through ball found him homing in on Mansfield’s goal but the Horsham stopper was well positioned to make a good save. French then conceded a free kick on the edge of the area and, although the wall did its job in blocking the shot, the ball only went as far as Darlington who found Barnes but his well targeted shot just cleared the crossbar. Barnes had yet another chance a few minutes later but his effort across the goal face went wide of the far post.

Mingle had Horsham’s first chance of the second half after fifty-five minutes, hitting his shot just wide of Little’s post, and the visiting supporters were urging the midfielder to get more into the game although the early booking probably meant his normal hard tackling and energetic game had to be carefully kept in check. His fellow midfielder, Lewis Taylor, was also finding it difficult to create space in an area that they had previously dominated against Bromley. Charman had a header on target on the hour mark, from Myall's free kick, but overall the Dons looked the more menacing when they broke out of defence. Darlington, who had a quiet first half, was now being used more and his attempted cross into the box won them a corner and, but for a perfectly timed challenge by French, Barnes might have been presented with the chance to open the scoring. It was Barnes again who had a chance when finding himself one on one with Mansfield but the keeper made another good save with his legs.

With the Lardy army cheering their own team on, hoping they could raise their game for the final quarter, a good through ball found Jamie Taylor breaking away on the right, only to be stopped in his tracks by a rash challenge from skipper Butler. The free-kick taken by Brake was completely wasted as an attempted knock into Jamie Taylor was never going to reach him and a great chance had gone begging as it was fly hacked away by the Dons defence. For a few minutes the Hornets applied some pressure in an attempt to try to get the all important goal but without much success. With twenty minutes left, Barnes seemed to suffer a reoccurrence of his old injury and left the field to be replaced by Stephen Goddard. This was a blow to the Dons as Barnes had basically run the show for them in the second half and looked the player most likely to break the deadlock. The remaining fifteen minutes definitely belonged to the home side. Roared on by their expectant supporters, they lay siege to Mansfield’s goal and the 'keeper coolly claimed a corner despite coming under immense pressure before winning the race with Fitzgerald to a long ball, racing from his line to whip the ball away at head height and just managing to stay inside his area. Fitzgerald wasted another chance when he blazed a good opportunity so wide the only thing in jeopardy was the corner flag. Cook, who had a quieter second half, then had a goalbound shot turned round the post by the over worked 'keeper.

John Maggs made his first substitution, taking off the hard working Westcott and sending on Jose Goncalves for the last ten minutes in an attempt to shore up the left back area where Darlington was creating havoc, leading Brake a merry dance with his dribbling skills, and the Hornets left back found himself in the referee’s notebook for a poorly timed challenge on the elusive winger. From the free kick, Mansfield came out to punch the ball away from the crowded penalty area.

Jamie Taylor was injured on a rare foray into the Dons half, laying down for what seemed ages as play was allowed to continue further upfield, with the Horsham contingent shouting at the referee to stop play. Fortunately, Little found the ball kicked through to him enabling him to knock the ball into touch, allowing some treatment to the striker. With supporters beginning to head for the exits, there was just time for one final act of drama in this absorbing encounter. Gell picked up the ball about twenty five yards from goal and, confronted by a wall of yellow shirts, he steadied himself before unleashing a tremendous right foot shot goalwards, with the home supporters up on their feet thinking the victory was theirs. But Horsham’s hero of the hour ensured the visitors would secure their second clean sheet in a row by hurling himself across his goal to make an unbelievable save, palming the ball away. Seconds later, the referee brought the curtains down on another engaging match between the two clubs as a jubilant Maggs walked his flawless 'keeper towards the Horsham fans for much warranted applause. Horsham had survived the second half onslaught to increase their lead at the top of the table to two points in the light of Chelmsford’s defeat at basement boys Walton & Hersham. With Bromley taking all three points at Heybridge Swifts, the top of the league is likely to see some more changes before the end of the year as more and more clubs find themselves in the shake up.

AFC Wimbledon: 1.Andy Little 2.Simon Sweeney 3.Michael Haswell 4.Chis Gell 5.Steve Butler 6.Lee Kersey 7.Jermaine Darlington 8.Wes Daly 9.Scott Fitzgerald 10.Paul Barnes (Goddard) 11.Lewis Cook Substitutes: 12.Wayne Finnie 13.Paul Smith 14.Stephen Goddard 15.Casey Maclaren 16.Byron Bubb

Horsham: 1.Alan Mansfield 2.Stuart Myall 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Jacob Mingle 7.Lewis Taylor 8.John Westcott (Goncalves) 9.Jamie Taylor 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman Substitutes: 12.Tom Graves 14.Matt Geard 15.Jose Goncalves 17.Rob Frankland

Attendance: 2,707