AFC Wimbledon 1 v Horsham 0
Saturday 16th September 2006
FA Cup first qualifying round

Reporter: Mark Wells

Horsham suffered FA Cup heartache as substitute Darren Grieves' 89th minute header saw AFC Wimbledon through to the second qualifying round of this famous competition. The Hornets had competed well against their illustrious hosts, and must have thought they had done enough to take the Dons back to Queen Street for a money-spinning replay, until Grieves rose highest to power home a left wing cross from Roscoe D'Sane that sent the majority of the 1,966 crowd into raptures. The goal itself wasn't without controversy with Horsham officials and supporters claiming that D'Sane shouldn't have been on the pitch having felled Nigel Brake with a late challenge just twenty minutes after being cautioned for a headbutt on Lee Carney.

Horsham's supporters had been looking forward to this tie since the draw was made back in July and they arrived in good numbers, many of them taken by surprise by the 'Car Park Full' sign that was in place more than ninety minutes before the kick-off. Many had come in anticipation of a better performance from their side than had been shown on their previous visit, eighteen months ago, when a 4-1 defeat was instrumental in a loss of form that ultimately led to the Hornets missing out on a promotion place. However, this season has seen John Maggs' side enjoy an unbeaten run in the league and hopes were high that they could produce what would still be seen as a shock result, despite the two sides now competing at the same level. But the Dons had yet to register a defeat themselves and would provide the Hornets with their most challenging task yet, boasting a host of experienced players who had represented the likes of Swindon Town, Grenada and England's non-league international side.

The Dons kicked off attacking the goal behind which Horsham's supporters had been told to occupy throughout the game, with the unusual policy of segregation being enforced, and they almost took the lead after just two minutes when Eddie French fouled D'Sane on the Wimbledon left and Antony Howard sent a header wide of the post from the resulting free-kick. D'Sane went even closer a minute later when a Horsham attack broke down and a quick ball out of defence saw the Dons' Richard Butler set up the former Lewes man who sidefooted over from twenty yards. The home side were looking menacing and another slick move, from another loose Horsham pass, enabled Byron Bubb to link up well with D'Sane before collecting a good return pass and sending in a cross that Steve Wales could only head tamely into Gareth Williams' arms.

Horsham's first decent chance on goal came courtesy of an eighth minute free-kick. Jamie Taylor, playing against his former side, was bundled over on the edge of the penalty area and a nicely worked routine between him, Brake and John Westcott saw the ball laid off to Carney whose shot was blocked by a wall of players. Mark Rooney fired wildly over the crossbar after the home side were allowed to work a shooting position, despite being pinned down by the corner flag, and the Dons continued to look sharper than their opponents, often first to the loose ball and determined in the tackle. Carney delivered a teasing free-kick into the Dons' penalty area that Charman glanced wide but the hosts looked the most threatening and, from a corner, the deep cross was headed goalwards by Howard only for Steve Butler to head over from close range. D'Sane turned well on the edge of the area and hit a left foot shot straight at Williams and his neat touch then saw Bubb send his volley over the top of the covered terrace. Jamie Taylor's persistence set up a chance for Carney to shoot from distance but, again, the captain's shot was blocked allowing Wimbledon to mount another attack from which Richard Butler turned Andy Howard only to mishit his shot, providing Williams with a comfortable save.

Dons 'keeper, Andy Little, was finally called into action on twenty six minutes when Jamie Taylor latched onto a loose ball inside the hosts' penalty area and hit a powerful drive that was parried away by the former Crawley stopper and Westcott couldn't get the required direction on the follow-up, sending the ball into the crowd behind the goal. As the Hornets started to enjoy some decent possession, the home supporters were becoming frustrated with referee Field at the award of several free-kicks for the visitors and Carl Rook became the villain for what many Dons supporters unjustly felt to be a dive. The referee then endeared himself to no-one when he got in the way of a tussle for possession between Jamie Taylor and Wes Daly, provoking a chorus of boos from the terraces. A touch of humour was displayed when a Horsham free-kick appeared to go wrong, with Brake, Westcott and Taylor all remonstrating at each other until Taylor turned and let fly from twenty-five yards, a deflection sending his shot ballooning to safety over Little's crossbar. However, the home crowd were soon baying for Mr Field's blood, and that of Brake, when the Horsham man's clumsy challenge on Butler prevented a good chance for the home side only for play to be waved on.

D'Sane did well to get past the challenge of French and sent in a driven cross but, unfortunately for the Dons, there was no-one to get on the end of the pass and the ball was cleared. A harsh free-kick given against Horsham's Howard received ironic cheers from the home fans who were soon applauding as Michael Haswell hit a fierce shot that Williams fielded well. Williams produced the save of the game, moments before the interval, when Carney's poor pass conceded possession inside the Wimbledon half and a quick pass out to Butler saw him cut the ball inside to Wales who produced a fantastic one-handed save from the Hornets' 'keeper to keep the score goalless at half-time.

The Horsham players were given a warm welcome to the second half by their supporters and it was soon evident that Little was going to be given a torrid time by some of the travelling fans behind his goal. Jamie Taylor had the first chance of the half when Carney's pass played him in on goal but the diminutive striker was closed down quickly by two defenders and rushed his shot, hitting it wide of the near post. Charman and Taylor both went close before Charman lost out to Wales who attacked down the right and sent a terrific ball to the far post where Lewis Taylor performed a fabulous block to prevent Butler getting a shot on target. Andy Howard received the first caution of the game on fifty-seven minutes but the Hornets were adapting better in the second half and when Lewis Taylor carried the ball ten yards the defence opened up before him but he snatched at the shot, sending it wide of the upright. A good pass from Howard found Brake on the left touchline who sent in a wonderfully teasing cross that Rook just failed to get a touch on, despite throwing himself headlong at the near post, and Haswell had to put the ball behind under pressure from Westcott. From the corner, Rook's downward header hit his strike partner, Taylor, and rolled harmlessly out for a goal-kick.

Jamie Taylor looked Horsham's liveliest player and he brought a save out of Little on sixty-three minutes after cutting inside Howard and another Horsham attack was thwarted by a superbly executed tackle by Rooney as Lewis Taylor looked to run onto the ball following Jamie's intelligent dummy. Williams had been under little threat during the opening stages of the second half but he had to dash quickly off his line to hack clear a through ball as Butler bore down on him and, shortly after, Daly dragged a shot wide when well placed. Taylor again had a shooting opportunity, this time from Rook's lay-off, but the ball whistled safely past Little's right hand post. A flashpoint occurred, twenty minutes from the end of the game when, following a number of feisty challenges, D'Sane appeared to aim a head butt at Carney to which the Horsham man retaliated. Mr Field called play back as Taylor let fly with yet another shot on goal and, after heavy discussions with both linesmen, elected to brandish the yellow card at both players and award a free-kick to the home side from which Bubb's header brought an untroubled save from Williams. This proved to be the last piece of action from the Grenadian international with Dons manager Dave Anderson replacing him with Simon Sobihy and, shortly after, sending on Grieves for Butler.

The Hornets enjoyed some good possession during the closing stages but their eagerness to get that all-important goal saw their exuberance penalised through the use of a stray hand or a push on an opponent. Three minutes from the end, Carney led a charge from the halfway line before drawing the defender and releasing Charman who tucked the ball expertly past Little only for the winger's joy, and that of the eighty or so fans behind the goal, to be wiped out courtesy of the linesman's flag. Those same supporters were calling for D'Sane's dismissal, a minute later, when Brake was caught by a late challenge when trying to clear his lines but the man in the middle decided that a word of caution was all that was required and the player who had angered Horsham with his questionable antics during the Sussex Senior Cup Final was to rub salt into the wounds when he beat off Howard's challenge and sent over an inviting cross that Grieves despatched into the top corner of the net with eighty-nine minutes on the clock. Charman was booked as he spoke out of turn to Mr Field and a flurry of activity took place on the touchline with Andy Walker replacing Westcott and Stephen Goddard coming on for D'Sane. Grieves almost made it 2-0 when he had a free header from a corner but, despite a number of Horsham free-kicks, the visitors were unable to grab an equaliser and, for the second successive season, their FA Cup journey had ended after just one match.

AFC Wimbledon: 1.Andy Little 2.Luke Garrard 3.Michael Haswell 4.Mark Rooney 5.Steve Butler 6.Antony Howard 7.Byron Bubb (Sobihy) 8.Wes Daly 9.Richard Butler (Grieves) 10.Roscoe D'Sane (Goddard) 11.Steve Wales Subs: 12. Darren Grieves 13. Josh Lennie 14.Scott Curley 15. Simon Sobihy 16.Stephen Goddard

Horsham: 1.Gareth Williams 2.Tom Graves 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Andy Howard 6.Lewis Taylor 7.Lee Carney 8.John Westcott (Walker) 9.Jamie Taylor  10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman
Subs: 12.Andy Walker 14.Matt Geard 15.James Cant 16.Kieron Johnson 17.Rob Frankland

Goalscorers:

AFC Wimbledon - Grieves (89)

Attendance:  1,966