Horsham 1 v Ashford Town (Mx) 1
Saturday 17th March 2007
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Mark Wells

It was a case of 'the biter bit' at the Atspeed Stadium as Paul Johnson's late equaliser earned Ashford a first ever point at Horsham from this, their fourth time of trying. The goal, a terrific left footed strike from the edge of the penalty area, was fair reward for the visitors who took the game to their uninspiring opponents in the second half and helped erase the memories of the October meeting between the two sides when Gary Charman's similarly late strike had earned all three points for the Hornets.

John Maggs' programme notes stated his belief that his side needs eight wins from their final ten matches in order to make the play-offs and that, should everyone pull together, that aim could be reached. Clearly, though, his players failed to heed their manager's comments after an insipid second half display that saw them slip to their twelfth draw of the campaign after having been in the ascendancy for the first forty-five minutes.

Ashford, sixteenth at the start of play, arrived in good form having defeated Ramsgate, Heybridge Swifts and Bromley in successive games and, in beating Staines Town during the week, had reached their first Cup Final in seven years. After weeks of having to juggle his side through injuries and suspensions, Maggs was finally able to put out something close to his first choice eleven with both Gary Charman and Stuart Myall in the starting line up while Lewis Taylor remained on the bench following his brief cameo at Hampton during the week. But the main pre-match talking point was the appearance at full-back of Nigel Brake whose talks with Lewes over a proposed move to the Dripping Pan had apparently broken down during the week, much to the delight of Maggs and the Horsham faithful. The hosts began by attacking the car park end, hoping to take advantage of the strong afternoon sun that shone in the eyes of Ashford goalkeeper Ben Lauder-Dyke, but the former Aldershot Town stopper failed to be tested by Kevin Hemsley's third minute effort that scuffed past the post from Myall's miscue. A neat lay-off by Kevin Cooper found John Westcott in space but his curling effort had too much height on it, the ball sailing over the crossbar, before Stuart Bamford collected the first booking of the game for swinging an elbow at Carl Rook and an accidental clash of heads between Hemsley and Jon Palmer saw both physios on the pitch inside the opening ten minutes. Jacob Mingle, playing against his former side for the first time since his November move to Horsham, began and ended a good move by spraying the ball wide to Westcott before racing into the penalty box to get onto the end of Westcott's cross. Unfortunately for the Hornets, his headed effort went harmlessly wide of goal. The Queen Street pitch looked in remarkable condition after the extreme weather of recent months although a difficult bounce, allied to a strong wind that blew the length of the pitch, made good football difficult but it was a quality cross from Brake that brought the opening goal on seventeen minutes. Having beaten his man on the left wing, Brake put in a measured delivery that found Rook climbing highest in the box to place a header low into the net for his eighteenth goal of the season. The Horsham fans, in appreciation of the full-back remaining at Queen Street - if only for the short term - began a chorus of "Brakey is a Hornet" that drew smiling acknowledgement from the Lewes target. The two players linked up again, two minutes later, but this time Rook couldn't direct his header on target and the ball fell behind for a goal-kick. Westcott missed a gilt-edged chance to double the lead on twenty-two minutes when Carney's terrific pass created an opening for Charman who elected to shoot first time, sending the ball across the face of the goal where Westcott, racing in, sidefooted the ball over the crossbar. Ashford had created little to threaten Gareth Williams' goal but Scott Todd almost conjured something out of nothing when he turned Mingle and fired in a low shot that had the home 'keeper diving uncomfortably across his goal before watching the ball fly wide of the upright. An error from Charman presented the Tangerines with their next chance when, back helping out his defence, the winger's poor clearance was collected by Palmer whose dangerous whipped cross was taken off the toes of Johnson by Hemsley's crucial interception. Charman was in more positive action at the other end when Myall's cross set up his team-mate for a speculative volley that drifted wide of the far post before Maggs withdrew the unproductive Kevin Cooper in favour of Taylor, pushing Carney up alongside Rook in attack. Johnson was booked for a foul on Mingle but Ashford had the ball in the net from a free-kick of their own, Williams and Stuart Bamford both contesting - and missing - the forward pass only for referee Knight to indicate an infringement as the ball ran gently into the empty net. Ashford boss Mark Butler made the first of his substitutions, ten minutes before the break, when Micky Cook limped off to be replaced by Scott Weight and Mingle picked up a needless booking for kicking the ball away at a free-kick. There was controversy when Taylor charged down an Ashford pass, apparently with his arm, before setting up Carney who was unable to apply the finish after cutting inside and Mr Knight had to lecture a couple of Ashford players for their protests. The hosts finished the half strongly, forcing a number of corners from which skipper Eddie French saw his powerful header kept out by Lauder-Dyke and then Hemsley headed over the top at the far post but Horsham deservedly went into the break with the advantage.

The two sides retook the field after the interval with the only change being the sensible addition of a cap for Williams with the Spring sunshine still causing the players problems. It was a low-key start to the second half with almost fifteen minutes having elapsed before the first effort on goal - Todd swivelling to get in a tame shot after Johnson's pass had sought out his team-mate on the edge of the Horsham penalty box. Gavin Bamford, the younger of Ashford's two brothers, tried to bulldoze his way through the Horsham defence, stopped at the last by French, and Williams was almost caught out when Steve Battams' free-kick eluded everyone in the box, bouncing up violently in front of him with the 'keeper able only to get a weak punch on the ball. Fortunately for Williams, neither Johnson nor Gavin Bamford were able to steer the ball home from close range and the former Corinthian-Casuals stopper was in more impressive form when he dived full-length to repel Bamford's fierce drive. Carney should have made the game safe when a rare sortie into the Tangerine's area saw Mingle's attempted overhead kick fall invitingly for the shaven headed midfielder but he blasted the ball uncharacteristically over the top from six yards when it looked easier to score. Battams collected Ashford's third booking of the afternoon for protesting at the lack of a free-kick as the half failed to provide much in the way of entertaining football for the 357 crowd. Maggs' call for more urgency from his players was echoed by the supporters who went through their repertoire of songs to try and raise their team but both had little effect as they struggled to find any fluency to their play. Perhaps sensing his team could capitalise on the home side's ineffective display, Butler made a double switch, taking off Todd and Palmer and sending on Gavin Smith and Scott Harris for the final twenty minutes while Maggs withdrew Carney into midfield, hoping that Taylor's energy might inject some life up front. However, despite a tireless and selfless performance from Rook, Horsham were unable to create a chance worthy of the name during the remainder of the match and home supporters mentally prepared themselves for the inevitable equaliser. Ricky Wellard squeezed a shot on goal from a throw and Smith brought a save out of Williams. Rook and Mingle both had headers on goal, although neither seriously tested Lauder-Dyke, and Williams had to be alert to palm away Stuart Bamford's far post header from a late corner. Charman tried to inspire his side in the latter stages heading over from Carney's cross before being upended by Gavin Bamford, who received a caution for his indiscretion, but Horsham's predilection for draws was to manifest itself once again when a final attack by the visitors finally brought  them the equaliser that had been on the cards for so long. A long ball into the Ashford half was cleared by the defence and, with referee Knight ignoring his linesman's raised flag, Horsham's players were unable to control the bouncing ball. The counter-attack continued with a pass into the path of Weight who held the ball up before picking out Johnson who steadied himself before sending a blistering volley past the helpless Williams and into the far corner of the net. The chance to record the first of those eight wins had been denied the home side but dropped points by AFC Wimbledon, Bromley, Chelmsford and Margate means that this topsy-turvy season still has some way to go before the chance of promotion can be confirmed or denied.

Horsham: 1.Gareth Williams 2.Stuart Myall 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Lee Carney 7.Jacob Mingle 8.John Westcott 9.Kevin Cooper (Taylor) 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman Substitutes: 12.Tom Graves 14.Matt Geard 15.Lewis Taylor 16.Dean Wright 17.Alan Mansfield

Ashford Town: 1.Ben Lauder-Dyke 2.Steve Battams 3.Jason Chewins 4.Russell Chanderton 5.Micky Cook (Weight) 6.Ricky Wellard 7.Paul Johnson 8.Stuart Bamford 9.Gavin Bamford 10.Scott Todd (Harris) 11.Jon Palmer (Smith) Substitutes: 12.Jonathan Coleman 14.Gavin Smith 15.Scott Harris 16.Scott Weight 17.Paul Burgess

Goalscorers:

Horsham - Rook (17)

Ashford Town - Johnson (90)

Attendance - 357