Chelmsford City 5 v Horsham 0
Saturday 10th March 2007
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Jim Bravery

Horsham manager John Maggs could find only two positives from Saturday's visit to high flying Chelmsford City - the backing of the travelling fans and the results of his team's promotion rivals. "The supporters were magnificent," acknowledged the Horsham supremo. "We were 3-0 down after half an hour but they kept the support going and I know the players really appreciated it. They've been doing it all season." Commenting on a remarkable set of results that had seen only Chelmsford victorious out of the top seven sides, Maggs added "We were very fortunate with the other results. Hendon's win against Wimbledon was the surprise result for me. People tell me that our season is over if we don't beat Hampton on Tuesday but we've got eight or nine matches left and I feel we can finish in the top six and that's what we'll be aiming for."

Chelmsford had begun the season as one of the favourites to take the Ryman Premier Division title but they made a less than impressive start to the campaign and were beaten 2-1 at Queen Street in September. The squad has been strengthened throughout the following months and the Clarets finally look to have found the sort of consistency that might yet back up the bookies' predictions. Both sides were missing key personnel for this fixture, the Hornets without the injured Gary Charman, Stuart Myall, Lewis Taylor and the suspended Jacob Mingle, while Chelmsford's Mario Noto had suffered a broken leg in a recent training ground accident. Maggs' small squad was highlighted with his forced inclusion of under 18s midfielder Jamie Baxter in place of Taylor while sixteen year old Dean Wright was the only fit outfield player on the bench.

The playing surface at Chelmsford's Melbourne Stadium showed no signs of the recent wet weather and a decent sized crowd in excess of 1200 were ready for the start. Despite the healthy attendance, the council owned ground is in the centre of an athletics stadium and, although it has small terraces behind each goal, the main stand is some distance from the pitch creating little or no atmosphere. With the two teams changing ends before the start, the mass exodus of home fans standing behind the 'turnstile end' goal jostled their way through a narrow walkway with the Hornets followers trying to go in the opposite direction. The Clarets started the game in buoyant fashion, creating a clear cut chance inside two minutes when recent Grays Athletic purchase Lee Boylan played a slide rule pass in to the path of Kezie Ibe but he pulled the ball wide of Alan Mansfield's far post when it looked easier to score. Lee Carney was trying hard to distribute good ball to the front players but two fine passes resulted in marginal offside decisions from the enthusiastic linesman who seemed easily influenced by the home defenders' appeals. Ricky Holmes was in inspired form for the Clarets. Wearing eleven, but playing wide on the right, he tormented and teased Nigel Brake, cutting inside the defender's desperate tackle to fire in a shot that lacked the finesse of the build up and ended up well wide of Mansfield’s goal. Although the Hornets defence was under constant pressure, a rare chance from a long Carney throw in saw Bryan Glover heading the ball backwards into his own six yard box where Hornets skipper Eddie French got a header in on goal only to see it graze the outside of the post with home goalkeeper Ashley Harrison rooted to the spot. However, most of the action was at the other end where Mansfield had to be at his best to palm away a snap shot from Jeff Minton and the 'keeper was relieved to see the follow up shot from Spencer Knight go wide of the upright. John Westcott was shown the yellow card for kicking the ball away after he was alleged to have held a player back but Horsham's day got worse, two minutes later, falling a goal behind when Boylan controlled Brake's poor defensive header and hit a first time shot past the exposed Mansfield to give the Clarets a 16th minute lead. The Hornets tried to get their passing game going and, throughout the ninety minutes, refused to compromise their style by resorting to route one football even though the defence was put under severe examination by the lively two front men, Boylan and Ibe, who seem to have formed a good understanding and were a constant threat throughout.

Baxter, playing his first full match for the Hornets in an unfamiliar left wing position, saw a lot of the ball in the first twenty minutes, frequently troubling right back Jay Conroy. The Clarets responded by bringing Holmes back to help out and it was he who left the youngster in a heap after a dangerous two footed tackle that the referee felt only deserved a finger wagging when a yellow card should have been shown. Westcott and Carney both had ambitious shots from distance but neither were close enough to worry Harrison while, at the other end, every Chelmsford move caused problems and it came as no surprise when a long chip caught out the normally reliable Kevin Hemsley who could only watch as Ibe homed in on goal and finished with a shot into the far corner for a more than comfortable 2-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Within a minute Carney had to be treated for a head injury, Maggs clearly relieved that his midfielder was able to recover with no able replacement on the bench. Fellow midfielder Matt Geard managed to get a shot in from distance but Harrison’s goal wasn’t threatened as the ball sailed over the bar on the half hour mark. Another quick break away involving the Clarets' front men saw the quick feet of Holmes bring out a full length diving save from Mansfield who was harshly rewarded when the ball ran kindly into the path of Boylan who was following up to steer home his second, and Chelmsford’s third, goal in the 32nd minute. Although being three behind the Hornets kept plugging away and will consider themselves unfortunate to have a good goal ruled out by the over zealous linesman on 37 minutes. Minton was fortunate to only be shown a yellow card for a very late tackle on Geard and Carney's resulting free-kick saw the ball evade everybody and end up in the back of the net only for Clarets' captain Ben Chenery to bring referee Moffatt's attention to his linesman whose raised flag had indicated an offside offence, causing a lot of ill feeling within the Hornets ranks.

With half time looming, a free kick was awarded on the edge of the area after Chenery had impeded Carl Rook. The Clarets wall was far from the required ten yards away and Carney’s first effort thundered into it, his second effort going just the wrong side of the post. There was still time for three more efforts from the home side. With Hemsley and French undecided as to who would clear the ball, Ibe got in between them to put a shot just over the bar, the dangerous Boylan got past the defence to force a fine reaction save from Mansfield and Stuart Ainsley’s follow up hit Geard and went out for a corner that found Holmes unmarked but directed his header the wrong side of the post. Mansfield brought applause from the home supporters behind his goal with another fine save to thwart the deadly Ibe which brought the half to a close and fifteen minutes respite for the overworked Hornets, their management team questioning many of Moffatt's decisions as the official departed for the sanctuary of the dressing room.

The Hornets came out for the second half clearly believing a miracle could be achieved and several promising passages of play showed they would not lie down. A strong challenge by Ainsley on Carney left the Horsham midfielder needing more treatment before a good chip through by Tom Graves sent Rook away but, having to over stretch to get a shot in, saw it easily claimed by Harrison. Neat interplay between Brake and Baxter saw the former hit a teasing shot across the goalmouth that went close to the far post. Ainsley found himself in the book for dissent in the 57th minute and this was followed by two long range efforts by French and the inconspicuous Kevin Cooper but, despite conceding the majority of the second half's play to the visitors, the home side increased their lead from the resulting goal kick. Working the ball into Ibe, the striker teased and tantalised both Hemsley and French as he zigzagged his way into space before firing a brilliant left foot shot past Mansfield to make it 4-0. On the hour mark, Horsham had another goal ruled out by the same linesman who continued to frustrate and infuriate Maggs and his assistant Tommy Warrilow. Carney jinked past the defence to the goal line before pulling the ball back across goal for Rook to slide home only for it to be ruled out. Gareth Williams, who had been warming up near the linesman, let his feelings be known and he was joined by a frustrated Stuart Myall who also gave his six penneth, the players surrounding the officials with Rook picking up a caution for making his feelings known. On 66 minutes, a tricky Westcott cross had to be punched clear by Harrison and the resulting long throw from Carney saw Graves put his header inches wide of the upright. With it becoming clear there would be nothing in this match for the Hornets, Maggs replaced Rook with Dean Wright to protect his leading scorer from further falling foul of the officials. Wright had made such a good impression against Lewes earlier in the week and was given the last fifteen minutes to try his luck up front but, within a minute of his introduction, the youngster was looking towards his own goal as the large figure of Fiston Manuella fired in a superb long range effort that was equally matched by the diving Mansfield. At the other end, Horsham were still trying to get some sort of reward for their better second half performance but Westcott’s ball into the box was cleanly claimed by Harrison at full stretch then a long throw from Carney came straight back to the Horsham man but his first time cross come shot was wide of the target. Boylan’s final touch almost gifted him a hat-trick but a superb deflection by Mansfield onto the bar and out into play was finally ushered out by Hemsley at the far post. Chelmsford replaced both of their front men in a double substitution with just over ten minutes remaining, Dwain Clarke replacing Boylan and Jason Hallett coming on for Ibe, and the move seemed to inject some life back into the Clarets' game. Minton’s free kick screamed over the bar and the tiring Carney was dispossessed by Holmes who dragged his shot wide of the post. With eight minutes of the match remaining Carney saw his free kick cleared and, with both central defenders committed forward, it left the visitors open at the back for the fresh legs of Hallett to take him through on goal to leave Mansfield with no chance, blasting the ball into the net to complete the Clarets' nap hand for the second consecutive match at Melbourne Park. There was just time for a disappointing Cooper to get in a weak shot after being put in behind the defence before Mr Moffatt brought the match to an end.

Horsham now need a big display at Hampton & Richmond on Tuesday to see if then can topple another club destined for the play offs, with other results at the top helping the Hornets they are still in with a chance and there clearly is still along way to go to find out who will make it and who will be disappointed.

Chelmsford City: 1.Ashley Harrison 2.Jay Conroy 3.Spencer Knight 4.Ben Chenery 5.Bryan Glover 6.Fiston Manuella 7.Stuart Ainsley 8.Jeff Minton 9.Kezie Ibe (Clarke) 10.Lee Boylan (Hallett) 11.Ricky Holmes Substitutes: 12.Dwain Clarke 14.Chris Duffy 15.Jason Hallett 16.Marcel Nugent 17.Richard McKinney

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

Goalscorers:

Chelmsford City: Boylan (17,33), Ibe (23,59), Hallett (85)

Attendance: 1231