Horsham 7 v East Preston 1
Saturday 5th August 2006
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Reporter: Jim Bravery

John Maggs fielded another strong team against County leaguers East Preston and, but for some  poor finishing, they could have doubled the score.

As usual it seemed to take a while for the Hornets to get going but up front the Carl Rook / Jamie Taylor show was about to begin. Firstly, Rook knocked a ball into Taylor's path but his attempt was well saved by Simon Davey. John Westcott featured in the next effort but, put through by Lee Carney's pass, his shot only hit the side netting.

Davey was in action again soon afterwards, tipping a Rook chip over the bar. Taylor was put through on goal only to see his shot blocked superbly by James Rhodes; the midfielder needing treatment for his efforts. Westcott was knocking in some great crosses from the right and Andy Howard was only just wide of the far post from one such delivery. Carl Rook was denied a goal from another great through ball from Carney, the ball going out for a corner.

Horsham took the lead in the twenty-fifth minute when a Carney corner was laid off to Taylor and his shot beat a posse of defenders to end up in the back of the net. The scores were levelled just three minutes later when Horsham conceded a free kick on the left side of the area and, as the ball came into the box, a totally unmarked Sonny Banks headed into Eric Pudaloff's bottom corner much to the dismay of the Horsham bench. The Hornets need to get this sort of thing sorted before the league programme gets under way, otherwise close games could easily be lost to a dead ball kick.

Seconds later, Banks got in behind Tom Graves only to see Pudaloff save his shot. At the other end, Rook should have scored from another Westcott delivery after Taylor's knock down found Rook but instead of blasting the shot he tried to pass it wide of the 'keeper only to see him turn it on to the post and out for a corner.

A minute later, though, Taylor made it 2-1 with a calm finish having been put through by a defence splitting pass by Andy Walker. His pace took him past a static defence who were rooted to the spot. Gary Charman, playing his first game at home since last season, had a good effort but his shot was just too high.

With half-time approaching, there was just time for Taylor to complete his second hat-trick of the week, shooting low to Davey's left, curling the ball inside the far post to give the Hornets a 3-1 interval lead.

Hornets made one change at the break, Alan Mansfield replacing Pudaloff in goal, while East Preston made three changes. Levitt, White and Brown replacing Christodoulou, Banks and Churchill although the last two named came back on later.

Horsham, kicking up the slope in the second half, carried on from where they had left off. Taylor's lob found Charman but he was stretching to reach it and his header was an easy take for Davey. Westcott's cross to the far post found Charman heading across the six yard box but somehow it evaded the stretches of Taylor and Rook and went harmlessly out of play. It wasn't long before Rook finally got on the score sheet, Westcott's superb through ball finding the striker onside and he rounded Davey to score in the 54th minute.

Gary Charman was then replaced by Lewis Taylor who showed his adaptability to play anywhere, taking up the left sided roll, and he was in the action immediately, whipping in a good cross that Westcott should have done better with; his header going into the side netting.

The slick passing was giving the East Preston defence nightmares. Time and again Westcott was being given the space to knock crosses into the box and, from another good passing move, Jamie Taylor laid on a perfect pass to his strike partner who made no mistake in hitting it across the diving Davey to make it five after 65 minutes.

It should have been six, seconds later, but this time the overworked Davey made a good stop with his legs to deny Rook his hat-trick, again set up by Jamie Taylor. Davey was in action again, and once again it was Rook he denied, but when Rook turned provider, Jamie Taylor nipped in to score his fourth goal of the afternoon.

Maggs made three changes with with minutes remaining, replacing the brilliant Westcott, Howard and Matt Geard and replaced them with James Cant, Mark Zydonic and Owen Botting.

The changes had no effect on the relentless attacking policy that the Hornets had adopted and, once again, the two front men were involved. Taylor made a decoy run across the area with the ball and, with the back-tracking defenders waiting for the shot, perfect deception was achieved when a deft backheel put Rook in the clear for his hat-trick but somehow he managed to screw his shot well wide of Davey's post to the amazement of the watching supporters.

East Preston produced their last two subs in a bid to shore up the defence but, within a minute of their introduction, Andy Walker scored number seven after a game of ping pong in the goal area had kept out about four goalbound shots.

With fifteen minutes left Jamie Taylor was replaced by Jamie Liddell, coming off to loud applause. With eighty minutes gone, East Preston applied some pressure of their own through shots by Levitt and White and Zydonic had to make a goal line clearance to deny Josh Biggs.

Mansfield then had to palm away a hot shot from Leo Day who had signed for the Hornets last season when they suffered their bad run of injuries. A great ball to the far post by Lewis Taylor saw James Cant's volley go just wide of the post. Mansfield had to be alert after some excellent passing involving five or six East Preston players had him saving at full stretch.

With time running out, Davey made another excellent stop with his feet preventing Liddell from adding to the goals scored column. At this juncture referee Fred Davis brought proceedings to an end.

Horsham: Eric Pudaloff (Alan Mansfield), Ian Payne (capt), Matt Geard (Owen Botting), Andy Howard (Mark Zydonic), Tom Graves, Andy Walker, Lee Carney, John Westcott (James Cant), Jamie Taylor (Jamie Liddell), Carl Rook, Gary Charman (Lewis Taylor).

East Preston: Simon Davey, Edwards, Virgo, Christodoulou, Head, Rhodes, Phil Churchill, Leo Day (capt), Josh Biggs, Sonny Banks, Pook.
Subs (all used): Levitt, Tom White, Paul Brown, Johnson, Nicholson

Goalscorers:

Horsham - Jamie Taylor (4), Rook (2), Walker

East Preston - Banks

Attendance: unknown