Staines Town 0 v Horsham 0
Saturday 19th August 2006
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Mark Wells

Horsham's long awaited debut in the Ryman Premier Division got off to a highly satisfactory start when they claimed a point from an opening day draw at Staines Town. The Hornets had been tipped by many to struggle this season after being promoted as Division One runners-up but, on the evidence of this display, John Maggs' side might well surprise a few people during the course of the coming months. Playing against a side who had finished in sixth place in last season's Premier Division, Horsham created numerous chances and, with better finishing, might have left Wheatsheaf Park with all three points. That's not to say that Staines didn't play their part in what was a great advertisement for non-league football. The Swans carved out several chances of their own and both goalkeepers emerged with credit after a string of wonderful saves at both ends of the pitch.

A torrential downpour during the afternoon had little effect on the Swans' wonderful playing surface and it is little wonder that Sheffield United elected to utilise the club's superb facilities when playing in the south of England; the carpet-like pitch, excellent clubhouse, ample parking and impressive grandstand all things that Horsham hope to aspire to when the approval to build their new ground is finally granted.  

Gary Charman was a surprising inclusion in the visitors' line-up, having been expected to miss the first few weeks of the season with a muscle strain, but the luckless John Westcott was forced to sit out the match having failed to shake off an injury and he joined another casualty, Nigel Brake, on the Horsham bench. Maggs handed debuts to goalkeeper Gareth Williams and Lewis Taylor, so impressive in pre-season, while Andy Howard dropped to the bench allowing Tom Graves to partner Eddie French at the back. Newly appointed club captain Andy Walker led the side out on his return to one of his former clubs.

Unsurprisingly, the Hornets began rather nervously and Lewis Taylor's foul on Andre Scarlett earned the Swans a free-kick that was touched off by Kevin Warner to Ali Chaaban but his low shot was well held by Williams. A minute later, Ayman Mashali was allowed to twist and turn on the edge of the Horsham penalty area before sending in a right foot shot that was cleared by Graves' outstretched boot and the hosts began to look menacing, forcing three corners inside the opening ten minutes. But the visitors countered and gave a glimpse of things to come when good work between the two Taylors, Jamie and Lewis, saw the latter put in a low cross too close to goalkeeper Shaun Allaway who gathered comfortably at his near post. The Hornets' pressure then forced two corners inside the space of a minute - the second causing a scramble in the Staines penalty area before being cleared by Mark Nwokeji. Gary Charman went close with a header, after Jamie Taylor's tenacity had won the ball from a defender, and Charman was involved in Horsham's next move when his towering leap saw him beat Jake Newton to the ball and release Carl Rook who picked out Lewis Taylor's blindside run but the former Whyteleafe player diverted the ball just wide of the goal.

Horsham fans feared the worst when Lee Carney was left holding his leg after a crunching challenge from Staines' skipper Matt Flitter and the Hornets midfielder was left hobbling for a few moments as he tried to shake off his injury. Meanwhile, Chaaban cut inside from the right and hit a shot that was deflected behind for a corner. The classic Carney / Charman set-piece almost unlocked the home defence when Carney's disguised chip found the winger, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box, but his header across goal was cleared and, as the action moved down the other end, the predominantly right-footed Mashali found Errol Telemaque with the outside of his foot and the striker's lay-off fell nicely to Chaaban but last season's leading scorer was out of sorts on this occasion, scuffing his shot straight at Williams who made a comfortable save.

Just after the half hour, a long throw from Jon McDonald was headed just wide of the angle of post and crossbar by Pete Castle while a free-kick for the hosts, in which Matt Geard appeared to come off worse, resulted in a piledriver from Mashali that cleared the 'bar from distance. Graves had to produce a fabulous covering tackle after French's slip had given Nwokeji a sight of goal but this was a rare error from the Horsham defence that looked strong in the air and comfortable in possession of the ball, although there were concerns for full-back Geard who had been on the receiving end of two or three strong challenges and had to be treated by physio Geoff Brittain on a couple of occasions. Williams had to produce a good save when Warner got in front of Lewis Taylor to head Mashali's cross goalwards and Taylor himself went close when Charman teased his marker before sending over an inviting cross to the far post but Allaway spread himself well to push Taylor's side-foot volley behind. 

An excellent flowing move from the visitors almost saw them take the lead, five minutes before the break. Lewis Taylor found his namesake, Jamie, on the edge of the Staines penalty area and his lay-off to Carney was touched on to Walker whose first time drive was cleanly held by the diving Allaway. Arguably the best chance of the half fell to Nwokeji, just moments later, when Mashali and Chaaban combined to put the forward in on goal but, from just eight yards out, the Staines number ten shot well over and even the linesman's offside flag couldn't hide his embarrassment. On the stroke of half-time, another good move from the Hornets involving Carney, Charman and Jamie Taylor ended with a tame effort from Rook at the far post but Maggs would have been delighted by his players' first half performance as he followed them into the changing room to deliver his half-time team talk.

A controversial incident heralded the start of the second half when Nwokeji raced onto a through ball to score, less than sixty seconds after the break, only for referee Chris Williams to pull play back for an alleged foul on the Horsham 'keeper. A long ball out of defence had cleared the head of Graves, leaving Williams to race off his line as Nwokeji closed in, but Mr Williams adjudged the Staines' man's foot to have been high and awarded a free-kick to the visitors. Relieved at this reprieve, the Hornets constructed a lovely move begun inside his own half by Carney and, four passes later, the midfield dynamo was on the end of Charman's astute pass to set up Jamie Taylor but the striker inexplicably shot wide when well placed. Ian Payne was then at the heart of Horsham's next attack. Attempting a one-two with Jamie Taylor, the full-back harried Warner into losing possession to Rook and the ball was fed out wide to Charman who cut inside his man to hit a curling right foot shot that Allaway could only palm away towards Payne. But the former Crawley man, without a goal in nearly 100 appearances for the Hornets, headed wide of the gaping goal.

Mashali might have done better when Nwokeji's cross produced a weak defensive header from Geard but the Staines playmaker hit his shot wide of Williams' goal and Chaaban quickly followed suit after a loose ball fell to him on the edge of the box following French's clumsy challenge on Nwojeki. Staines manager Steve Cordery attempted to inject some fresh ideas into his side by sending on Gareth Risbridger in place of Mashali on 55 minutes but it was the visitors who nearly stole the lead a minute later when Carney's excellent cross was spooned over the crossbar from close range by Rook. Horsham survived an anxious moment as this wonderfully entertaining match continued to swing from end to end when Telemaque's ball across the 18 yard line was drilled low across goal by Scarlett, with the unmarked Warner just inches away from making contact at the far post. In an almost carbon copy incident, Warner's chipped pass eluded Geard and Scarlett's effort again missed the far upright by a whisker.

Still Horsham continued to attack and Carney collected a return pass from Lewis Taylor before skipping his way into the opposing penalty box and hitting a left foot shot straight at Allaway who made a fine reaction save. Staines enjoyed a good spell of possession just after the hour and the Hornets were forced to defend heavily with Payne heading a dangerous cross behind from inside the six yard box. Chaaban escaped the attentions of Charman, wriggling free and hitting his shot into Williams' body, before Maggs realised the danger and made a change to his team by replacing the limping Walker with Andy Howard and sending Graves into a midfield role. Graves was soon linking up well with his colleagues and an overlapping run ended with a good cross to Charman but the man who has scored over 100 goals for the Hornets could only direct his shot wide of the target. Twenty minutes from the end, a long throw caused problems in the Horsham box and only Williams' outstretched fingers prevented the home side from taking the lead as he tipped the ball onto the frame of the goal before frantic defending put the follow-up shot behind for another corner. Not to be outdone, Allaway conjured up a terrific save of his own, diving full length to prevent Rook's delicate flick from crossing the line after Lewis Taylor's trickery had won his side a corner. Staines began an immediate counter-attack and, when a high ball was missed by both Lewis Taylor and then Payne, Nwokeji just had Williams to beat but this was a day for the goalkeepers as the former Corinthian-Casuals man raced bravely from his line to spread his body and prevent what seemed a certain goal. He was soon to repeat his heroics when Carney cheaply conceded possession from a free-kick and another quick break by the home side ended with Chaaban sidestepping the Horsham defence only to be thwarted by the big 'keeper. Sensing they could still win the match, Staines began to turn the screw and Payne did well to block a shot from Warner after the new boy had got away from Lewis Taylor.

Michael Currie replaced Telemaque for the remaining twelve minutes but Horsham regained their composure and began to attack the Staines goal once more. Carney was guilty of over elaborating when well placed but he was influential in the visitors' next attack when his deep cross was headed back by Rook towards Howard and Allaway had to pluck the substitute's neat header from under the crossbar, under pressure from Graves and Taylor.  Rook thought he had won his side a penalty, ten minutes from time, when he appeared to be bundled to the ground by Newton when attempting to get on the end of Carney's cross but referee Williams waved away the appeals. A momentary lapse in concentration almost cost Horsham dear when they were left without a midfield after an attack had broken down and Lewis Taylor combined with Payne to force Warner's shot behind and, from the corner, Nwokeji failed to get the telling touch to Warner's cross-cum-shot. Another Carney / Charman free-kick routine fell to French on the edge of the box but his shot, although bringing a save from Allaway, lacked conviction. Five minutes from the end, an altercation between Chaaban and Carney led to a yellow card for the Staines man for pushing his opponent and the match threatened to turn ugly when Risbridger kicked the ball at Carney after the Horsham man went down under a challenge from Newton.

Scarlett's brilliantly executed volley was tipped round the post by the diving Williams as the game entered the closing stages and Castle did well to head Charman's rasping shot away from the dangerzone. Lewis Taylor's speculative volley almost provided a perfect finale for the visitors but the ball dropped just wide of the post to the agony of the travelling fans stationed behind the goal. Carney was almost put through in one final attack but Jamie Taylor's threaded pass was cut out by Castle's timely interception before the match ended on an unsavoury note when Risbridger was fortunate to escape dismissal for a late challenge on Charman.

Staines Town: 1.Shaun Allaway 2.Jake Newton 3.Jon McDonald 4.Pete Castle 5.Matt Flitter 6.Ayman Mashali (Risbridger) 7.Kevin Warner 8.Andre Scarlett 9.Errol Telemaque (Newton) 10.Mark Nwokeji 11.Ali Chaaban.
Subs: 12.Gareth Risbridger 14.Howard Newton 15.Dean Green 16.Adam Thompson 17.James Courtnage

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

Goalscorers:

Staines Town - N/A

Horsham - N/A

Attendance: 258