Tilbury 0 v Horsham 1
Saturday 21st October 2006
FA Trophy first qualifying round

reporter: Mark Wells

Carl Rook's eighth goal of the season settled a disappointing FA Trophy tie in which the Hornets struggled to impress against a side thirty-eight places below them at the foot of the Ryman League Division One (North) table. The goal, a close range finish after Tilbury 'keeper Dean Neil had parried Jamie Taylor's shot, was one of only a handful of clear chances created by the Premier Division side as they continue to struggle after their impressive start to the season. Their opponents, themselves woeful during the opening forty-five minutes, battled gamely and might have forced a replay after a disjointed second half display from the visitors.

With Nigel Brake beginning a four match ban, and Lee Carney suffering from a groin injury that kept him on the bench, Horsham manager John Maggs started with an attacking midfield quartet of John Westcott, Lewis Taylor, Gary Charman and Tuesday's goalscoring hero, Jose Goncalves. On loan defender Kevin Hemsley partnered Eddie French at the back while Stuart Myall replaced Tom Graves at right full-back, Graves dropping to the bench.

On a narrow, grassy pitch it was the hosts who had the first effort on goal as Hugh Ashman gave Alan Mansfield an early touch, the Horsham goalkeeper getting down well to field the striker's well struck shot after just two minutes. Having won the toss, Tilbury had elected to play with the stiff breeze in their backs but the conditions almost benefited the visitors when Eddie French's long pass from defence held up in the wind and dropped invitingly for Rook but Neil read the danger well and was quickly off his line to collect. A sudden downpour had supporters heading for cover and they were soon applauding Rook's efforts when he turned onto Myall's throw-in to force a corner with a shot that was blocked at the near post. Unfortunately for Horsham, neither Rook nor Charman could convert from French's flick-on from the resulting corner and the ball was cleared. A slip from Matt Geard almost  proved costly when Ashman was put in the clear but his hurried shot sailed harmlessly over the top and Rook had a strong shout for a penalty turned down as the visitors went up the other end to force a corner, Rook's shot deflecting behind after appearing to hit Manlee Brown on the upper arm.

Jamie Taylor fell foul of the Tilbury offside trap when Myall's cross found the striker in the clear and French forced Neil into his first serious save of the afternoon after Rook had headed Geard's free-kick back across the face of goal as the Hornets took control of the opening stages. Westcott's good run down the right ended with a cross to the far post from where Charman hit a volley straight into the keeper's arms but, for all their possession, Maggs' side almost fell behind when Myall's weak header fell kindly for Brown who hit a volley that was well saved by Mansfield. Hemsley should have scored when Rook headed Westcott's deep cross back towards goal but the player, on a month's loan from Eastbourne Borough, could only despair as the ball hit his knee before dropping wide of the upright. The decisive moment of the game came after thirty-two minutes when a slip from Eric Kwayke ceded possession back to Horsham and Myall's threaded pass allowed Jamie Taylor to hit a first time shot that was spilled by Neil invitingly into the path of Rook who crashed the ball home from three yards. Myall was again involved, three minutes later, when a well flighted cross found Charman at the far post but the linesman's flag was surprisingly raised as the header flashed wide of goal. The visitors survived an anxious moment when French misjudged a through ball and Ashman darted in between the Horsham captain and his goalkeeper only to be sent sprawling, twenty yards from goal. Referee Atkin decided that French's challenge warranted a yellow card but of more concern to the Horsham bench was an injury to Mansfield who appeared to receive a blow to the head in the collision. Although he dusted himself down after treatment from physio Geoff Brittain, the former Three Bridges stopper was far from prepared as Tyron Thomas aimed a quick free-kick into the acres of space left at the far post but the ball curled well wide, to the relief of the groggy 'keeper. Goncalves showed good trickery in the middle of the pitch to escape the attentions of Thomas but a bobble at the crucial moment meant he was unable to add to his midweek goal as the ball soared onto the roof of the clubhouse to earn some good-natured ribbing from the Horsham supporters as the half came to a close.

Horsham started the second half the brighter of the two sides and only a brave block by Bradley Smart prevented Charman from getting his shot on target before Goncalves, following up, brought a good diving save from Neil. The lead should have been doubled, seven minutes after the break, when Rook combined well with Jamie Taylor but Neil spread himself well to block at the near post from the former Dover striker who then chipped the loose ball back into the danger zone where the flying Charman sent a header just wide. An underhit backpass from French almost led to the home side netting an equalising goal when Mansfield's challenge on Nana Badu sent the ball flying into the air and Myall had to clear Ashman's unchallenged header off the line. A good run from Charman was held up by a wall of defenders but he was able to release Westcott with a clever pass and his cross was touched back at the far post by Rook but Goncalves was crowded out and another chance had gone begging. Dockers manager Tony Cross sent on Andre Humphrey in place of Kwayke, hopeful that the diminutive substitute could have the sort of impact he had on Tuesday night when his arrival off the bench helped his side claw back a 4-1 deficit to claim a draw at Witham Town and, with his first touch, he set up Ashman who sent a shot whistling past Mansfield's right hand post. A foul by Brad David on Rook, deep inside the Tilbury half, earned both players a lecture from Mr Atkin and, from the resulting Horsham free-kick, the hosts broke away and Thomas blasted wide of the target when well placed. Horsham's use of the long ball was creating little in the way of chances, with passes all too frequently running out of play, or a frontman caught offside, but it almost provided a chance for Jamie Taylor when Rook sent an intelligent ball into the area but Martyn Guest did well to challenge and the ball went over the crossbar. Charman was withdrawn, ten minutes from the end, as Maggs opted for the more defensive duties of Tom Graves who was making his 150th appearance for the Hornets but Tilbury looked to take advantage of their opponents' inability to kill the tie off and Myall was booked for bringing down Ashman and Mansfield had to dive bravely among the flying boots to preserve the single goal advantage. Mansfield's distribution relied heavily on the long punt downfield during the second half and, from one such clearance, Westcott's cross was almost turned into his own net by George Alder. Rook was unfortunate to see his header come back off the crossbar from Goncalves' cross and Hemsley did well to take the ball off a forward's toe as Tilbury launched a late attack but the visitors ended the game with a couple of corners as they saw out the closing moments of the game in apparent control to progress to the second qualifying round for the first time in four seasons with their first clean sheet since the opening day of the season.

Tilbury: 1.Dean Neil 2.Martyn Guest 3.George Alder 19.Bradley Smart 5.Brad David 6.Manle Brown 7.Tyron Thomas 8.Eric Kwayke 9.Nana Badu 10.Hugh Ashman 11.Jerome Boyce Subs: 12.Jack O'Connor 14.Andre Humphrey 15.Olubenga Ladenga 16.Jordan Tolan 17.Harry Stevens

Horsham: 1.Alan Mansfield 2.Stuart Myall 3.Matt Geard 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Lewis Taylor 7.Jose Goncalves 8.John Westcott 9.Jamie Taylor 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman
Subs: 12.Tom Graves 14.Lee Carney 15.Andy Howard 17.Rob Frankland

Goalscorers:

Horsham - Rook 32

Attendance: 91