Horsham 1 v Worthing 1
Tuesday 10th April 2007
Ryman League Premier Division

reporter: Mark Wells

A fortuitous goal from John Westcott earned an under strength Horsham side a deserved point from this keenly fought Sussex derby that did little to ease Worthing's relegation jitters. The Rebels look certain to be playing Division One football next season after the draw leaves them seven points adrift of safety with just three games remaining. Yet the game had started brightly for the visitors who took the lead in sensational style after just six minutes and looked likely to repeat their recent success at the Atspeed Stadium that had seen them defeat Lewes in the Senior Cup semi-final. But, ultimately, they were unable to convert any of several chances to fall their way throughout the remainder of the match and allowed John Maggs’ side back into the game, falling to a sucker punch five minutes before the interval when John Westcott's deep free-kick eluded everyone before nestling inside the far post. Despite a terrific late onslaught, the Rebels were unable to grab the decisive goal that might have given them hope of avoiding the drop while Horsham’s patched up side will have taken heart from a determined performance that drew a favourable response from the majority of the 377 crowd.

The Hornets are enduring arguably their worst injury crisis of the season and were missing seven key players as they welcomed their visitors who were looking to claim a league double over Horsham following their surprise 3-2 victory at Woodside Road on Boxing Day. Kevin Hemsley, Nigel Brake, Stuart Myall, Jacob Mingle, Lewis Taylor, Lee Carney and Gary Charman were all absent and Matt Geard, although included in the starting eleven, was also reported to be struggling with an injury. Maggs' selection problems were such that there was a surprise recall for Andy Walker who was back in midfield for his first start since work commitments saw him depart the club in October. Ex-Hornet Leo Day lined up in the Worthing midfield no doubt hoping to get one over his former employers again, after grabbing the winning goal in that December encounter, while in Paul Rogers, captain Jamie Lawrence and Omari Coleman, the Rebels could boast three players with Football League experience.

The Hornets had come under fire for some lacklustre recent performances and had lost three of their last four matches by a 2-0 scoreline but they immediately went on the offensive, forcing a corner in only the second minute when Dean Wright got onto the end of Carl Rook's flick-on, but a mistake by Jamie Baxter almost saw the Rebels open the scoring, just two minutes later, when he allowed a pass from Ben Andrews to run under his foot for Mark Knee to race on and fire in a cross-shot that missed both the far post and the incoming Coleman. The visitors didn't have long to wait, though, taking the lead with a wonder goal on six minutes. Alan Mansfield's goal-kick was picked up by Sam Francis, just inside the Horsham half, and the former Withdean 2000 marksman advanced a couple of paces before sending in an unstoppable shot from forty yards that drew wild celebration from the sizeable travelling contingent as well as appreciative applause from the home crowd. Worthing's plight was such that they had to win each of their remaining four games to stand a chance of avoiding the drop and, buoyed by the goal, they continued to boss the game against a Horsham side that looked low on confidence. Mansfield produced a fine save from Andrews after the defender had cleverly flicked the ball over Eddie French’s head to create the opening before his opposite number, Rikki Banks, acrobatically tipped over a fine volley from Walker who was showing that his time out of the game had affected neither his enthusiasm nor his talent. Andrews sent a powerful volley wide of the goal, after being put through by the tricky Coleman, but seemed to injure himself in the process and was to spend much of the half hobbling around the pitch in some discomfort. The home side began to claw themselves back into the game and Francis was booked for bringing down Geard, while Rook levelled up the count after a foul on Knee. Shane Graham flashed a shot past the post, in his first start for the Hornets, before a foul on the former Ashford Town man earned his side a free-kick some fifteen yards in from the left touchline. As Westcott floated in the right-footed cross, the ball arced past the melee of bodies inside the Worthing penalty area before dropping just inside Banks' left hand upright to bring the scores level, five minutes before the break. Knee almost conjured up a goal out of nothing when he was played into space on the halfway line and, despite being closed down by Westcott and Andy Howard, the Worthing man somehow got in a shot that fizzed narrowly off target. A clever free-kick almost saw the visitors regain their advantage when Nathan Simpson played an intelligent pass to Francis but determined defending kept the shot at bay and the two sides turned round on level terms.

An incident-free start to the second half was punctuated only by a double substitution by Rebels manager Danny Bloor, ten minutes in, with James Fraser and Tom Lawley replacing Day and goalscorer Francis, while Baxter’s important block prevented Andrews from getting in a shot as the loose ball squirmed around the edge of the Horsham penalty area. A needless foul by Geard brought about the third caution of the game before Worthing stepped up a gear and Knee’s wonderfully flighted chip found Andrews peeling away from Howard but the striker’s attempted volley was poorly executed and the ball span behind for a goal-kick. Excellent covering by Howard prevented Worthing from breaking away down the left and the young defender came to his side’s rescue again, shortly after, when he was forced to head behind his own goal to clear Coleman’s threatening cross. The visitors were becoming increasingly anxious and Andrews was cautioned for manhandling Geard after the Horsham man had been fouled, Geard perhaps fortunate not to pick up a second caution of the game for his subsequent, and unnecessarily prolonged, protests. Simpson then followed his team-mate into referee Brook’s notebook for an elbow on Westcott that provoked fury from the Horsham bench. Geard’s evening was to be curtailed after a vital interception on the halfway line, that prevented a four man attack from breaking through the Hornets rearguard, resulted in the defender picking up an injury that was to see him replaced by Kevin Cooper. With the clock ticking down, Worthing laid siege to the Horsham goal with the excellent French and Mansfield proving an impenetrable barrier. Lawley blasted over, after a spell of Rebels pressure, and only a superb cover tackle from the Horsham skipper preventing Andrews from pulling the trigger. The hard-working striker was promptly replaced by Andy Alexander for the closing stages but it was Horsham who had the chance to clinch the maximum points when a foul on Graves gave Cooper the chance to fire in a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area but the wall did their job, standing firm to affect the clearance. Another missed opportunity by the visitors provided the catalyst for a swift breakaway for the home side when Graham’s pass to Cooper was helped on towards Rook but Horsham’s leading scorer failed to test Banks in the Worthing goal. The Rebels continued to press forward with an increased sense of urgency and Mansfield performed another crucial save from Fraser, low down at his post, after the substitute had avoided the challenge of French. The travelling fans who had made the short trip along the A24 had been vocal in their criticism of Mr Brook and his officials after frequent offside decisions had seemingly gone against their side and their fury was increased in injury time when Knee appeared to go down under the combined challenge of Howard and French inside the penalty area only for the referee to wave play on. The noise levels grew behind Mansfield’s goal when a mistake from Rook let Coleman in on goal but Mansfield was equal to the shot, making a fine save with his captain on hand to complete the clearance. The thin line between success and failure was there for all to see when, in the final seconds of the game, Joe Keehan got away from Wright and put in an inviting cross that saw Fraser beat Howard to the ball only for his flying header to skim the top of the crossbar before landing among the crowd of dejected Worthing followers. The final whistle brought to an end a breathtaking finale that saw both sides emerge with credit and, although Maggs will not be getting carried away with the performance of his makeshift side, he will have been proud of the commitment shown by all of his players who now face a far different test on Saturday away to play-off chasing Ramsgate.

Horsham: 1.Alan Mansfield 2.Jamie Baxter 3.Matt Geard 4.Eddie French 5.Andy Howard 6.Tom Graves 7.Andy Walker 8.John Westcott 9.Dean Wright 10.Carl Rook 11.Shane Graham Substitutes: 12.Kieran Johnson 14.Lee Saxby 15.Kevin Cooper 16.Rupert Cape 17.Gareth Williams

Worthing: 1.Rikki Banks 2.Joe Keehan 3.Nathan Simpson 4.Jamie Lawrence 5.Stuart Axten 6.Andy Lutwyche 7.Sam Francis (Lawley) 8.Leo Day (Fraser) 9.Omari Coleman 10.Ben Andrews 11.Mark Knee Substitutes: 12.James Fraser 14.Tom Lawley 15.Michael Hunter 16.Jamie Brotherton 17.Andy Alexander

Goalscorers

Horsham: Westcott (40)

Worthing: Francis (6)

Attendance: 377