HORSHAM 0 AFC WIMBLEDON 2

HORSHAM:
1.Paul Seuke 2.Stuart Myall (Farrell) 3.Ian Payne 4.Eddie French 5.Andy Howard 6.Tom Graves (Salaam) 7.Jacob Mingle 8.Lewis Taylor 9.Simon Austin 10.Steve Davies 11.Jason Ward Subs: 12.Kevin Hemsley 14.Lee Farrell 15.Yinka Salaam 16.Mark Hawthorne 17.Chamal Fenelon

AFC WIMBLEDON:
1.James Pullen 2.Luke Garrard 3.Chris Hussey 4.Rob Quinn 5.Marcus Gayle 6.Antony Howard 7.Karl Beckford (Shroot, Ferguson) 8.Sam Hatton 9.Daniel Webb 10.Luis Cumbers (Rose) 11.Tony Finn Subs: 12.Richard Jolly 14.Steve Ferguson 15.Ramone Rose 16.Mark De Bolla 17.Robin Shroot
Goalscorers: Cumbers (23), Shroot (56)

reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines

AFC Wimbledon's strength of squad was the key to this victory that maintained their unbeaten league record against Horsham and moved them in to 2nd place in the Ryman League Premier Division table. Despite being without 5 regulars, the Dons' bench was full of players who would arguably walk in to any side in the division; Richard Jolly, Steve Ferguson, Mark de Bolla and Robin Shroot, not to mention young Ramone Rose, currently on work experience from Championship side QPR, and the quality eventually told against a Horsham side who battled gamely to the end without really testing visiting goalkeeper James Pullen.

With the injured Lee Carney and Nigel Brake missing and Matt Geard suspended, John Maggs already faced something of a selection headache but when Gary Charman ruled himself out of the game during the afternoon due to a back problem, he had some justification to believe that his problems couldn't get any worse. However, the non-arrival of Chamal Fenelon due to personal problems, and Lee Farrell only able to take up a place on the bench, meant that he was left with just two fit forwards and he opted to play one, Steve Davies, in a lone role up front...a daunting prospect as it pitched the former Horsham YMCA man up against Wimbledon's one time Jamaican international defender Marcus Gayle, back at the club after making 285 appearances for the 'old Wimbledon' in the 1990s.

There was the usual vibrant atmosphere inside the ground as the travelling supporters contributed to Queen Street’s biggest league gate of the season and they saw both sides make a confident start. Lewis Taylor wasted an early free-kick for the hosts, and a promising attack broke down when Davies could only find the side netting with a cross, but it was a mistake by former Dons ‘keeper Paul Seuke that almost led to the game’s opening goal when Luis Cumbers charged down his attempted clearance but, fortunately for Horsham, the visitors were unable to capitalise and the ball was eventually cleared at the 3rd attempt. Daniel Webb should have done better when Luke Garrard’s 5th minute cross fell invitingly at the far post but the midfielder scuffed his close range volley and a grateful Seuke made a comfortable save.

Sam Hatton’s quick thinking caught Horsham napping from a free-kick when he sprayed the ball out wide to Garrard before running on to the return pass only to shoot wide from 10 yards as Wimbledon appeared to carry the greater goal threat. However, boss Terry Brown was forced into an early change when Karl Beckford limped off to be replaced by Shroot after just quarter of an hour. But if Horsham thought the Dons’ rhythm would be disrupted, they were given an instant warning when the substitute’s determined run in to the penalty area brought a desperate last-ditch challenge from Eddie French. But the skipper was missing, 6 minutes later, when Cumbers rose unmarked ahead of Seuke to head home Tony Finn’s flighted cross to give the visitors the lead.

Finn was enjoying himself on the right flank and another tricky run was ended on the edge of the Horsham box with an exaggerated fall over Simon Austin’s clumsy challenge but Seuke did well to hold on to Chris Hussey’s free-kick under the crossbar. With Garrard an ever willing accomplice for Finn, Horsham's Ian Payne was in for a busy evening but the experienced full-back performed admirably, showing no effects from his lengthy spell out of the game with some crunching tackles and a considered distribution of the ball.

It took Horsham half an hour to win their first corner of the night but, when it finally came, it almost led to an equalising goal. Jason Ward was beginning to get the measure of Dons’ left-back Hussey and, after the defender had knocked the ball behind, Mingle played Taylor’s corner back in to the danger zone where Davies outjumped Gayle to nod down for Austin who dragged the ball across the face of goal, just ahead of Stuart Myall at the far post, and out for a goal-kick. It was a rare piece of action around James Pullen’s goalmouth and normal service was quickly resumed when the faintest of touches from Payne took a dangerous cross away from Hatton, lurking on the penalty spot, and Lewis Taylor was spoken to by referee Woolford after bringing down Garrard in full flight.

A typical challenge from Myall saw him win the ball superbly from Cumbers, after Webb’s hopeful lob had looked to put the former Gillingham man in on goal, but the half ended with a half chance for the home side when Ward’s cross was missed by Garrard, catching Austin by surprise and leaving him unable to profit from the situation.

H/T Horsham 0 AFC Wimbledon 1

The Hornets returned with renewed vigour after the break and set about the Dons who had replaced goalscorer Cumbers with Rose during the interval. A neat touch from Davies enabled Taylor to get in a shot that flew just over the angle and Austin was similarly off target with Davies again involved in the build up, the ex-YM man impressing in his lone striking role against his vastly experienced marker. Taylor was only inches away from collecting a pass from Tom Graves, after the blond haired midfielder had broken from his own half, but the Dons almost doubled their lead when Rose’s long range shot deflected off of Hatton’s head although not enough to divert the ball out of Seuke’s reach. Davies continued to toil hard in attack and he was almost rewarded for his efforts when Ward beat his man and laid the ball off only for Davies’ shot to deflect behind for a corner.

But it was the visitors who scored again, on 56 minutes, when a Horsham attack broke down deep in the Wimbledon half and, as home side hastily tried to retreat, the ball was moved out wide to Rose whose forward pass found Andy Howard confronted with 3 players with Shroot taking the initiative to sweep the ball left footed into the corner of the net to the delight of the 600 or so travelling fans.

Within minutes, Shroot had tricked his way back in to the penalty area where he went to ground rather too easily for Myall's liking and the Horsham man was shown the yellow card for making his feelings known to Mr Woolford. Seuke saved his side further punishment when he got his body behind a flick from Anthony Howard from Hatton's subsequent free-kick. Despite the best efforts of Taylor, Graves and Ward, Horsham couldn't breach the Dons' rearguard that was superbly marshalled by the imperious Gayle and the match entered a spell in which the defences dominated.

With a little over quarter of an hour remaining, Maggs sent on Farrell in place of Myall as the home side went for broke, with Graves dropping back from midfield to cover Myall's now vacant right-back spot. Some neat footwork from Mingle left three opponents for dead inside the centre circle as he advanced goalwards but. instead of trying his luck from 25 yards, he picked out Davies whose cross was easily cleared.

But Mingle was culpable, moments later, when his wayward pass sent Shroot on a run that was halted inside the area by an excellent intervention from Graves amid cries for a spot kick from the Dons fans. Sadly for Graves, this was to be his final involvement in the match after picking up a knock in making his goal-saving challenge and he was replaced by Yinka Salaam. The substitute was quickly involved, clearing a cross that was destined for the lurking Webb before unceremoniously sending Hatton in to orbit with an unavoidable collision.

A jinking run from Finn saw his goalbound effort hit French before running harmlessly back to Seuke and only a linesman's flag denied Rose the chance of adding to the score but Horsham tried to end with a flourish and Ward was beaten to Taylor's pass by the alert Pullen who then stuck out a leg to deny Farrell although the linesman's flag was already raised.

Despite the defeat, Maggs was upbeat after the match. "I've given the boys some harsh words after the last couple of games, and rightly so. But I was pleased with them tonight. To be honest, when I looked at their team sheet I couldn't see us getting anything from the game but we battled well. It was always going to be a struggle with people like Lee and Nigel and Gary out but I thought Steve Davies was excellent up front. He didn't lose many headers, his touch was good, his control was good and he couldn't have done any more for me. Payney was excellent too, after being out for so long. I've challenged the board to help get us out of this division and it's now down to them to back me in bringing some new players in to help us cope with all these injuries so we'll have to se what happens."

NEXT MATCH: v Hastings United (h) Saturday 16th February ko 3.00pm