HORSHAM 1 AFC WIMBLEDON 1 (after extra-time, Horsham win 5-4 on penalties)

HORSHAM:
1.Alan Mansfield 2.Tom Graves 3.Nigel Brake (Fenelon) 4.Andy Howard (Myall) 5.Kevin Hemsley (French) 6.Lee Carney 7.Jacob Mingle 8.Lewis Taylor 9.Simon Austin 10.Carl Rook 11.Gary Charman Subs: 12.Eddie French 14.Stuart Myall 15.John Westcott 16.Chamal Fenelon 17.Rob Frankland

AFC WIMBLEDON:
1.Andy Little 2.Anthony Howard 3.Michael Haswell 4.Rob Quinn 5.Jason Goodliffe 6.Jake Leberl 7.Steve Ferguson 8.Mark Beard 9.Luke Garrard (Butler) 10.Robin Shroot (Hatton) 11.Tony Finn (Hussey)  Subs: 12.Richard Butler 14.Sam Hatton 15.Chris Hussey 16.Will Salmon 17.Paul Seuke

reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines

Horsham booked themselves a date with BGB Southern Premier Division Chippenham Town after overcoming AFC Wimbledon on a night of high drama at the Atspeed Stadium. John Maggs' side have played far better than they did in this replayed E.ON sponsored FA Cup 3rd qualifying round tie and many will say they rode their luck a little but when Queen Street closes its gates for the final time next May, this match is sure to live long in the memory of those Horsham fans who turned out in force to see their side finally banish their Wimbledon demons.

Seven previous meetings between the two clubs had failed to register a single victory for the Hornets and the result remained in the balance until Lee Carney stepped up to beat Andy Little from the spot to end more than three and a half hours of dramatic action. Outplayed for much of Saturday's meeting at the Kingsmeadow, Maggs demanded a positive response from his players and he got it with a performance full of passion and desire that was matched off the pitch by two sets of fans who stood side by side in fervent support of their respective teams that made for an electrifying atmosphere.

The match provided a long awaited debut for Horsham's Chamal Fenelon, a summer signing from Pease Pottage, whose season had been delayed through a lengthy suspension but he had to content himself with a place among the substitutes as Maggs opted to go with the same eleven who ended Saturday's game - John Westcott's injured hamstring keeping him on the bench.

If the noise levels were high at kick-off, they were off the scale after just three minutes when former Don Lewis Taylor celebrated his first start since August with the game's opening goal, finishing superbly from the corner of the penalty area after being played in by Simon Austin to raise a roar of approval that might even have been heard at the Holbrook Club. The visitors had bemoaned their inability to turn possession into more tangible reward at the weekend and their wretched form in front of goal continued when Robin Shroot fired over the top from close range after being found by Steve Ferguson's cross-cum-shot. Mark Beard might have made a telling contribution on his return from suspension but his wild slice sent a good chance wide of Alan Mansfield's goal but the Wimbledon pressure finally told in the 17th minute when Jason Goodliffe found Hemsley ball watching as he stole in front of the Hornets' skipper to head Jake Leberl's free-kick expertly inside the post with Mansfield a mere spectator.

Austin hit a shot wide in reply and Mansfield produced a fine save from Tony Finn's well struck shot as both sets of players gave the supporters something to shout about. Taylor's miscontrol wasted a promising attack for the home side and a drive from Carney went too high to worry Alan Little in the Dons' goal and the first half ended to warm applause from around the ground.

H/T Horsham 1 AFC Wimbledon 1

Both sides made tactical changes before the second half could get underway, Maggs replacing Hemsley with Eddie French while Dons boss Terry Brown sent on teenage striker Sam Hatton and the experienced Richard Butler for Shroot and Luke Garrard. The hosts threatened to regain the lead just three minutes in but French was inches away from making an instant impact when he headed Carney's free-kick narrowly wide of the post.

With a prolonged downpour only adding to the intensity of the occasion, no quarter was asked nor given by either side as each looked to take the upper hand. Horsham were dealt a severe blow to their hopes when the excellent Andy Howard was forced from the field with an apparent hamstring problem to be replaced by Stuart Myall and, within ten minutes, their chances of victory were hampered even further with the removal of Nigel Brake who hobbled off the pitch holding his thigh with Fenelon charging on in his place. Goodliffe was left nursing a sore head as the robust substitute announced his arrival by taking on the Dons skipper and Mike Haswell in an aerial duel before the striker powered a left foot shot in to Little's midriff.

Wimbledon's tricky winger, Finn, had been well shackled by Tom Graves for most of the evening but he managed to break free and threaten Mansfield's goal with a left foot drive that went over the top as the game swung from end to end for the final quarter of an hour of normal time. Austin saw an effort blocked and only a spectacular tip over from Mansfield denied Hatton his moment of glory after the youngster had let fly from distance. Referee Rock had officiated a pulsating match pretty well until he angered the Horsham fans, players and management by turning down what appeared to be a clear penalty appeal with five minutes remaining. A great pass inside the full-back found Carney on the overlap only to be sent flying by Haswell whose blatant body check denied the midfielder of a clear sight of goal but the official waved play on to the obvious angst of the home bench. More frustration was to follow for the home side when Gary Charman wasted a glorious chance to win the match when he pulled his shot wide of the far post after being put through by Jacob Mingle's determined run and defence splitting pass. The Dons almost rubbed salt into what would have been considerable wounds when they broke upfield and Mansfield had to spread himself to deny Steve Ferguson. Despite a final flourish from the home side, in which Mingle had a couple of efforts blocked inside the penalty area, the teams could not be separated and they prepared themselves for the challenge of a further thirty minutes.

F/T Horsham 1 AFC Wimbledon 1

Although there was little let up in the pace of the game, goalmouth action began to diminish with neither side wanting to make the mistake that would mean almost certain elimination from the competition - as well as the loss of the £5,000 prize money that was up fro grabs. Mansfield denied Ferguson once more and Fenelon had a shot blocked before a flare up saw Hatton land a punch on Carl Rook after the two players had tangled on the touchline. Mr Rock clearly took the occasion into account as the impetuous teenager escaped with just a yellow card that, on another day, might have been red and Brown and Maggs' assistant Tommy Warrilow engaged in a war of words as the pressure intensified. But there was to be no further scoring and the supporters made their way down the ground to congregate behind the goal at the car park end in anticipation of the penalty shoot-out.

Hatton began proceedings, striding forward confidently only to hold his head in his hands as Mansfield threw himself to his right to beat the shot away to give the Hornets an instant advantage. Carl Rook converted, as did Goodliffe, but a spectacular save by Little kept Taylor at bay and it was all square after four kicks. Butler made it 3-2, Graves, Myall and Fenelon - just - all netted for Horsham and the scores were level at 4-4 as Beard stepped up to the mark with the contest entering 'sudden death'. But, like so many famous names before him, the former Sheffield United midfielder failed to hold his nerve, sending his shot over the top to leave Carney with the chance to put Horsham in to the fourth qualifying round for the first time since 2002. As the expectant crowd held its collective breath, the midfielder ignored the distractions of the Dons supporters to hit the ball low to Little's left before being engulfed in a sea of amber and green shirts. Horsham had finally beaten the Dons and could start to dream of a place in the first round proper of the FA Cup........but first, Chippenham !

More match photos can be found here

NEXT MATCH: v Ramsgate (a) Saturday 20th October ko 3.00pm