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EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN:
1.L Whibley 2.D Wackett
3.A Dart 4.D Cooney 5.M Pelling 6.A Turner 7.D Gellatly 8.M Neville
9.T Hutchinson 10.T Saunders 11.B Burns Subs: S Tadman, E Lynn, R
Foyle, K Wright, S Owen
Scorers: Burns (55) |
 |
HORSHAM:
1.Alan Mansfield 2.Stuart
Myall 3.Nigel Brake 4.Andy Howard 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Lewis Taylor 7.Jacob
Mingle 8.John Westcott 9.Dean Wright 10.Chamal Fenelon 11.Lee Carney Subs: Eddie French,
Tom Graves, Matt Geard, Y Salaam, Rob Frankland
Scorers:
Taylor pen (10), Salaam (50) |
|
reporter: Jim Bravery
photos by John Lines
 It was the Wasps against the Hornets when Sussex County Two side East
Grinstead played host to Ryman Premier Horsham on a hot sunny
afternoon at East Court where the Club's commitment to the future was
evident with major development work at the ground that promises a
smart new stand for their loyal fans.
Horsham fielded a strong team again in the build up towards their
second season in the Ryman Premier league although, with Lee Farrell
having received a kick to the leg in the victory against Herne Bay and
Carl Rook's injury problems threatening to keep him out of the start
of the new campaign, teenager Dean Wright continued his development
with the first team by claiming a starting place in attack alongside
recent signing Chamal Fenelon. Horsham started in lively fashion,
pushing the home side back with quick accurate passing, with Lee
Carney playing in an unfamiliar role on the left but apparently
invited to utilise the space in a free role behind the two strikers.
It was Carney who had the first shot on goal but Whibley was equal to
it, making a fine save to concede a corner. Several half chances
followed but petered out in the final third with uncomplicated
defending keeping the Wasps out of trouble. That was to change,
though, on ten minutes when Fenelon, cutting in from the left flank,
advanced in to the Wasps' penalty area where he was sent tumbling and
Lewis Taylor
made no mistake with the penalty hitting it hard and low to the 'keeper's
right to give the visitors the lead.
Jacob Mingle was enjoying the freedom he had been allowed in midfield,
spraying passes around with consummate accuracy, with one particular
pass inside the full back putting John Westcott in on goal and only a
well timed block prevented the winger from scoring. Alan Mansfield was
kept reasonably quiet apart from interacting with his own players
although Cooney was the first to try his luck but his effort was
blocked by Hemsley. Most of the action was at the other end and both
Taylor and Mingle had snap shots on target but saved. Wright was
unlucky not to add to his midweek goal when his pace took him away
from the defence, and two 50/50 challenges, only to see his goalbound
effort deflected out for a corner. In the 39th minute, Wright did have
the ball in the net when Fenelon’s great pass to Westcott set the
winger up to knock a great cross on to the head of the young striker.
The effort had enough power to beat the 'keeper who could only help it
into the net but joy quickly turned to despair for the young striker when the linesman ruled he was in an offside position.
There was just time for two further chances before the half-time
whistle, Fenelon’s effort was blocked whilst a rare chance for the
home side saw Burns strike a shot right across the area with nobody in
a position to get a touch.
H/T:
East Grinstead Town 0 Horsham 1
The normal exodus of players before the resumption of the second half
saw Yinka Salaam on for Westcott, Tom Graves on for Stuart Myall, Matt
Geard replaced Nigel Brake and Eddie French came on for Andy Howard.
 From the start, Geard looked menacing, bringing a good save out of the
overworked Whibley and Fenelon was unlucky to see his shot saved after
a great piece of individual skill from Carney presented him with the
chance. In the 50th minute a Carney cross found Yinka
Salaam
at the far post and his well directed header proved too good for the
keeper to make the score 2-0. Five minutes later and Graves was
alleged to have pulled down the winger inside the box to offer the
hosts a lifeline from the penalty spot despite Graves' protests that
the offence had taken place outside the box.
Burns
took the kick, hitting it low to Mansfield’s left, but the 'keeper
pulled off a stunning save but could only watch on
helplessly as the ball rebounded straight back to the striker who this
time made no mistake by blasting it into the net. Horsham resumed
control once more but with more players pushing forward there was
always going to be a chance of a quick breakaway and it came courtesy
of a good pass out wide to the right, a first time cross and a firm
header by Tobi Hutchinson but, like Wright’s earlier effort, the
'goal' was ruled out by the linesman's flag. More chances at the other
end from Salaam and Fenelon were well saved as the Hornets tried to
close the game out and, with nine minutes left, Stuart Myall and Nigel
Brake replaced Mingle and Taylor. The dangerous Brake, now out on the
left, wasted little time in signalling his intentions by cutting
inside after beating the full back only to see his effort half
blocked, the keeper completing the save.
Dean Wright had to be helped off the pitch by “Father
Figure" Rob Frankland after injuring his ankle, seemingly twisting it
although no one else was involved and Taylor made a quick return to
the fray for the last few minutes. With two minutes to go, Brake was
badly taken out by an East Grinstead substitute and Carney’s direct
free kick almost found the top corner but didn’t dip quite quickly
enough. Geard had another crisp shot blocked before another Carney
free kick found French at the far post but he was unable to direct his
diving header goal wards. The last chance of the game fell to the home
side and almost earned them a draw when a free kick out on the right found
a striker's head that missed the far post by a whisker, the Hornets
just escaping with a win that ended up a bit too close for comfort.
NEXT MATCH: v Horsham YMCA (h) Tuesday 7th August ko 7.45pm |
