STAINES TOWN 4 HORSHAM 0

STAINES TOWN:
1.James Courtnage 2.Jake Newton 3.Dave Sargent 4.Danny Gordon 5.Lee Kersey 6.Andre Scarlett (Cook) 7.Matt Wells (Thomas) 8.Gareth Risbridger 9.Richard Butler 10.Mark Nwokeji (Charles-Smith) 11.Howard Newton Subs:12.Leigh Mason 14.Lewis Cook 15.Jon McDonald 16.Marc Charles-Smith 18.Dean Thomas
Scorers: Nwokeji (39), Scarlett (52), Butler (85), Sargent (pen, 88)

HORSHAM:
1.Paul Seuke 2.Tom Graves 3.Nigel Brake 4.Eddie French 5.Andy Howard 6.Lee Carney 7.Lewis Taylor 8.Stefan Cox (Salaam) 9.Lee Farrell (Davies) 10.Jacob Mingle 11.Gary Charman Subs: 12.Steve Davies 14.Gavin Bolger 15.Yinka Salaam 16.Kevin Hemsley 17.Rob Frankland

reporter: Mark Wells

Staines Town reinforced their promotion credentials with a second 4 goal blast of the season against John Maggs' side on a disappointing night for the Hornets. Two goals in the final 5 minutes suggested a flattering scoreline for the hosts but, in truth, Horsham were well beaten on the night by a side for whom the pace and technique of Mark Nwokeji and Howard Newton proved decisive. The visitors had no answer to the lively Newton, who had a hand in 3 of the Swans' goals, nor Nwokeji who crowned another impressive performance with his 31st goal of the season.

Both players had been instrumental in ending Horsham's 100% home record earlier this season but the 3rd of the 'deadly trio' that night, Dwain Clarke, was denied the chance of turning out against his former team-mates due to an agreement that accompanied the deal that took the former Lewes man to Queen Street at the weekend. With Danny Davis (injured) and Simon Austin (suspended) missing from the side that so impressively saw off Ashford Town on Saturday, Maggs recalled Stefan Cox for the last match of his month long loan from Lewes while Steve Davies returned to the bench.

Horsham took to the field sporting a hotchpotch kit of pale blue shirts and bottle green shorts and socks with the fashion experts among the 279 crowd claiming that "blue and green should never be seen" but it was the Hornets defence that was invisible after just 2 minutes when Nwokeji called Paul Seuke into a smart save, the first of many on what was to become a busy night for the goalkeeper. Just a minute later and Richard Butler miscued from 5 yards, after great work from Andre Scarlett, and Eddie French hacked clear a cross from Newton as the hosts began the match with all guns blazing.

With their defence at sixes and sevens, Horsham were grateful for the chance to relieve the pressure with a free-kick and it took a full-bloodied challenge from Jake Newton to stop Gary Charman from registering the visitors' first shot on target, the ball ballooning up in to the arms of James Courtnage after Lee Carney had picked out his team-mate on the edge of the Staines penalty area. Seuke had to rush smartly from his line to head clear from the marauding Butler, the big 'keeper coming off worst in a hefty collision between the two players, and the former AFC Wimbledon 'legend' was denied by a desperate block by Andy Howard. Charman's angry reaction to a wild challenge by Gareth Risbridger saw both men yellow carded by referee Antony Coggins as the game began to even out with Horsham looking to have weathered the early storm.

However, Staines picked up the pace again and Nwokeji should have converted Butler's driven cross before Scarlett blazed high and wide from distance. The home side had a strong penalty shout turned down on the half hour when Nigel Brake barged Nwokeji off the ball as the full-back continued to struggle with the pace of the game after his long lay-off. Jake Newton's well-struck effort was kept out by Seuke before, inevitably, the Swans finally found the breakthrough when Howard Newton collected a loose pass from Brake and advanced in to the area before sending in a low cross for Nwokeji to sweep the ball home on 39 minutes. Ironically, despite being under the cosh for so long, the goal seemed to spur Horsham on and a determined run from Carney took him to the edge of the opposing penalty area only to blast the ball straight at Courtnage. A foot either side of the goalkeeper would have seen a certain equaliser.

The visitors were presented with a further chance, soon after, when a ball over the top of the Swans' defence was gobbled up by Lee Farrell but his volley crashed disappointingly into the advertising boards rather than the back of the Staines net. The half ended almost as it had begun with Seuke getting down low to save a shot from Howard Newton and showing a good pair of hands with Butler waiting to snap up the rebound.

H/T Staines Town 1 Horsham 0

The second period saw Matt Geard replacing the out-of-sorts Brake but any hopes the visitors had that the interval might have disrupted Staines' rhythmn were quickly dashed as, almost immediately, Nwokeji won a corner off French and Matt Wells forced another save from Seuke. Wells, a recent signing from Tottenham Hotspur, was less accurate with his next offering, a wild effort from 10 yards after Nwokeji had brushed aside Geard's challenge.

It was 2-0 on on 52 minutes when Howard Newton got the better of Tom Graves and crossed for the unmarked Scarlett to head home at the far post and the travelling fans, if not the manager, sensed that the game was all but over. Maggs sent on Yinka Salaam for Cox, no doubt wondering how the young winger had earned such rave reviews after failing to live up to his reputation during his brief spell with the Hornets, but Horsham almost conjured up a goal when Graves clipped a neat ball in to the box for Farrell to turn away from Danny Gordon but the striker shot wide when well placed.

But that was a rare sortie in to the Staines box for Horsham who were soon defending in numbers again when Risbridger tried to burst through the packed penalty area and Howard Newton fired inches over the top as the ball broke free. Butler went even closer on Staines' next attack when he did well to bring down a high ball and exchange passes with Nwokeji but Seuke parried his sidefooted effort and the Hornets' 'keeper earned his good fortune when Wells scuffed a shot badly, after another good break by the hosts, before Scarlett was replaced by Lewis Cook to warm applause from the home crowd.

Charman went close with a decent volley but the increasing frustration felt throughout the Horsham ranks came to a head when Farrell was booked for dissent, a decision that merely hastened his substitution with Davies sent on to partner Jacob Mingle up front. The changes were coming thick and fast now and, if Horsham thought they were to be spared further punishment with the withdrawal of Nwokeji, they could hardly have been ecstatic with the introduction of Marc Charles-Smith, the man whose goal at Stockport County had set up the replay that earned the Swans a famous FA Cup win in front of the Sky TV cameras.

Howard received a booking for a mystery indiscretion that only Mr Goggins seems to have noticed before Wells became the final home player to be replaced with 7 minutes remaining, Dean Thomas coming on in his place. Staines had taken their foot off the gas and seemed content with their 2-0 lead although Butler flashed a volley over the crossbar from the edge of the box to keep the home fans in with a hope of a further goal and they got their wish with 5 minutes remaining when Charles-Smith was allowed to attack the goal-line and send in a cross that was spilled by Seuke for Butler to poke home from close range.

Horsham's punishment was complete, 2 minutes later, when a terrific diagonal pass from Cook sent the unmarked Howard Newton away down the left and in to the penalty area where he was tripped by Graves for the most clear-cut penalty of the season. Mr Goggins clearly took pity on the overworked defender by brandishing just the yellow when a red looked a certainty but Dave Sargent wasn't so charitable, wrong-footing Seuke from the spot to give Staines their second 4 goal margin of victory in 3 days.

Maggs now has the task of picking his side up ahead of a critical Easter weekend programme that sees a visit to Boreham Wood followed, on Easter Monday, by the visit of Tonbridge Angels. Carl Rook, John Westcott, Tommy Warrilow and Cliff Cant's return is sure to be an interesting affair but, with only 8 matches remaining, Horsham are not out of the play-off race yet.

NEXT MATCH: v Boreham Wood (a) Saturday 22nd March ko 3.00pm