WITHAM TOWN 3 HORSHAM 2

WITHAM TOWN:
1.Paul Daley 2.Jack Humphries 3.David Morgan 4.Grant O'Donnell 5.Glen Revell 6.Phil Goodwin 7.Steve Joyce 8.Adam Holmes 9.Kevin Hawes 10.Cody McDonald 11.Jamie Ricks (Forrester) Subs: 12.Andy Hughes 14.Lance Forrester 15.Rob King 16.Reis Farley-Hearn 17.David Toombs
Scorers: McDonald (17,72), Ricks (52)

HORSHAM:
1.Paul Seuke 2.Tom Graves 3.Stuart Myall 4.Eddie French (Brake) 5.Kevin Hemsley (Charman) 6.Lee Carney 7.Jacob Mingle 8.John Westcott 9.Simon Austin (Fenelon) 10.Carl Rook 11.Lewis Taylor Subs: 12.Chamal Fenelon 14.Nigel Brake 15.Yinka Salaam 16.Gary Charman 17.Alan Mansfield Scorers: Lewis (30), Fenelon (90+4)

reporter: Jim Bravery
Photographs: John Lines

Cody McDonald was the toast of Witham Town after his two goals helped the Essex club progress to the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Trophy for the first time in their history with a 3-2 win over Horsham. Town's leading scorer grabbed a goal in each half to inflict only the Hornets' second defeat in thirteen games to leave their own hopes of a rare extended run in non-league's premier cup competition in tatters. Horsham have a poor record in the FA Trophy but they went in to this game as clear favourites, unbeaten in seven cup ties this season and with some 35 league places separating them from their Ryman League Division One North hosts.

Whether the players had one eye on Saturday's big FA Cup tie, only they will know, but the drive and commitment shown in last weekend's win at Chippenham was disappointingly lacking as the home side thoroughly deserved their victory that earned them a visit to Hayes & Yeading in the next round.

With John Maggs missing through illness, it was left to assistant Tommy Warrilow to take charge of the team for possibly the final time, if rumours of his impending move to take over the managerial reigns at Tonbridge Angels are to be believed, and his side showed just one change to that which won so excitingly in Wiltshire seven days before; Paul Seuke taking over in goal in place of Alan Mansfield. Nigel Brake returned to the bench, having completed a one match suspension, alongside Gary Charman who had watched Saturday's historic win from the terraces after ruling himself out of contention with a groin strain.

There was a controversial opening to the match when, in Horsham's first attack, Lee Carney's cross appeared to hit Phil Goodwin on the hand but referee John Lodge gave the defender the benefit of the doubt and waved play on and home 'keeper Paul Daley was soon punching the ball away to safety from Eddie French's testing overhead kick as the visitors looked to make an early impression. Another save from Daley was to begin Witham's first real effort on goal when a long punt upfield saw Jamie Ricks latch on to a header by French, forcing a corner from the diving Seuke. Horsham showed what they were capable of with an excellent move that saw Daley palm away a useful effort from John Westcott before recovering quickly to thwart Carney's first time blockbuster, turning it around the post for a corner.

Most of Horsham's best work was instigated by the lively Carney and another deep cross from the midfielder saw Carl Rook's back header miss the far post by a matter of inches. Despite being under the cosh since the opening whistle, Witham stunned their opponents by taking a 17th minute lead. A harmless ball out to the left found Ricks but when his long cross was allowed to travel across the edge of the Horsham penalty area, the unmarked McDonald was able to control the ball and curl a delightful shot in to the far corner to give the hosts, thrashed 5-1 at Waltham Forest a week ago, an unexpected bonus much to Warrilow's obvious disgust.

Rook continued to provide Horsham with a target and was unlucky with a header from Tom Graves' cross that just cleared Daley’s crossbar while, at the other end, the home side went close themselves when Goodwin got in a free header from Adam Holmes' well directed free kick. Another bullet from Carney whizzed just wide of the post on 28 minutes but, on the half hour mark, a replica of last week's opening goal at Chippenham saw Lewis Taylor in the right place again, unleashing a shot that took a wicked deflection and sent Daley the wrong way to put the Hornets back on level terms. Rook thought he had scored, four minutes later, but could only watch as his looping header come back into play via the crossbar with Daley beaten, McDonald helping his goalkeeper by heading out for a corner. Stuart Myall’s long throws were causing problems and Carney so nearly scored a sensational goal when his powerful volley grazed the post from a flick on by French. Warrilow was yelling at his defenders again as the dangerous McDonald left French for dead, the pacy striker homing in on goal and cutting the ball back to Ricks but his left footed shot went just wide of the far post with the exposed Seuke well beaten. Witham skipper Glen Revell somehow escaped a booking when, as the 'last man', he pulled back Rook but amazingly Mr Lodge lectured both players while preferring to keep his cards in his pocket.

That man McDonald was at it again with half time rapidly approaching, this time firing in to the side netting under pressure from the Horsham defence. There was just time for Myall to get in a rare shot on the stroke of halftime, the defender starting and ending a good spell of one touch passes involving Carney and Rook, but his effort went just wide of the upright.

H/T: Witham Town 1 Horsham 1

Horsham began the second half with a bit more endeavour than they had shown in the preceding 45 minutes and, with just four minutes on the clock, Simon Austin put Carney in on goal only to see Davey make another excellent stop. The home side made an early substitution, Andy Hughes replacing Kevin Hawes, and within a minute Witham went 2-1 up when a cross into the box bobbled around before Ricks got a foot to it and Seuke could only palm it into the roof of the net. The home bench were now well and truly on their feet, encouraging their players into putting more effort into everything.

Austin tried an overhead kick from Carney’s corner but it ended up the wrong side of the post and this was to be his last bit of action as Warrilow decided it was time to unleash the “Beast”, Chamal Fenelon. At the same time, skipper French was replaced by Brake, causing a reshuffle of the pack that saw Graves move into the centre back role and Myall going to right back to make way for Brake at left back. However, even Brake's pace was exposed by the energetic McDonald who put his side 3-1 up on 72 minutes when another long clearance put him in the clear and the young striker kept his composure and slotted the ball past the exposed Seuke. The home crowd were buoyed by the goal and their vocal support seemed to grow as the travelling contingent were stunned in to silence.

Jacob Mingle, who had had a quiet game, created some space but he was denied by Jack Humphries' superb tackle as he looked set to pull the trigger and the impeding danger was averted. Warrilow was forced into his final substitution to try and retrieve the game with quarter of an hour remaining, taking off Kevin Hemsley and putting Charman up front in a three pronged forward line. But Witham were happy to sit back and defend, continuing to offer the occasional threat through the willing McDonald who was playing the lone role up front. The Division One side dug deep to defend their lead and some of the tackles were not too pretty with Rook caught by a double challenge from Goodwin and Grant O'Donnell that left the Horsham front man on his back. Witham's tenacious tackling and hard work prevented their opponents from playing their normal passing game and their no nonsense defending saw the ball quickly booted clear rather than get caught in possession.

With the win basically wrapped up, Ricks was replaced by Lance Forrester after running himself in to the ground. Horsham's attempts to salvage something from the game left the inevitable gaps at the back and they were frequently exposed by the pace of McDonald who almost completed his hat-trick when he turned Brake brilliantly, only to see his shot blocked, and he was through again, with just a minute left on the clock, this time Seuke saving his shot. With injury time now being played, the Hornets made a concerted assault on the Witham goal and a cross from Brake was palmed away by Davey while Carney was denied again when the 'keeper saved his effort. Charman rose well above the defence to send in a great header but it clearly wasn’t going to be Horsham’s day as it crashed back off the crossbar to safety. Taylor then had a great opportunity when Charman picked him out with a square pass but the long shot expert drove his shot well wide. The home supporters were imploring the official to blow up for time as at least four extra minutes had been played and Charman pulled a great ball back to Fenelon to rifle home his third goal in four games but, despite a further couple of minutes of additional time allowed, the home side had hung on to record a little piece of history while Horsham had to hope for a vastly improved performance when they entertain Maidenhead United next week.

NEXT MATCH: v Maidenhead United (h) Saturday 10th November ko 3.00pm