Horsham left it late to secure victory against promoted Cray Wanderers, hitting 3 goals in the final 5 minutes to register their biggest victory since the August Bank Holiday success at Carshalton 15 months ago. There was no indication of the goal glut that was to come after a scrappy, almost chanceless opening 45 minutes in which both sides struggled to impose themselves on the slippery Gorings Mead pitch. But this was a game in which the first goal would always be crucial and so it proved, from the moment Jack Page put the Hornets ahead midway through the second half. Yet, but for a bizarre refereeing decision the match may have had a very different outcome when, with the game goalless, Tyrone Sterling broke through the Horsham rearguard and had the goal at his mercy only to be pulled back by referee Power whose decision to award the visitors a free-kick both bemused and angered the Cray players and officials. Thankful for the let-off, the Hornets gradually gained the upper hand and took full advantage of their demoralised opponents when Claude Seanla added to Page's earlier strike, a minute from time, before the impressive Lee Carney took over, scoring one and laying on another for Pat Harding in time added on.

Almost 4 weeks had passed since Horsham's last Ryman Premier League outing but the interim period had been an eventful one with a disappointing FA Trophy exit at Barton Rovers made worse by the departures of the versatile Russell Eldridge and goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey. Allied to these setbacks, the Hornets would also be missing the suspended Ben Andrews, Gary Charman and Alex Haddow for this match, as well as the absence of the injured Jack Lyons. But it was the loss of Tolfrey that had caused boss John Maggs most concern during the week as he sought to bring in a temporary replacement for his Kingstonian bound 'keeper. Fate conspired to present him with the figure of Eric Pudaloff, most recently of Waltham Abbey but who had played a handful of games for the Hornets during 2005/6, and it was he who donned the gloves for this match against last season's Division One Play-Off winners.

There was further encouragement for Maggs with the inclusion of Carney and Steve Davies in the starting XI, back after their recent injuries, while there was a debut in the midfield for former Leatherhead and Horsham YMCA man Steve Sargeant. Cray, struggling down in 19th place at the start of play, boasted a decent away record this term, with wins at Tooting, Margate and AFC Hornchurch and had no shortage of experience in their ranks with double FA Trophy Finalist Colin Luckett at full-back as well as former Tonbridge Angels trio Steve Aris, Tommy Tyne and Scott Kinch while it was good to see former Hornet Rob Hughes among the substitutes following his life-threatening injuries last year.

After a well observed minute's silence in honour of those who had given their lives in the name of World peace, Cray got the game underway and earned themselves a corner inside the opening minute. However, this merely resulted in the Hornets going close to opening the scoring when, from the subsequent breakaway, Jack Smelt's clearance cannoned off Seanla's backside only to drop wide of the open goal, to the relief of the embarrassed goalkeeper.

A good move from the hosts saw Harding head narrowly over from Carney's corner while, at the other end, Horsham's defending was as ineffective as their opponents' attacking abilities with Leigh Bremner's flicked header failing to trouble Pudaloff. There was a let-off for the returning goalkeeper, though, when he dropped a high ball under pressure from a Cray forward and was helped out by the referee's whistle. Mark Knee was less fortunate, sustaining what appeared to be a rib injury in the challenge and was promptly replaced by James Nicholls.

Despite the frequent promptings from Carney, Smelt was little more than a bystander for much of the half but he would have been relieved that no-one was on hand to convert a near post flick from Sam Page and grateful, too, when Harding pounced on a slip by a defender to play in Carney who could only find the side netting from a tight angle. The half ended with Cray's first shot of the game, a low drive from John Guest that saw Pudaloff get down well to save at the foot of his post.

H/T Horsham 0 Cray Wanderers 0

The game's controversial moment came just 4 minutes after the restart when a number of challenges from the Hornets, some legal some not, failed to stop a Cray attack and Sterling tricked his way past Sam Page and in to the penalty area only for Mr Power's whistle to bring play to a halt for the award of a Cray free-kick. The visiting players were understandably apoplectic with rage as they surrounded the official but Aris came close to gaining some sort of justice when, from Luckett's resulting kick, his first time volley was thwarted by Pudaloff's sharp reaction save and Kinch volleyed wide from the corner.

It was a much livelier start to the half and a poor pass from Aaron Day presented Harding with a golden chance to put his side ahead but the striker blazed wastefully over the crossbar, failing even to capitalise on a slip from the advancing Smelt. Seanla was just as profligate when put clear by Carney's intelligent pass, the Frenchman electing to volley awkwardly with the outside of his right boot when a left-footed shot was the obvious choice.

Luckett almost made the hosts pay when another free-kick was whipped in, dangerously close to Pudaloff's left-hand post, before the game's first substitution saw Cray's Sterling make way for George Porter on 66 minutes. Almost immediately, it was 1-0 to the hosts as Sargeant's long ball was controlled well by Jack Page and the youngster managed to elude the challenge of Day before clipping the ball across Smelt and in to the far corner for a cool finish, his first for the Hornets on his 26th appearance.

Day was having an afternoon to forget as another underhit backpass saw Smelt just win the race with Harding to smack the ball in to touch but the Hornets were beginning to play with confidence and Harding's shot was blocked after a lightning quick break by Carney and Delando Smith. Tyne escaped a caution by the benevolent Mr Power after a late, scything tackle on Carney who was denied a goal by Smelt shortly after following another fine exchange with Smith.

A promising attack from the visitors saw Lewis Wood put an effort just over the top but Cray's attempts to salvage a late point were dashed a minute from time when Harding's ball over the top saw skipper Mark Willy's header miskicked by his goalkeeper, allowing Seanla to poke the ball in to the empty net.

Before the euphoria had died down, the Horsham faithful were on their feet again when a stoppage time move saw Davies slip the ball through the legs of Luckett for Carney to race on, neatly sidestep the 'keeper and gleefully thrash the ball in to the back of the gaping net from almost on the goal-line. Incredibly, there was still time for a 4th goal for the Hornets when another superb diagonal pass from Sargeant picked out Carney at the far post and his low ball across the 6 yard box was tapped home by Harding to conclude a memorable finale.

NEXT MATCH: v Sutton United (h) Tuesday 10th November ko 7.30pm