Horsham YMCA 0 HORSHAM 0
Gorings Mead, Horsham
Saturday 8th August 2009
Pre-Season Friendly

HORSHAM YMCA

HORSHAM

1.Simon Lockwood
2.Matt Simpson
3.Steve Metcalfe
4.Steve Sargeant
5.Tony Timms
6.James Virgo
7.Tom Lawley
8.Mike Huckett
9.Shaheen Sadough
10.Tom Manton
11.James Rhodes
Subs:
unknown but included
Michael Death
Tom Lyons
Mark Pulling

1.Rob Tolfrey
2.Jack Page
3.Russell Eldridge
4.Anthony Acheampong
5.Sam Page
6.Lee Carney (Davies,45)
7.Jack Lyons
8.Gary Charman
9.Ben Andrews (Greensted,88)
10.Pat Harding (Seanla,45)
11.Alex Haddow
Subs:
12.Scott Harris
14.Claude Seanla
15.Mark Knee
16.Steve Davies
17.Tony Nwachukwu
18.James Nicholls
19.George Magnus
20.Danny Mobsby
21.Jim Greensted

Reporter: Mark Wells
Photographs: John Lines

Horsham concluded their pre-season programme with a goalless draw against neighbours, and new landlords, Horsham YMCA but have goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey to thank after a disappointing display in which they were outplayed for large periods of the game. Six times Tolfrey came to his side's rescue in the first half alone and, when new signing Steve Sargeant finally managed to get the better of the Horsham number one, YM were left cursing their luck when the shot cannoned back off the woodwork. An improved performance after the break saw the Hornets go close to breaking the deadlock through Steve Davies, Gary Charman and Ben Andrews but there was plenty for John Maggs and the supporters to ponder ahead of the season's opener at Dartford next Saturday.

YMCA have recruited heavily during the close season in anticipation of their controversial return to the Ryman League but the anticipated old pals reunion failed to materialise with ex-Hornets John Westcott and Nigel Brake absent and Tom Graves sporting badly bruised ribs that forced him to take his place among a healthily sized shirt-sleeved crowd on an afternoon when Mother Nature belatedly reminded us of what an English Summer is all about.

Alex Haddow was given his first outing since April, having only arrived back from an extended vacation in Canada the previous day, but it was his opposite number who was to have the game's first effort on goal when a long ball out of defence saw Anthony Acheampong's misdirected back header snapped up by James Rhodes but his first time volley flew high and wide. The hosts gave clear evidence as to why they had picked up fine results against Tooting & Mitcham and Bognor in recent days as the tricky Rhodes and Tom Lawley tormented Horsham down the flanks with the former, in particular, giving Jack Page a torrid time down the YM left.

It was from a Rhodes cross that Chris White's side had their next chance when Mike Huckett escaped the attentions of Sam Page to head over the crossbar and only Tolfrey's quick reactions prevented Shaheen Sadough from latching on to a through ball, the 'keeper racing out of his area to execute the perfect sliding tackle. Seventeen minutes had elapsed before the Hornets had their first real sight of goal when Pat Harding's persistence earned his side a corner from which Acheampong glanced Lee Carney's cross wide of the target.

A speculative thirty-yarder from Gary Charman failed to trouble Simon Lockwood in the home goal but Horsham were caught out when Sadough was allowed to break clear, despite appearing to be in an offside position, and Tolfrey had to throw himself full length to palm away the striker's stinging shot. Less than a minute later, Lawley snuck in at the near post but Tolfrey was equal to it, beating the ball away from close range as YM began to dominate. An error from Tolfrey presented the hosts with another opening when his poor kick was seized upon by Lawley but the 'keeper redeemed himself with another fine block.

A determined run from Charman (left) finally brought the underused Lockwood in to the game when he denied the Horsham man at the near post but the main action continued to take place at the other end of the pitch where Lawley, again, was only inches away from giving his side the lead when he cleverly worked his way past Russell Eldridge before cutting inside, wrong footing Sam Page, and curling a left footed shot past the far post. The white-shirted hosts went closer still, ten minutes before the break, when Sadough skilfully controlled a crossfield pass on his chest and raced away from Jack Page to lay the ball off for Sargeant to hit a first time shot that beat Tolfrey's despairing dive only to thump against the upright and away to safety.

Undeterred, YM remained in the ascendancy and Huckett was given far too much space in which to collect a pass from Tom Manton but Tolfrey passed this latest test of his agility, standing strong to repel the former Arundel man's instant shot. A feature of Horsham's Summer fixtures had been the link up play between Carney and Jack Lyons but there was little evidence of their telepathy in this match as both struggled to have any impact during the first half although Lyons was to have a rare chance for the visitors when a well constructed move between Haddow, Ben Andrews and Charman ended with the Eire youth international shooting straight at Lockwood.  

There was no respite for Tolfrey as the half came to an end when a patient build-up from the hosts, involving Sargeant, Huckett and Lawley, saw the latter denied again by the 'keeper from the edge of the six yard box and, thanks to Tolfrey, the half ended goalless.

H/T Horsham YMCA 0 Horsham 0

White made a number of changes at the break, with Sargeant, Sadough and Rhodes all replaced and, for Horsham, a calf problem ended Carney's afternoon prematurely with Steve Davies on in his place and Claude Seanla on for the hard-working Pat Harding.

It was Horsham who made the brighter start to the second period when Haddow and Seanla combined on the edge of the box but the striker's finish was wayward and they nearly paid the price when, three minutes in, Michael Death put the ball on a plate for Huckett but he completely muffed his shot in front of goal. To his credit, Huckett chased down the loose ball and returned it in to the box where Death send a free header wide.

The Hornets, presumably given an ear-bashing by John Maggs at the interval, fashioned a well constructed move when Davies and Andrews combined to set up Jack Page but it was an afternoon for the goalkeepers as Lockwood stood up strong to deny the full-back with his legs and he was alert again, minutes later, when Davies' low drive had to be helped round the post at the expense of a corner. The 'keeper was given a more comfortable save when more good work from Seanla enabled Eldridge to swing in a cross that was met first time by Andrews who failed to get enough power in to his shot.

Mark Knee and James Nicholls were introduced on the hour, for Eldridge and Jack Page, and another former Hornet - Mark Pulling - was sent on by White for a YM side that now had more number twelves, sixteens and seventeens on display than a dodgy Chinese menu.

The Hornets had a loud appeal for a penalty turned down when a weaving run by Seanla ended with his shot appearing to hit Tony Timms on the hand as he blocked the goalbound effort and Lyons saw another shot charged down following good work from Haddow. Horsham managed to retain possession and Davies' cross was met by a first time volley from Andrews that brought a good save from Lockwood. A long ball forward by Pulling found number twelve - not Death but the other number twelve - bearing down on goal only to miscue horribly with only Tolfrey to beat.

Rhodes' was denied once more by Tolfrey but YM sub Tom Lyons, brother of Horsham's Jack, sidefooted wide from a  good position and the chances continued to come at both ends when Seanla and Haddow exchanged passes with the former heading over the top. Nicholls picked out Haddow in the centre of the pitch and he was allowed to run and shoot over Lockwood's goal and YM followed suit with a piledriver that just cleared the crossbar.

Andrews sent an intelligent ball across the face of goal that cried out for a Horsham touch but that was the big target man's final contribution as he was withdrawn with two minutes remaining to enable Hornets fan Jim Greensted (left) to take the field to large cheers from the Horsham contingent. The 48 year-old competition winner drew enthusiastic roars of encouragement whenever the ball looked destined for his silver-topped frame but time was against him and Maggs was left to consider more serious things and a trip to one of the pre-season title favourites in seven days time. 

NEXT MATCH: v Dartford (a) Saturday 15th August ko 3pm