Horsham have top 10 hit after Corinthian Casuals are beaten

In front of another reduced capacity full house at The Camping World Community Stadium, Horsham largely dominated the first half and deservedly went ahead through a blistering strike by Charlie Harris, his seventh of the season, and looked to have taken full control by the midway point of the half when Rob O’Toole finished off a fine team move.

However, as so often has happened this season, the home team seemed content to sit back on their advantage and were made to pay when Robert Jamison pulled a goal back, ten minutes into a second half in which they were second best for large periods.

Dom Di Paola made three changes from the side that started Saturday’s FA Trophy tie with Welwyn Garden City, with Steve Metcalf dropped to the bench, Harvey Sparks unwell and Dylan Merchant given the night off to rest his troublesome groin. Into the side came JJ O’Sullivan, after a four match absence, Lee Harding, and debutant Danny Dudley, a former Casual himself, who joined the club at the weekend from Carshalton Athletic.

Just one point and four places separated the two mid-table teams at the start of play and it was just as well-balanced a start to the match with both sides missing opportunities to put down an early marker. Just a couple of minutes in, Casuals’ Matt O’Donoghue got away down the right and sent in a cross that Jerson Dos Santos glanced wide while, at the other end, an unmarked Will Miles helped on a Harris corner that Chris Smith, who had little time to react, could only put over the crossbar from almost on the goal line. Then, in the Casuals’ next attack, a simple lobbed pass from Lewis Taylor went over the heads of Miles and Dudley to put Dos Santos in the clear but his volley was too close to Brad House, who made a routine save.

Horsham quickly countered and when Smith put Harding clear, the winger raced to the byline from where he cut the ball back low to the near post where it was cut out well by visiting captain, goalkeeper Danny Bracken. Next, a terrific pass from Miles was taken well on the chest by O’Toole, who won a corner from which Miles ought to have done better than glance another free header out for a throw in on the opposite side.

Although a Horsham goal looked on the cards, it took something special to break the deadlock. It came on eleven minutes and began with a lovely piece of play by Kieran Monlouis, whose swivel of the hips left his marker for dead before playing the ball out wide to Harding. As he made a passage for goal, the winger laid the ball inside to Harris who took a touch to create the space before sending in a blistering drive that was still rising when it hit the roof of the net with Bracken left grasping thin air.

Anything you can do, thought Casuals’ Harry Carter just a few moments later as he took sight of goal, but his strike from distance was wayward and elicited the first ‘donkey riding’ chant of the evening from the Horsham faithful as the ball sliced into the rigging high beyond House’s goal. Kieron Cadogan was rather more accurate with his attempt but found House well positioned to make the save, after an effort by Ben Cheklit had been blocked on the edge of the area. Then, as the Hornets failed to clear the danger, Dos Santos smashed the loose ball high and wide.

Despite enjoying the greater possession, the home side were letting themselves down with the odd stray pass and when Doug Tuck conceded possession inside his own half, Dos Santos’ audacious attempt at catching House off his line ended in disappointment for the former Folkestone man as his thirty yard strike failed to reach the required height and was comfortably taken by the retreating ‘keeper.

Only the smart reactions of Bracken prevented Horsham from doubling their advantage when he somehow kept out Tom Day’s near post flick, the defender ghosting in to meet Monlouis’ tremendous curling pass, but the hosts had their second goal just a minute later. Injuries have made it a frustrating start to the season for Harding but he showed signs of his old self in this match, none more so than his run and inch-perfect cross that cut out both ‘keeper and defender, allowing O’Toole to slide in at the far post to maintain his recent run of netting in every other match.

Thereafter the first half became something of a non-event, with the Casuals perhaps keen to make it to half-time without further punishment while the Hornets’ fragile confidence of late perhaps accounted for their reluctance to take too many risks, knowing that one mistake could let their opponents back into the match. In fact it was the visitors who had the only other chance of note before the interval when substitute Bradley Wilson, on for Taylor, put a header over the bar from Cadogan’s corner.

HT 2-0