Horsham came from behind twice to win an absolute
classic Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round tie against Heybridge Swifts at
The Sussex County FA Headquarters at Culver Road in Lancing.
It was a hard call to chose a winner between these two Step
Four Bostick league sides, both sat 13th in their respective
divisions with six points and a minus two goal difference, so you could say it
would be a tight contest.
Well the visitors certainly came out the better side early
on and after Matthew Price and put an effort wide Swifts took the lead after
just six minutes when a cut back into the path of George Craddock saw the
midfielder side foot an effort at goal and see it take a deflection and beat
keeper Josh Pelling and give the Essex side the ideal start.
Craddock then saw a goal-bound free-kick deflected over the
bar, before things got even better for the visitors as they doubled their lead,
although it was a poor poor goal for the hosts to concede, as keeper Pelling
punched a cross onto Swifts defender Alejandro Seoane-Barber and the ball
trickled back over the line for a two-goal lead for the visitors.
A shell-shocked hosts, who had not got out of the changing
rooms as yet, suddenly found themselves back in the contest in the 19th
minute as Rob O’Toole nodded the ball back into the dangerzone and skipper
Steve Metcalf stole in to nod the ball over keeper Danny Sambridge to reduce
the arrears for the hosts.
This gave them belief and they were now the team on the
front foot, and full back Joey Taylor fired a sweet left footed effort inches
over the bar, and then they managed to bring themselves level just past the
half hour mark as Joe Shelley sent a powerful header into the net from a corner,
and the tie had completely changed.
Swifts keeper Sambridge then had to beat away a brilliant
free-kick from Charlie Harris, and then make an excellent near post save from
another Shelley header, as the hosts threatened to grab the lead before the
break, but they didn’t and the contest went in level at the break although the
hosts were certainly now in the ascendancy.
Half Time Horsham 2
Heybridge Swifts 2
The second half started as frantically as the first one, and
saw Swifts have a decent effort blocked, before the hosts then saw a great
chance brilliantly blocked wide for a corner.
Then came a moment of controversy when O’Toole went crashing to the deck
inside the penalty area, and saw the linesman flagging away, however the referee
chose to ignore his assistant and wave play on, much to the disgust of the
hosts.
And the home side were even more disgusted just past the
hour mark when Swifts managed to retake the lead in this epic cup tie, as
Nicholas Brown drove towards the area and hit a shot which took a deflection
and wrong-footed keeper Pelling who could not get to the ball and saw it end up
in the bottom corner.
Horsham tried to respond again and saw Metcalf hit an angled
drive straight at Sambridge, but a relative period of calm, if you could call
it that, came and you started to think could the Swifts see this one out and
end the tie the way they started it?
Well, no in a word, as with fifthteen minutes remaining Horsham
levelled again as a ball across goal saw O’Toole convert from close range, and
then down the other end Swifts were screaming for a spot-kick, but again the
referee decided no and waved play on.
As the tie entered its final stages though Horsham began to
take control again, and saw O’Toole somehow send a chance over the bar from a
great position, before Chris Smith then screwed another great chance wide of
the target, as Swifts were now clinging on.
But with seven minutes remaining the hosts managed to find
that all important fourth goal as after Sambridge has saved a powerful effort,
the ball came back out into the box and saw Smith react quickest to send the
rebound beyond the Swifts keeper and send the hosts wild with delight as they
now had a priceless lead for the first time in the contest.
Swifts afternoon got worse with two minutes left when second
half substitute Luke Callander received a straight red, probably for something
he said to the referee, meaning they would have to finish the game with ten
men.
With Swifts now pushing forward in search of the leveller,
Horsham had chances on the break to seal the deal, but saw a square ball cut
out when two on one, and then saw Sambridge produce another decent save down to
his right.
But Swifts never really looked like finding that equaliser
and saw the hosts hear the final whistle and win one of the best games of
football I’ve seen for some time. A
great cup tie so well played to both sides in awful conditions it has to be
said. Horsham now take their place in
the Third Qualifying Round draw which will be made on Monday.
Full Time Horsham 4
Heybridge Swifts 3
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