Sevenoaks began life as a Step 4 club with a thoroughly entertaining match against Horsham which they were unfortunate to lose, for the neutral this was a cracking game & a great advert for this level of football.

Sevenoaks have come a long way & for the team behind them this what all the hard work was about & not a bad crowd to see them so hopefully they will flock back to the Bourne Stadium.

The game started with Sevenoaks having the first chance of the game when Ryan Fowler who initially was on the bench but started instead of Kenny Pogue was put through into the area & his shot was pushed away for a corner by Josh Pelling, Horsham had their first half chance two minutes later when Chris Smith on the edge of the area saw his curling effort just go past the post.

In the 14^th minute Charlie Harris cross into the area found Rob O’Toole but his flicked header went just wide, he would go on & torment Sevenoaks. In the 19^th minute history was made when a corner to the back post fell at Frankie Sawyer’s feet & he controlled it & made a better angle & from 18 yards he shot in for Sevenoaks first goal at this level.

The lead only lasted a minute as Horsham equalised when a long throw into the area by Daryl Coleman was flicked on to the back post where a shot came in which was palmed away by Ben Bridle-Card but only to Joe Shelley who threw himself at the ball & headed in from 3 yards.

Horsham were unlucky not to take the lead in the 30^th minute when a free kick into the area was headed on by Harris but it came back off the cross bar. Four minutes later Greg Benbow raced down the left wing before passing to Fowler who from 12 yards out scuffed his shot so Pelling saved it easily.

In the 37^TH minute Horsham could or maybe should have taken the lead when a cross into the 6 yard box was met by Lee Harding on his own but his side foot volley went over the bar.

In the end to end game in the next minute Benbow again running down the left wing crossed low to the near post where Sawyer was & his flicked effort hit the side netting, a minute later Billy Bennett played a one-two with Benbow & from the by-line Benbow’s cross found Fowler & his shot was pushed away by Pelling but only to Bennett & from 8 yards his effort was saved.

In the 42^nd minute Harris crossed into the area for Harding but again his first time shot went over the bar, a minute later Harris passed out to Will Hoare who cut inside & saw his curling effort come back of the bar.

The second half continued like the first with both teams going for it, in the 47th minute a throw to Dan Cumber who passed it forward for Sawyer whose volley from 20 yards went just over the bar, two minutes later Bennett got to the by-line & his cross was met by Mikey Dalton but his downward header went wide.

Horsham had a chance in the 53^rd minute when a corner into the area was headed just over the bar by O’Toole, then in the very next minute they went in front, the ball just on halfway was like a tennis match as it was headed back & forth before suddenly being passed out wide for Harding who went into the area & shot home from 15 yards.

In the 59^th minute Pelling nearly gave Sevenoaks a goal when he went to catch a cross but punched it straight to Sawyer who turned & shot but Pelling was in the right place & saved it. In the 61^st minute Hoare went on a mazy run beating two defenders before see his shot deflected making the save for Bridle-Card easy.

Horsham nearly increased their lead in the 76^th minute when a ball in the air saw O’Toole capitalise on it & passed it into the path of Smith who was on his own but his shot went wide. Sevenoaks kept pilling forward in search of an equaliser & in the 3^rd minute off added on time a Sam Crabb cross into the area found Dalton whose header was pushed around the post for a corner & from the resulting corner to the back post Jack Miles threw himself at it & his diving header went just past the post.

The final whistle went & Sevenoaks were slightly disappointed they didn’t get a point but the positive view is that if they play like that they will pick up points.

 

SEVENOAKS TOWN:

1. BRIDLE-CARD 2. J.MILES  3. G.BENBOW (84)  4. D.CUMBER (64)  5. J.McINTYRE  6. R.SAUNDERS  7. M.DALTON 8. B.BENNETT 16. R.FOWLER (64)  10. F.SAWYER  11. S.CRABB

SUBS USED:  14. A.TOBAN (64)  15. L.COLEMAN (64)  12. A.FIDDES (84)

SUBS NOT USED: 17. O.PRONI

BOOKINGS: NONE

 

HORSHAM:

1. PELLING 2. S.METCALF  4. J.TAYLOR   4. C.HARRIS (79)  5. J.SHELLEY  6. D.COLEMAN (73)  7. W.HOARE 8. D.LOVEGROVE 9. R.O’TOOLE  10. C.SMITH  11. L.HARDING (83)

SUBS USED:  14. G.HAYWARD (73)  16. G.LANDAIS (79)  17. T.RICHARDSON-BROWN (83)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. G.FARMER  15. D.BOSWELL

BOOKINGS:  8. D.LOVEGROVE (67)  3. J.TAYLOR (77)  16. G.LANDAIS (83)

 

REFEREE:  Mr C.BARTLETT

ASSISTANTS:  Mr J.WILKES  & Mr C.SMITH

ATTENDANCE: 166