Plymouth Parkway 2 - Horsham 1

Report by Eddie Hufford

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Horsham slumped to a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Plymouth Parkway in a game they dominated in the first-half before surrendering their lead to two quickfire goals midway through the second.

Ronan Silva opened the scoring with his first for the club to give his side a deserved lead just after the half-hour mark, but the Hornets’ wastefulness in front of goal – a failing that has haunted them all season – was to prove costly. Jamie Yila inexplicably blazed over the crossbar from six yards early on, and Ashley Nadesan missed an equally simple chance early in the second half, hitting the crossbar from similar range. They were made to rue those moments when Parkway scored twice within three minutes, both from left-wing corners that Horsham defended poorly.

Although shorn of the services of Danny Barker and Archy Taylor through unavailability and illness, respectively, Dom Di Paola was none the less able to name Reece Meekums in the starting lineup, as well as Greg Luer and Sam Howes among the substitutes. Meanwhile, the hosts’ starters included a pair of brothers, Rio and Carlo Garside, as well as a pair of cousins, Joel and Will Sullivan.

An early Harvey Sparks corner caused a few flutters in the home defence and the same player hit a powerful 30-yarder not far wide as the Hornets took the initiative. So dominant were they that goalkeeper Michael Dike did not touch the ball until the 11th minute, and they should have taken the lead moments afterwards. Meekums skilfully dribbled the ball to the left byline and cut it back for Yila, who lashed what should have been a simple finish well over the bar from six yards out.

Probably still sensing the frustration of that miss, Yila picked up a booking after a tussle with Toby Down that also saw Parkway’s Ryan Brett booked for getting involved. Horsham continued on the front foot, with home goalkeeper Aaron Dearing just beating Meekums to Nadesan’s right-wing cross, and the opening goal that had been threatened eventually came in the 31st minute. Again, it was Meekums who was the provider, this time from the right flank, and Silva despatched the cutback with power and precision from close to the penalty spot.

A second goal at this stage would probably have wrapped up the tie, but the Hornets did not come close to adding to their lead before the break.

Half-time: Plymouth Parkway 0 Horsham 1

Having been outplayed in the first half, Parkway came out with renewed resolve and largely dominated the early possession, although the nearest they came to making it count was a tame Rio Garside free kick that was easily pouched by Dike.

When Horsham did venture upfield for the first time, they passed up a golden opportunity to double their lead. Yila’s trickery took him to the left byline, from where he delivered an inviting cutback to Nadesan who, faced with a virtually unguarded net, unaccountably struck his shot against the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.

Shortly afterwards, Meekums was again the thorn in the hosts’ side, being brought down inches outside the penalty area, but James Hammond’s free kick sailed well over the crossbar.

Although the Hornets still led, the fact that it was only by one goal encouraged their hosts, who began to show the belief that the tie was still up for grabs. That belief was reinforced in the 68th minute when a pacy Jensen Ireland corner cleared everyone at the near post and was nodded home by a stooping Rio Garside from a few yards out.

Having allowed one of the opposition’s smallest players to score with his head, the Hornets afforded the same generosity to the tallest three minutes later, leaving Reece Thomson unmarked in the six-yard box from another Ireland corner, and the match was suddenly turned on its head.

Things almost went from bad to worse virtually from the kick-off when Jack Brivio allowed the ball to roll under his foot, putting Will Sullivan in the clear, but the Hornets’ skipper redeemed himself with a clean sliding challenge.

With time running out and the chances drying up, Horsham threw on all their attacking options from the bench, with Luer, Daniel Ajakaiye and Harry Hedges all joining the action. However, the one clear opportunity came at the other end, when substitute Hayden Turner beat Jake Elliott to a bouncing ball, only to see his clever improvised lob come back off Dike’s crossbar with the goalkeeper stranded.

The final whistle was greeted with undisguised delight by home players and supporters alike, while Horsham’s attentions turn to the challenge of hosting league leaders Maidstone United next Saturday. They will need to make sure they do not leave their shooting boots at home again.