Horsham 3, Ware 1: Harris brace helps Hornets advance in the FA Trophy

Will Hoare opened the scoring for Horsham against Ware. Picture by Derek Martin. dm1884105aWill Hoare opened the scoring for Horsham against Ware. Picture by Derek Martin. dm1884105a
Will Hoare opened the scoring for Horsham against Ware. Picture by Derek Martin. dm1884105a
A Charlie Harris brace helped Horsham ease into the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy with a comfortable victory over Ware at Culver Road this afternoon.

The midfielder netted a goal in each half in a man-of-the-match performance after Will Hoare had opened the scoring as the Hornets overcame their Bostik League South Central Division visitors.

Harris' first came from a questionable penalty on the stroke of half-time and while Ware pulled one back through half-time substitute Dom Njoya with 15 minutes to play, a red card for Jack Daveney killed off any faint chances of a comeback.

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It saw the hosts pocket £3,000 in prize money and a place in the hat for Monday's first qualifying round draw.

There was one change to the Horsham side that somewhat unfortunately exited the FA Cup Cup at the third qualifying stage away to Poole Town in a replay on Tuesday night.

Central defender Lewis Hyde came in for Joe Taylor as the home side opted to play a back three with Joe Shelley and Dylan Merchant.

The first real opening came on ten minutes when a Harris ball forward played in an advancing Sparks on the left, but his low, first-time cross was well collected by goalkeeper Anthony Page with Rob O'Toole flying in attempting to connect.

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Hoare had the the first shot of the half on 17 minutes as he flashed just wide of the left-hand post after a move down the right and nice couple of lay-offs from Jack Brivio and Steve Metcalf.

The hosts led on 25 minutes from the best move the opening period produced. A ball up from the back by Merchant was taken down by Tyrell Richardson-Brown and flicked in to Sparks. He beat his man on the left of the box and crossed for Hoare, who controlled and found the side netting from 12 yards.

Moments later, O'Toole was inches away from heading home a Richardson-Brown cross and then the sprawling pair of Metcalf and Brivio were even closer to turning in a teasing delivering from O'Toole that flashed across goal.

With ten minutes of the half left to play, Ware should have been level, but for a brilliant save from Pelling on his 100th appearance for the club. A pin-point cross from Albert Adu picked out a free Leigh Rose in the middle of the Horsham defence and he had time to bring the ball down and crack an effort at goal which Pelling parried, before collecting the follow-up from David Cowley.

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It was Horsham, however, that went into the break with a cushion, coming via a helping hand from referee Tristian Greaves. Metcalf drove into the area and was collided with by Ware centre-back Louis Rose, who clearly got two feet on the ball, nevertheless the match official pointed to the penalty spot.

Harris stepped up and sent Page the wrong way from 12 yards and rolled into the bottom right corner.

Soon after, from a counter-attack after a well-placed Ware free kick was blocked by the wall, Page clearly turned the ball behind, but it was missed by the officials and a goal kick was awarded.

A clearly unhappy Ware management team made two changes at the break bringing on Njoya and Harley Hagg and putting three up front.

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But it seemed to open things up for the hosts as Richardson-Brown tamely lofted wide after a misplaced pass from goalkeeper Page and Hoare then pulled wide when well placed.

Following that, there was a period of sloppy play from both sides, gifting some half chances at either end, but none went punished. Horsham assistant manager Adam Westwood was then dismissed from the dugout on the hour after a bit of handbags with Ware's Harry Norman.

Harris appeared to have made the game safe on 73 minutes as, after a sustained spell of Horsham pressure, the ball fell to him some 25 yards out and the midfielder curled into the bottom left corner.

Ware gave themselves a lifeline two minutes later as half-time replacement left-back Njoya poked home from close range after a cross from the left wasn't cleared. But that was all-but extinguished moments later when Daveney was shown a second yellow card for dissent and sent off.

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Page was the busier of the two 'keepers in the closing stages and saving some mistakes in the final third, the hosts could have easily extended their lead.

Horsham: Pelling, Metcalf, Shelley, Hyde, Merchant, Sparks, Brivio (Lovegrove 81), Hoare (Hayward 68), Harris, Richardson-Brown, O'Toole (Smith 73). Unused subs: McElligott, Baxter.

Ware: Page, Norman, Daveney, Lo.Rose, Baird (Njoya 46), Hart, Madden, Oyibo (Haag), Cowley, Adu, Le.Rose (Taylor 76). Unused subs: Fraser, Yexley.

Referee: Tristian Greaves.

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