Horsham 5 Burgess Hill Town 0: First half masterclass sees Hornets advance to Velocity Trophy quarter-finals

Jack Brivio hit a brace for Horsham in their convincing Velocity Trophy win over Burgess Hill Town. Picture by Steve Robards | jpimediaresell

A super first half performance helped Horsham to an emphatic 5-0 home win over Sussex rivals Burgess Hill Town in the second knockout round of the Velocity Trophy this (Wednesday) evening.

First half goals from Jack Brivio (two), Dylan Merchant and Chris Smith gave the Hornets a commanding half-time lead.

Substitute Rob O'Toole added a fifth in the second half as Horsham sealed a home quarter-final clash with Margate (date tbc).

Horsham should have been in front after just three minutes. Smith squared the ball to an unmarked Lee Harding.

The winger delayed his shot and a Hill defender did brilliantly to block Harding's effort.

But three minutes later the Hornets opened the scoring. Joe Shelley headed Alex Kelly's corner back across goal and Brivio was on hand to nod home.

Horsham doubled the lead on 18 minutes from another corner.

Kelly's set piece was cleared straight back to him. The midfielder whipped a first time cross into the area and Merchant confidently headed home.

Horsham had the ball in the back of the net on 23 minutes but the referee disallowed the goal for offside.

But the Hornets did triple their advantage on 36 minutes.

A poor clearance from Hill keeper Fynn Talley dropped to Smith, 40-yards from goal.

The striker unleashed a wonderful first time effort from long-range into the bottom corner to make it 3-0.

Burgess Hill had their best chance five minutes before the break.

Mason Doughty managed to beat the offside but could only poke his close-range effort wide of the goal.

Horsham rounded off an imperious first half just before half-time.

Brivio's first-time effort from the edge of the box took a deflection and beat Talley to cap a superb 45 minutes.

The Hornets began the second half much like the first - hitting the back of the net after six minutes.

Greg Cundle's effort was palmed away by Talley but substitute O'Toole got their first to fire the rebound home.

Doughty created a couple of chances for Hill, firing wide before forcing a routine save from George Bentley.

And four minutes before the end the Hillians spurned a gilt-edged chance to grab a consolation.

A jinking run from Doughty set up substitute Josh Short.

The Hillians replacement let rip with a venomous shot that cracked the crossbar.

The rebound dropped to ex-Hornet Max Miller but he could only fire wide.

Horsham: Bentley, Metcalf, Sparks (Roberts 57), Kelly, Shelley, Merchant, Brivio (O'Toole 46), Dawson (Harris 46), Smith, Cundle, Harding. Unused: Miles, Charman.

Attendance: 230