Horsham suffer frustrating home defeat to Molesey

Both sides were searching for their second win of the campaign and it went the visitors’ way as the Hornets threw away a half-time lead.

Dan Sackman had nodded them ahead and they then spurned a number of chances, before goals from Connor Russell and a spectacular effort from Joe Nwoko turned the game on it’s head in 12 second-half minutes.

Ross Chalke then netted a minute from time to ensure the points for the visitors and give the hosts a lesson in taking their chances.

With Charlie Farmer ill and Lewis Hyde unavailable, Matt Whitehead retained his place from Saturday and Sackman came into the starting line-up at centre-back.

Meanwhile the re-signed Jake Chadwick and Tony Nwachukwu were named on the bench as was Brad Lewis, who has been struggling with injury.

A lovely passing move involved Lee Carney, Liam MacDevitt and Tom Lawley produced Horsham’s first chance on eight minutes. The latter cut the ball back to Alex Duncan and his cross found Carney in space, but he fired straight at Liam Allen.

A minute later, Josh Pelling and the bar came to the home side’s rescue. The stopper pushed Joe Pratley-Jones’ effort from 25 yards onto the woodwork and over after a corner.

Horsham led on 19 minutes as Whitehead won a free-kick on the far side and an unmarked Sackman headed home the set-piece at the back post from all-of two yards.

MacDevitt had a golden chance to double the lead on 27 minutes as Dodd puts him through, but he fired straight at Allen. Meanwhile, straight back up the other end, Jones put in a last-ditch tackle to deny Tom Windsor.

Just before the break a Lawley free-kick from an identical position as the goal, flashed across the goalmouth with Dodd and Sackman somehow both missing it.

Pelling made a great stop to deny a Windsor effort on the stroke of half-time.

At the start of the second half Connor French flashed a brilliant ball right across the goalline which was cleared, before firing at Pelling on the turn.

MacDevitt sliced wide a great chance on his left foot and that proved costly as, on 52 minutes, Molesey equalised from a corner. Centre-back Russell glanced the set-piece across goal and into the far corner of the net.

Three minutes later, Allen’s made a great diving save to stop Boswell’s curling effort from nestling in the top corner.

Molsey led on 64 minutes as a quick break from a corner saw the ball worked to Nwoko on the byline and he finished expertly into the far top corner from the tightest of angles.

Horsham continued to try and carve out an equaliser, but it just wouldn’t fall in the final third as a MacDevitt turn put Dodd in, but his touch was heavy. The striker again fired straight at the goalkeeper and Branford dragged wide as time ran out.

With just a minute left, Molesey made the points safe as substitute Harry Hoadley flicked in Chalke and he dispatched through Pelling from 12 yards.

Horsham: Pelling, Duncan, Jones, Sackman, Whitehead, Branford, Lawley (Gill 62, Lewis 89), Carney (Harris 89), Boswell, Dodd, McDevitt. Unused subs: Chadwick, Lewis, Nwachukwu.

Molesey: Allen, Pratley-Jones, Lewington, Frost (King 77), Rodney, Windsor, Russell, Chalke, Grobler (Hoadley 62), French (Quarshie 69), Nwoko. Unused subs: Nwanze.

Attendance: 178.

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