Horsham 3-1 Whitstable Town: Hornets end four-match winless run

The Hornets, buoyed by their impressive showing against Faversham Town in midweek, controlled much of the game, before Whitstable’s Scott Heard scored a late consolation.

Whitstable found the going tough early on against in-form Horsham.

Junior Kaffo headed a Scott Harris free kick straight at Whitstable keeper Matt Boyott, Morley had a drive headed clear and Cade shot just wide from a Kaffo lay-off as Horsham flew out of the blocks.

Whitstable seemed unable to get anything going but briefly threatened when Stephen Hafner headed just over the crossbar.

Horsham’s midfield trio of Harris, Morley and Byron Napper were controlling the game, helped by an impenetrable backline and a threatening front three.

Next to come close was Jahmahl King, the big defender surprisingly attempting an overhead kick from a corner, but the visitors were able to clear.

Despite their dominance Horsham had yet to score - but that changed five minutes before half time.

Harris’ corner was headed away but only as far as Kaffo - the striker nodded the ball back into the danger area where Cade flicked it into the net off his forehead.

Whitstable captain Laurence Harvey rose well but headed just over as the first half came to a close.

The win looked to be Horsham’s for the taking when Cade doubled his tally on 57 minutes, though the striker had Tony Nwachukwu to thank.

The speedy winger was brought down on the right-hand side but scrambled to his feet, before darting into the penalty area, beating a player and firing in a cross that Cade bundled home from close range.

If the Hornets’ first two goals weren’t particularly easy on the eye, the third, which came just three minutes later, certainly was.

A free kick just outside the penalty area provided Morley with an opportunity to make it three, and the midfielder obliged, thrashing the dead ball into the top corner.

Horsham had done enough to deserve the three points, and boss Gary Charman gave young Jake Legrange a debut late on.

The one blot on the performance came five minutes before the final whistle when Heard was allowed too much time to curl a shot into the far corner, denying Mark Zawadski and Horsham’s excellent back four a clean sheet.

Horsham: Zawadski, Hamilton, B. King, Harris, J. King, Woodburn, Napper (Legrange 84), Morley (Fobi-Edusei 79), Kaffo, Cade, Nwachukwu (Marriott 72).