Disastrous result for Horsham Hockey Club in game of two halves

After a sterling performance last week against high-flying Holcombe, Horsham coach Dom Male targeted the fixture against Marden as a 'three-point opportunity', however having thus far played against teams who build slowly and attack, the Horsham defence was completely unravelled by Russet's direct 'Route One' approach within the first 45 seconds of the game when the visitors found space down the right, centred and scored.

And, within 30 minutes, the substantial crowd of supporters must have developed a sense of deja vu as the scenario repeated 5 more times, leaving Horsham 6-nil adrift at the break with keeper Ollie Crossley having been left totally exposed.

To be fair Horsham had had plenty of chances - in particular half-a-dozen short corners which they failed to convert, Sean Pearcy twice hitting the post.

With the rub of the green the half-time score could easily have been 4-6. But, whatever coach Dom Male said in his half-time team-talk it completely galvanised his squad, Horsham waking up completely to dominate the second half, which they won 2-1, sadly long after fatal damage had been inflicted. Vice captain Sam Gill scored from a goal mouth melee following a short corner, then, improving from game to game, 18-year-old Ben Humphries netted a beauty. Following a Horsham short corner, with the home side chasing the game, Marden scored a lucky break-away goal.

Hoping to bounce back on Saturday, Horsham travel to Kent’s Borden Grammar School to play near neighbours in the lower reaches of the table, Sittingbourne, who lost 4-1 last Saturday.