Whitstable 1 Horsham 1: Hornets let slip lead again on the road

The Kent club were lying fourth from bottom and went into the game still smarting from a 6-0 drubbing by Tooting & Mitcham.

But keen to bounce back from that heavy defeat, they were still good enough to deny Hornets two points when substitute Ashley Baverstock scored six minutes before the end.

It was a terrible way to end the game for manager Simon Colbran and the fans alike and as Horsham failed to make the most of chances to increase their lead, the manner of the switch in fortunes felt like a defeat.

The first half was pretty uneventful with neither side making much of an impact.

Gaby Odunaike had a couple of chances to give horsham the lead before the break, heading once to provide an easy catch for keeper Luke Watkins and was later put through by the industrious Ross Morley. Gaby rounded the keeper and somehow managed to miss an open goal.

Hornets got off to a better start in the second half as Morley and new signing Junior Kaffo making his first start impressed in midfield.

Morley earnt Horsham their first goal when from a run towards the byline he was brought down in the area by Whitstable’s John Guest. Dunn smoothly scored Horsham’s 52nd minute goal from the ensuing penalty.

Whitstable tried to respond with a couple of chances at the other end.

But the turning point in the match came when first Jamie Cade didn’t get much power on a shot which was comfortably saved and then Dunn sent a shot wide, making boss Colbran livid in the Horsham dug-out.

Whitstable sensed they could still get something from the game and equalised in the 84th minute when the Horsham defence did not pick up everyone from a corner kick and Baverstock headed the Oystermen back on to level terms.

As their confidence soured, the home side then threatened to grab a winner and were denied by some rock-like defending by assistant manager Gary Charman before Guest lifted a follow-up shot over the bar.

Hornets: Hunter, Hamilton, BJ King, J King, Charman, Kaffo, Morley, Harris, Dunn, Cade, Odunaike.

Unused subs: Woodburn, Death, Varley

Referee: Peter Georgiou

Attendance: 124

County Times Star Man: Ross Morley