Horsham 3-1 Sittingbourne: Three wins on the bounce for Hornets

Horsham won their third consecutive game and played some of their best football of the season in dismantling Sittingbourne.
Ashley Robinson impressed for Horsham - photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-093614002Ashley Robinson impressed for Horsham - photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-093614002
Ashley Robinson impressed for Horsham - photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-093614002

The match was defined by a frantic six-minute spell in the second half, where the two sides combined for three of the game’s four goals.

First Ashley Robinson doubled Horsham’s lead after Junior Kaffo’s earlier header, before Luke Girt immediately hit back for the visitors and Ross Morley made it 3-1.

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The Hornets dominated possession throughout, and when called upon the back four’s stout defending made the afternoon a long one for Sittingbourne’s talented attackers.

JPCT 150314 S14120408x Horsham FC. Horsham v Sittingbourne -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-093552002JPCT 150314 S14120408x Horsham FC. Horsham v Sittingbourne -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-093552002
JPCT 150314 S14120408x Horsham FC. Horsham v Sittingbourne -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-093552002

Horsham did not take long to settle, and the first of a number of intelligent, incisive passing moves ended with Bruno Pacheco’s shot stinging the hands of visiting keeper Adam Molloy.

In-form Jamie Cade (pictured left) failed to find the net after scoring in each of Horsham’s last five games, but the striker showed off his confidence with an instinctive snap shot that fizzed just over.

Sittingbourne threatened when a long free kick caught out the Horsham defence, but Joe Taylor missed the target, nodding harmlessly wide.

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Horsham were using possession very well, particularly when Cade and the excellent Robinson were on the ball. An interchange between the two opened up space for a Robinson drive which struck unfortunate defender George Crimmen in a painful area.

Three minutes before half time, Horsham scored the goal that their play deserved.

A clever pass by Cade found Lewis Hamilton in space, and the full back’s dangerous cross was converted by the leaping Kaffo at the far post.

Robinson was clearly enjoying himself, and it was the winger who made it 2-0 after 53 minutes.

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Ryan Woodford won possession in midfield and combined with Cade and then Kaffo - the first goalscorer turning provider with a pass that Robinson blasted into the roof of the net, via a deflection.

With Horsham supporters still celebrating, they were hit with a sucker punch just a minute later. Girt raced down the right and fired a fine shot across Mark Zawadski.

Five minutes later, the two-goal lead was restored. Pacheco’s long ball caused a miscommunication between Molloy and defender Nick Davies, with the hard-working Morley stealing in to poke home a third.

Sittingbourne looked beaten and failed to meaningfully threaten the Horsham goal in the game’s final half hour.

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Kaffo, Robinson and Pacheco were all substituted to superb ovations from the Gorings Mead crowd, and there was a final boost with midfielder Byron Napper returning from an ankle injury ahead of schedule with a 20 minute cameo.

Horsham: Zawadski, Hamilton, B. King, Woodford, J. King, Charman, Pacheco (Legrange 88), Morley, Kaffo (Napper 71), Cade, Robinson (Marriott 79).