Horsham 3-3 BSFC
Horsham 3-3 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 25/1/20
Horsham were able to salvage a draw in a six-goal thriller after Bishop’s Stortford led 1-3 going into the last 10 minutes thanks to Jamie Cureton’s hat-trick. 44-year-old Cureton’s first of the afternoon, in the last minute before half time, was his 50th for the Blues, and followed that up with two second-half penalties to take home the match ball. The hosts had opened the scoring through Rob O’Toole, before Chris Smith reduced the arrears late on and O’Toole converted from the spot to level in injury time at the end of the match.
Cureton had an early chance from a free kick, but his low effort hit the wall, before Greg Cundle – who played nine times and scored three goals for the Blues on loan from Gillingham in 2016-17 – fired wide from long range. Hornets skipper Jack Brivio shot from range but high of the goal, before O’Toole bundled home from close range after Fred Burbidge had parried the low effort from outside the box by Brivio. The hosts took a deserved lead and should have increased it before the break, with Ryan Henshaw and Mark Haines denying chances by Lee Harding and Cundle respectively, before Cureton struck out of almost nowhere. He outpaced the defenders to Henshaw’s long ball, and chipped it beautifully over the onrushing George Bentley in the Horsham goal.
Half time 1-1
After George Shelley had a large portion of the home fans celebrating the lead again with a close range header that somehow missed the target, Shomari Barnwell was fouled by Gary Charman – who was lucky to stay on the pitch after a first-half booking – at the other end allowing Cureton to bag a brace. He fired high into the top right corner, nearly taking the net off with a strike that showed the confidence and ability of this man. Jordan Wescott was on hand to bundle Cundle’s low cross behind for a corner after he couldn’t find a team-mate, while Lea Dawson shot off target from long range. Cureton completed his treble in 22 minutes with another penalty which was a near copy of the first, Barnwell was fouled and Cureton put it in exactly the same place in emphatic fashion. Cureton then took himself off, and the Blues sat back to defend their lead, but also invited the pressure. Horsham top-scorer this season Smith came off the bench, and found the top corner with a stunning strike from long range after Wescott miscued his clearance. Burbidge produced a stunning save to deny a headed goal from a corner, as the Hornets looked piled the pressure on. Brivio fired wide from the edge of the box, before Henshaw fouled Alex Kelly near the bye-line in the box for a certain penalty, and despite guessing the right way, Burbidge couldn’t keep out O’Toole’s second of the match.
Full time 3-3
TEAMS
Horsham XI
1: George Bentley
2: Steve Metcalf
3: Harvey Sparks
4: Alex Kelly
5: Joe Shelley
6: Gary Charman (Yellow card 11’) (Merchant 76’)
7: Jack Brivio ©
8: Lea Dawson (Smith 75’)
9: Rob O’Toole (Goal 27’ pen 90+3’)
10: Greg Cundle
11: Lee Harding
Subs
12: Harry Mills
14: Dylan Merchant
15: Noble Rumsey
16: Taurean Roberts
17: Chris Smith (Goal 81’)
Bishop’s Stortford XI
1: Fred Burbidge (Yellow card 90+4’)
2: Jordan Wescott
4: Jack Thomas
5: Sam Robbins
6: Ryan Henshaw ©
8: Alex Warman (Mycroft-Edwards 89’)
9: Jamie Cureton (Goal 45’ pen 53’ pen 67’) (Mullins-Hammond 70’)
10: Alex Read (Campbell-Mhlope 74’)
17: Mark Haines
18: Bradley McClenaghan
20: Shomari Barnwell
Subs
3: Billy Mycroft-Edwards
7: Matthew Campbell-Mhlope
12: Lawrence Mullins Hammond
Attendance 593
