Hi, I’m William Munt and this afternoon I will be taking you through the Isthmian League Premier Division match between Horsham and Concord Rangers at the Camping World Community Stadium. The hosts only require a point to guarantee their spot in the play-offs this season against already relegated Concord.
Horsham make two changes from their defeat at Cheshunt on Tuesday night with Jack Mazzone and Reece Meekums replacing Isaac Philpot and Shamir Fenelon.
The visitors make three changes from their 4 – 0 defeat at home to Bognor Regis Town last time out with Harrison Day, captain Ben Steward and Anjeolaoluna Adamu replacing Simo Mbonkwi, El Hadji Ndad and Josh Rusoke.
The teams are emerging from the tunnel and the start of the action is just minutes away.
1’ KICK OFF: We are underway at the Camping World Community Stadium on the last day of the Isthmian League Premier Division and Concord immediately have a free kick on the edge of the area, after Lucas Polyblank is brought down.
2’ Jacob Bland hits the wall and Horsham break through Daniel Ajakaiye, who sits down a defender and forces Concord keeper Mason Terry into the first save of the game. A breathless start here at Horsham!
6’ What a save! Horsham are on top in the early stages here and Lucas Rodrigues forces another diving stop from Terry! The ball comes back to him on the edge of the area and his driven, deflected strike is expertly tipped over. Jack Brivio’s strike from the corner is then deflected behind for another Horsham set piece, which eventually comes to nothing.
10’ Horsham continue to put pressure on Concord and another break away culminates with Ajakaiye hitting the deck inside the penalty area. However, there was minimal contact and the referee swiftly turns away any Horsham appeals for a penalty.
Elsewhere in the Isthmian Premier League, Cheshunt have gone a goal up at Hashtag United through Jamie Reynolds. The Ambers are all but safe after their victory over Horsham at Theobalds Lane in midweek. After Horsham’s early pressure here, the game is starting to calm down a little.
18’ GOAL FOR HORSHAM! The hosts’ early pressure finally pays off as they hit the front. Lee Harding fends off a Concord defender on the edge of the box and slips a beautiful through ball down the side of the defence to Jack Mazzone, who does the rest, with Terry only able to deflect the ball into the roof of the net.
21’ Mazzone wins a free kick for Horsham on the edge of the box, but James Hammond’s effort sails harmlessly wide. However, it’s still all Horsham, with Concord failing to threaten since their early foray forward in the first minute.
24’ YELLOW CARD – Lucas Rodrigues is the first player into the book, as he drags Guy Norton down on the half way line, when he was threatening to break away for Concord.
26’ A first real chance for Concord, as Polyblank sends a side footed effort wide, after the ball is worked across the box. However, the flag is up and the goal wouldn’t have counted, if Polyblank converted.
28’ Terry has to make another impressive save with his feet, as Jack Strange creeps in round the back from a corner and directs a header towards goal.
30’ GOAL FOR HORSHAM! However, Terry’s efforts are in vain as the hosts immediately double their lead from another corner! Horsham captain Jack Brivio is free in the middle and directs a diving header into the far corner from Hammond’s delivery, just outside of Terry’s reach. The hosts are on course for the play offs and Concord’s sorry season looks set to end in equally sorry style.
35’ Ajakaiye is almost in behind the Concord defence again, but Terry just manages to intercept Rodrigues’ through ball in front of the striker. Horsham’s leading goal scorer this season will surely be fancying his chances to add to his season’s tally of 18 goals today.
Cheshunt have doubled their lead at Hashtag United – Taylor Miles has scored to set them on course for a second consecutive victory, as they celebrate securing their Isthmian League Premier Division status for another season and avoiding a second relegation in a row.
Hashtag United have halved Cheshunt’s lead through Alex Teniola, meaning it’s game back on at Hashtag.
42’ Hits the post! Horsham almost make it three and put the game to bed! A miscommunication at the back allows Ajakaiye to steal in and have a strike at goal, which is deflected past Terry and off the upright for a corner.
45’ HALF TIME: The referee blows for half time and the hosts will undoubtedly be very happy with their first 45 minutes’ work. Horsham have been all over the visitors and their 2 – 0 lead is the least they deserve. Goals from Mazzone and Brivio have put them in the driving seat, whilst Concord keeper Terry has been called upon on multiple occasions, as well as the woodwork, to keep the score down and protect Concord’s pride, as they exit the division.
The players are re-emerging for the second half – surely Horsham are now home and dry with a place in the play-offs secured or can Concord stage an unlikely comeback that would see Billericay leapfrog the hosts?
Billericay are fulfilling their end of the bargain, as they are in control against Margate. However, they would require an unlikely comeback victory from Concord to have a chance of found Chatham Town, Enfield Town and Wingate & Finchley in the play-offs.
45’ KICK OFF: We are back underway at the Camping World Community Stadium for the final half of the regular Isthmian League Premier Division season.
Cheshunt have regained their two goal cushion against Hashtag United through Alfie Pendlebury. Also, champions Hornchurch have regained the lead through Liam Nash at home to relegated bottom side Kingstonian, putting them back in course to reach the 100 point mark.
50’ Horsham’s first real foray forward of the second half is driven by Harvey Sparks. The defender advances to the edge of the Concord area, but runs out of steam and loses the ball at the final moment.
55’ The second half is off to a much quieter start than the first, albeit with Horsham still clearly the dominant side and looking most likely to score.
57’ Concord fashion their first chance of the second half and it falls to Harrison Day. Josh Rusoke whips a free kick in from the left hand side, which reaches Day in the middle, only for the attacker to see his effort from close range fly over the crossbar. Once again, however, the flag was up and Day’s effort would not have counted.
60’ Down the other end, Hammond works a year of space just outside the penalty area, but fires his effort over the crossbar and into the Horsham fans behind the goal.
There’s been another goal in the thriller at Hashtag, with the hosts just not knowing when they are beaten. Teniola’s second of the afternoon has reduced the arrears once again and brought the home side back into the game.
63’ Concord are managing to make a few more forays forward in this second half and are showing a bit more fight, but their appeals for a foul on Josh Rusoke on the edge of the box fall on deaf ears.
72’ Concord manage to force a corner, but Day’s delivery is wasteful and evades everyone in grey to go out for a Horsham throw in. Despite Concord’s marginally improved second half showing, they have still failed to test Lewis Carey in the Horsham goal.
75′ Off the line! When the hosts finally manage to beat Terry in this second half, there’s a defender waiting on the line to clear the ball away instead! Another Horsham corner is cleared to the edge of the penalty area, where substitute Doug Tuck arrives in front of Anjeolaoluna Adamu and side foots a right footed shot past Terry, only for the back tracking Guy Norton to clear it away.
79′ Yet another golden opportunity goes abegging for Horsham. A tired clearance finds Harding, who slips the ball through to Shamir Fenelon, however – the pass is slightly too heavy and the former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international cannot get any meaningful contact on the ball, before Terry comes out to meet him. The ball then pops up to Hammond, whose innovative, hooked right footed shot is cleared off the line once again.
84′ As the game approaches its final five minutes, it seems relatively clear that there will not be a grand comeback from Concord. The visistors have clearly been second best today and have been outperformed in every area of the pitch, apart from potentially in goal, as Terry has been working overtime today, whilst Carey has had a much quieter game in the Horsham goal.
87′ How is it still only 2 – 0 to Horsham? The hosts somehow turn up another three presentable chances in the space of just a few minutes. First, Terry comes out to smother a close range shot from Fenelon, before Hammond’s resulting corner is inexplicably nodded wide by defender Jack Strange from close range. However, the best chance of the three arrives a few moments later, when the ball drops to Meekums inside the box, who drills the ball past Terry, only for Norton to make another unbelievable block on the line. Credit to the Concord defence, who continue to fight valiantly, bur Horsham must be wondering how they haven’t rounded out their regular season in more style.
90′ FULL TIME: The referee blows the final whistle and cheers ring out around the Camping World Community Stadium, as Horsham’s dominant 2 – 0 victory over Concord Rangers confirms their place in the 2023 / 2024 Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs. The hosts were in control from the first minute to the last and the game was over as a contest just past the half hour mark, when Horsham doubled their lead, as the relegated visitors put in another sorry performance and rarely threatened the Horsham goal. A fifth placed finish for Horsham and a sport in the play-offs marks their best ever league season, whilst they can now start preparing for the play-off semi-final at Chatham Town on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, a topsy-turvey game at Hashtag United has come to a thrilling conclusion, with the hosts having the last laugh. Despite having trailed 2 – 0 and 3 – 1, they have snatched a point right at the death through Luke May-Parrot, meaning that they finish 13th in their first season in the Isthmian League Premier Division, whilst Cheshunt finish four points outside the relegation zone.
Hornchurch have also beaten Kingstonian 2 – 1 at home, which means that they finish the season both as champions and with 100 points. Having dominated the division this season and won the title by 21 points, they will face a much steeper challenge next season in the National League South.
So, Horsham finish the Isthmian League Premier Division regular season with a comfortable victory at home to Concord Rangers, however – their supporters will surely have their sights set on play-off victory and a promotion to reward their side’s impressive efforts this season. That’s it from me, as like the 2023 / 2024 non-league season, I’m signing off for now – thanks for joining me today!
