Horsham display heart but are overpowered

Horsham slipped to fourth following a second successive defeat against one of the promotion contenders. The Green and Whites have not beaten Charlton Park since being promoted to London 2 South East and never looked likely to break the sequence on this showing.

Charlton however have designs on reaching Twickenham again at the end of this season and going one better this time by winning the Intermediate Cup, and if in the final reckoning they have the opportunity of returning to London 1 South, so much the better.

Horsham can however take solace from the realisation that Hove are the only one of the top six sides the Green and Whites have not faced in their opening six games.

With both sides being affected by a strong cross-field wind Park dominated from the outset going through multiple phases, and pressurising Horsham into conceding a succession of penalties, before veteran scrum-half Alan Knuckey decided to have a shot at goal from 35 yards but his kick went wide.

Sam Baker came close to scoring for the hosts after a powerful run but he spilled the ball in the tackle with the try line beckoning. Josh Steggles made a long clearance kick to relieve the pressure however Charlton’s attacking play was unrelenting and it required a great last-ditch tackle by Josh Mills to stop a likely try for Reion Raybe.

Horsham were playing without the ball and still conceding penalties under pressure. Park kicked for a line-out 10 yards from the try line and put together a powerful catch and drive from which Baker scored. 5-0.

This galvanised a response from Horsham as they mounted a period of pressure in the Charlton half but although the scrum was more solid than against Dartfordians an ability to secure their own line-out ball continued to be a problem, which hampered their ability to create and build attacking positions. When they did secure the ball Jordan Smith made a good break up the touch-line but he was tackled into touch.

The game was now more evenly matched and when Park conceded a penalty Tom Johnson pushed his attempt at goal just wide of the right hand upright. Charlton were always looking the more likely side to score and after a good break by Raybe he passed inside to his Number 8 in support requiring a great tackle by Joe Wilde to prevent a certain score.

Finally Horsham’s backs cut loose from deep in their own half, and after the ball had passed through several sets of hands it reached Steggles who would have scored but for a great cover tackle by Raybe. The pressure was maintained when Jonny Whiting broke off the back of the scrum and powered through the first defender but he knocked the ball forward in the next tackle just short of the line.

Park came back on the stroke of half time with a penalty from Knuckey to increase their lead which was the least they deserved as they should have been further ahead because they were side breaking more of the first up tackles combined with the quality of their support play, and it was only desperate defence from Horsham that prevented further tries. 8-0.

Charlton continued the second half in a similarly dominant vein but were profligate with taking the chances on offer exemplified by one of their forwards making a loose pass that went to ground with the try line at his mercy and no defender in sight.

Horsham unfortunately suffered injuries to Johnson and Mike Watts in close succession and while both were being treated the rest of the team mounted an audacious counter attack from their own 22 with only thirteen fit players on the field when Johnny Ordidge led a break-out which nearly lead to a score. Park conceded a penalty which Wilde calmly slotted as Johnson was helped off the field and we wish him well in his recovery. 8-3.

Charlton soon bounced back when open-side flanker Baker broke through with Knuckey in support, who has the priceless ability to read the game well and to be in the right place at the right time, to notch another try and confirm his position as one of the leading try scorers in the league this season. 15-3.

Whiting went on another surging run as the visitors tried to narrow the deficit, but although Horsham were going through the phases they were not finding many openings in a resolute defence with attacks often ending in a mistake. Park then thought they had stretched further ahead when their winger ran 50 yards up the touchline only for the ball to be knocked forward in the tackle just short of the try-line.

Horsham went through the phases to try to retain possession and make their way out of their 22 but then winger Jeremy Montes ran in a simple try off a turnover. 20-3.

Horsham were their own worst enemies as poor handling let them down and try scoring opportunities went begging then Raybe went on a break from the halfway line and only a tackle from Steggles stopped a certain score. Hooker Ed Mason scored a try to seal the win for the home side although the conversion was again missed making the score-line flatter the visitors. 25-3.

To their credit Horsham did not allow their heads to drop and after a fine multi-phase attack the defence was committed to allow Ryan Maguire a simple run around to score under the posts. Wilde rushed his kick believing there was still time to win the game and missed. 25-8.

There was still time for Horsham to launch one more attack has they threw caution to the wind which nearly led to score before the referee blew the final whistle for a well-deserved win for Charlton Park.

“A very disappointing performance with the team only showing some of its potential for the final two minutes”, Horsham head coach Nick Stocker said. “I would assess a 2 out of 10 as we lacked appetite for the fight which was the most disappointing aspect of the performance.

The lineout completely misfired today and losing that source of possession meant less quality ball. The scrum was however far better and unfortunately didn’t get the decisions that the dominant Nick Bell on the loose head deserved.

Although Charlton Park missed a few try scoring opportunities, we also left a number out there and we needed to play more cohesively as a team than a collection of individuals that we saw today.

We will need to banish this and make sure we perform far better in the weeks ahead beginning with a tough local derby at home versus Pulborough next week. We will also certainly look forward to a rematch against Charlton Park later in the season with an opportunity to right the wrongs of today.”

Horsham now face local rivals Pulborough at home on 28 October in their first encounter for three seasons. Pulborough are coming off the back of a great home win against Haywards Heath and will present difficult opposition in what is expected to be a highly competitive encounter.

Horsham: Watts; Steggles, Ordidge, Wilde, Bell J; Johnson (capt) (Maguire), Mills; Fairs, Stone, Bell N (Cass); Clarkson (Goward), Tredgett; Carvell, Smith, Whiting