Horsham 3 Three Bridges 4: Bridges take local derby honours

Horsham remained rooted to the bottom of the Ryman South as their winless run extended to six matches with defeat in their derby battle with Three Bridges.
Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210155001Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210155001
Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210155001

Hornets tamely went 2-0 down in the first half hour through goals by Tony Garrod and Hakeem Adelakun.

Trevor McCreadie pulled one back from the penalty spot at the start of the second half.

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Bridges went 4-1 up with two minutes to go thanks to well-taken goals by Sam McVicar and Allan Tait.

Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. Sam MacVicar . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210019001Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. Sam MacVicar . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210019001
Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. Sam MacVicar . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210019001

Horsham responded with two more late goals by Tom Hughes and in injury-time from a second penalty by McCreadie.

Horsham welcomed their legendary manager John Maggs back for the first time as a spectator rather than as an official.

He returned as part of a family visit as he he is now enjoying retirement in Portugal.

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The fans and club gave him a resounding welcome but it was surely disappointing for someone who had overseen so much success to see them on the verge of relegation to the Sussex County League.

Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210232001Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210232001
Football: Ryman League South Division: Horsham (yellow) v Three Bridges. . Pic Steve Robards SUS-150221-210232001

Horsham made five changes with goalkeeper Mark Zawadski replacing Gareth Williams, making his return for his third spell at the club and Brazilian Luiz Felipe Lire De Andrade making his first start at right wing.

Hornets’ Tony Nwachukwu was suspended while Lewis Hamilton and Tom Gilbert were injured. Tom Hughes returned from suspension and Joe Obersteller came back from illness.

Bridges eased into the lead in the 19th minute when Garrod took advantage of a howler by Horsham’s new keeper and who fell over making a clearance to leave an open goal.

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Adelakun tapped in Bridges’ second six minutes later when Horsham’s defence switched off and left him unmarked at the far post to connect with a cross from the left.

In between the two goals Horsham’s Gregg Berry had a deflected shot saved by Bridges’ Kieron Thorpe, who stook out a mile wearing a vivid pink shirt and socks.

Horsham got into the game in the closing stages oof the first half and should have done better with two good chances.

Berry put through McCreadie in front of goal but he god little power on his shot and it was cleared off the line by Jamie Crellin.

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De Andrada looked a useful new addition and set up Berry but his attmept was safely gathered by Thorpe.

Horsham made it 2-1 within six minutes of the start of the second half from the penalty spot put away by McCreadie who sent Thorpe the wrong way after Martin Dynan brought down Hughes.

Both sides then had shots saved: Adelakun struck powerfully for Bridges at the other end the impressive De Andrade was denied by Thorpe after a useful turn and shot.

Bridges responded impeccably to extend their lead to a match-winning 4-1 with two goals in the last ten minutes as MacVicar ran through the area and touched in Lee Carney’s drifting free-kick.

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Tait met Jamie Hills’ cross expertly to volley in from from the six-yard box.

Hughes made it 4-2 from Vickers’ free-kick on 90 minutes before McCreadie netted his second penalty of the day in injury-time when De Andrade was fouled in a controversial incident which saw Dynan sent-off seconds before the final whistle.

It was good to see Horsham fighting back but the goals came too late to caused Bridges any real problems and their three points were never really in doubt.

Horsham: Zawadski, Obersteller, Hope, Byrne, Hughes, Welch, De Andrade, Vickers, McCreadie, Lockyer (Camara), Berry (Otobo 70)

Unued subs: Page, Branford, Williams

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Bridges: Thorpe, Lansdale, Peauroux, Crellin, Dynan, Godfrey, MacVicar, Carney, Tait, Garrod (Hills 85), Adelakun (Whitehead 82)

Unused subs: Pulling, Daniel, Cox

Referee: Alexander Fisher

Attendance: 302

Man of the Match: Tom Vickers (Horsham)

Sam MacVicar (Three Bridges)

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