Horndean boss Birmingham: ‘If we were a bit more mature we wouldn’t be so exciting’

Bobby Scott, right, has now scored 14 goals for Horndean in all competitions this season

Michael Birmingham felt his side were naive in their failure to close the game out, but also praised his side for their exciting brand of football.

'The players need to understand that it doesn't always have to be a game of basketball with lots of scoring,' he admitted.

'I will put my hand up, though, because I have built this team to be entertaining and not to settle for what they have got.

'Maybe if we were a bit more mature we wouldn't be so exciting.

'Most teams in our league will agree that in possession there are few better.

'We have great fluency, pace and bravery on the ball.

'Some of the stuff we played in the first half was worthy of the league above.

'If we can just iron out a few errors, then we won't be far off.'

The visitors made a dream start, opening the scoring within 43 seconds thanks to Jack Maloney’s great 25-yard strike into the bottom corner.

Horndean remained in charge and increased their lead on the stroke of half-time when Ash Howes delivered a superb through ball and Greg Peel produced a composed finish.

The students pulled a goal back at the start of the second period through sub Davidson Borges, but Bobby Scott restored Horndean's two-goal advantage on 76 minutes.

It was Scott’s 10th Wessex goal of the season and his 14th for the Deans in all competitions - only Alresford’s Craig Harding (16), Hamble Club’s Nathan Lynch (16) and AFC Portchester’s Dan Wooden (15) have netted more in 2019/20 among Wessex Premier players.

The Solent students grabbed an unlikely point, though, with Borges netting his second on 82 minutes and Kristian Andonov plundering an injury-time leveller.

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