Horndean top Wessex League Premier Division after ‘awful’ performance at Shaftesbury

Michael Birmingham was amazed that Horndean came away from Shaftesbury with a 4-3 win and top the Wessex Premier league table.
By Kevin Ricketts
Published 13th Sep 2020, 14:23 BST
Harry Jackson (red) was among the scorers as Horndean hit back to win at Shaftesbury and extend their 100 per cent start to the Wessex League season. Picture: Keith WoodlandHarry Jackson (red) was among the scorers as Horndean hit back to win at Shaftesbury and extend their 100 per cent start to the Wessex League season. Picture: Keith Woodland
Harry Jackson (red) was among the scorers as Horndean hit back to win at Shaftesbury and extend their 100 per cent start to the Wessex League season. Picture: Keith Woodland

His side trailed three times before scoring twice in the final five minutes to snatch the points and extend their 100 per cent to three matches.

'It was an awful performance from us,' said Birmingham.

'From my point of view it was one of the most stand-out displays from us for a long time, but for all the wrong reasons.

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'We failed to do the absolute basics - simple passing, simple movement, decision making, defending, everything was all wrong.

'It was all very lacklustre and we looked like we were playing a final game of the season.

'As the game went on I was losing more and more hair, and I didn't have a lot to start with.

'But to give the lads some credit, they kept going.

'Seventeen-year-old Ben Anderson went on, set up our equaliser and then we won it at the death with an own goal.'

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Shaftesbury started the hungrier and took a deserved lead before Steve Hall prodded home an equaliser from a corner.

The home side regained the lead but again Conor Duffin dragged the visitors level.

Horndean presented their hosts with a free header at a corner to trail at the interval.

The game petered out for much of the second half before the visitors produced a grandstand finish.

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Anderson produced a superb through ball for fellow sub Harry Jackson to level for a third time.

At the death Tommy Tierney crossed and a home defender could only turn the ball into his own net.

It was the third game running where Horndean have trailed but have come back to grab victory.

'We were not very good but I was pleased to come away with the three points,' Birmingham summed up.

Horndean travel to AFC Portchester on Tuesday in the Wessex League Cup and are on the road again next weekend for a league encounter at Christchurch.

Related topics:Horndean