Horndean’s amazing goalscoring achievement overshadowed by Fareham’s stunning display

Zack Willett fired Deans’ 100th strike of 2021/22 against Fareham Town in what was only the club’s 28th league and cup fixture.

It was Horndean’s 70th league goal of the season and they remain the highest scorers in step 5 of the English pyramid - ahead of Wroxham (66), Charnock Richard (65) and Littlehampton (63).

But that will mean little to boss Michael Birmingham as he attempts to digest Fareham’s remarkable 5-1 romp at Five Heads Park that sent shockwaves through the Premier Division.

The Deans still also possess the best goal difference - plus 54 - across the 14 step 5 divisions. That, too, will mean diddly squat to Birmingham at the moment following a display he condemned as ‘pathetic’.

The Creeksiders lined up with eight changes from the one trounced 5-1 at home by second-placed Brockenhurst in midweek.

Assistant boss Matt Powell, standing in for Pete Stiles who was ill, had been hoping to win the toss and kick up the slope in the first half.

As it was, both teams ended up going downhill - Fareham, having lost the toss, literally and Horndean, conceding twice in the first six minutes, metaphorically.

With a strong wind behind them, Fareham led after only four minutes - Jack Breed, one of the eight new faces, lashing a 20-yard drive past Cameron Scott.

Two minutes later, Breed sent over an inviting cross to the back post where centre half Garry Moody - the only Reds outfield regular who hadn’t previously netted this term - nodded in from close range.

No doubt stunned by their start, Horndean took a while to get a foothold in the game. But while they went on to enjoy good possession, it was never in areas that hurt Fareham.

Dec McCarthy - the sixth keeper used by Fareham this season - had his hands warmed by a fierce Willett shot. But the visitors always looked far more dangerous going forward, Gary Austin seeing a shot blocked by a defender before Fareham had a good penalty shout for handball waved away.

Horndean were forced to reshuffle on 38 minutes when centre half Jack Lee went off injured. Chad Field was moved from left back to partner Liam Dempsey with Ben Anderson switched to left back and Liam Kimber coming on into central midfield.

Willett gave his side renewed hope with the last kick of the first half, firing in his 24th league and cup goal of the season after McCarthy had failed to punch clear a free-kick.

But any suggestions that the hosts would now go on to win, helped by going down the slope after the restart, were soon scotched.

It was Fareham, as in the first 45 minutes, who looked more likely to score once the game restarted. Gary Austin went close - Scott saving with his feet at the expense of a corner - before debutant Elliott Holmes played in Breed, recently returned to the club after a spell with Europa in the Gibraltan League, to drill in a low shot on 56 minutes.

Three minutes later, almost unbelievably, it was 4-1 when Austin poked home a right-wing cross from close range.

‘Top of the league, you’re having a laugh’ sang the jubilant band of Fareham supporters behind Scott’s goal.

No-one involved with Horndean was smiling, though. There were only glum looks in the home dugout.

The nearest the hosts came to a 101st goal of the campaign arrived via a goalmouth scramble where Willett saw a shot hacked off the line and Connor Duffin’s follow up effort blocked.

That was a rare chance for Horndean, though; for the most part, Moody and Ross Kidson gave 26-goal Duffin, the league’s joint top scorer, hardly any space to cause problems while left-back Ethan Jones kept Willett largely quiet. Jones was very impressive, but then so was everyone in blue in a performance which has reset Fareham’s proverbial bar very high.

Sub Stuart Morgan, a Royal Marine recently signed by the Reds, came on to complete the scoring late on.

Kimber was guilty of conceding possession far too easily and Holmes set up Morgan to cut inside from the right and calmly score Fareham’s fifth of a stunning afternoon the travelling fans won’t quickly forget.

‘Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to see Fareham win away,’ they chorused, huddling together to keep warm on a bitterly cold day. ‘Horndean in disarray’ would also have no doubt sufficed.

The hosts’ frustrations were complete when Duffin, already booked, was sin binned for the last minute. And it could have been even worse as Morgan was clearly fouled in the area, only for penalty appeals to fall on deaf ears.

Next up for the Deans are two tough away trips to Shaftesbury (December 4) and Moneyfields (December 7). ‘It shouldn’t have to be a case of needing to bounce back if you get your application spot on,’ rued Birmingham.

Horndean: Scott, Taw, Field, Lee (Kimber, 38), Dempsey, Hookey, Anderson, Lis (Brownlie, 72), Duffin, Jackson (Tierney, 61), Willett.

Fareham: McCarthy, Wilcox, Jones, Moody, Kidson, Settle (Robbins, 88), Rowthorn, Breed, Sterne, Austin (Morgan 61), Holmes.