‘Phenomenal’ Horndean reach FA Youth Cup second round with stunning victory at Woking

First-half goals from Ethan Kent and Isaac Bello set up a 2-1 win against National League outfit Woking at Knaphill last night.

The hosts - top of their Isthmian League Under-18 table having won four and drawn one of their five games so far - could only manage a single second-half reply.

Horndean now travel to Oxford United later this month, standing just 90 minutes away from the chance of drawing a Premier League club in the third round.

The Deans entered their fifth Youth Cup tie of the campaign minus strikers Liam Brewer and Haidon Davies, suspended and injured respectively.

But they took the lead when Kent converted a great cross from Kai Powell.

Five minutes later Bello sprinted down the right wing before smashing a 20-yard shot into the top corner.

Woking upped their game after the restart but found the Horndean defensive line of Kian Murphy, Tom Blamire, Kai Powell and Kye Hartt strong, determined and organised.

The hosts eventually netted 15 minutes from time, and were inches away from a late leveller when Deans keeper Logan O’Donnell produced a stunning save to deflect a shot against the crossbar.

It was a far, far cry from the previous occasion Horndean had reached the FA Youth Cup first round – 32 years ago this weekend they were on the receiving end of a 21-goal blitz at West Ham.

Deans boss Dean Blamire said: ‘We defended like Trojans in the second half, the boys were fantastic, I’m so proud of them all.

‘We didn’t expect to get this far, it’s a phenomenal achievement.’

Oxford defeated Torquay at the weekend, in a tie played at Oxford City’s Court Place Farm HQ, and will now host Horndean in a tie that has to be played by November 26.

It will be one of 20 second round ties, with the 44 Premier League and Championship clubs coming in at the third round stage.

Horndean are one of two Portsmouth area non-league clubs left in the competition. Gosport Borough’s first round tie at home to Bromley was postponed last night and will instead be played this midweek.

Boro or Bromley have another home tie in the second round - against Ipswich Town.

Back in the late 80s, Horndean reached the second round of the FA Youth Cup, losing 5-1 to Reading in a replay at Elm Park.

Horndean are still in two other cups. They face Southampton outfit BSC in a Hampshire Under-18 Cup tie on November 13, followed by a Hampshire Development League Cup tie against Fareham Town Black a week later.

A different Horndean squad won the Hampshire Under-18 Cup last season.