Horsham youth football round-up: Hornets make semis and Roffey claim bragging rights.

The young Hornets were lucky not to go behind when keeper Jack Reeves was beaten by a shot which came back off the post before they hit the woodwork themselves following Kieran Wootton’s lovely through ball.

Horsham got their noses in front towards the end of the half, when Ed Simpkin’s left foot shot arrowed into the corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Seagulls attempts to hit back early in the second period were repelled by Reeves, and when Nick Bristow’s header found Harry Bachelor he fed the on-rushing Finn Bigg to rifle home a left foot shot. The Hornets though they had gone 3-0 up when Bristow followed-up Biggs’ saved shot, but the ball was ruled not to have crossed the line.

The semi-final place was assured late on though, when Louis Lewis smashed in a rebound after Bachelor’s shot was parried following a fine Niall Miller pass.

Under-12

Roffey Robins outbattled previously unbeaten Chesworth Rovers to win a pulsating encounter 2-0.

Both sides battled hard and while Chesworth’s Michael Zewoi was the busier of the two keepers, Harry Powling had to make a fine save at the 
other end to deny Jack Franbland.

It was Roffey who made the breakthrough late on, when Will Price smashed home a loose ball from a Roffey corner. The lead was doubled three minutes later when Max Furber’s clever finish sealed the points for Roffey, and also the bragging rights ahead of their League Cup final meeting in April.

Tom Clark’s hat trick set-up Broadbridge Heath’s 7-0 win at Copthorne to build on their lead at the top of the table.

Clark was on target twice in the first half, added to a Tom Haylor strike and James Canham’s header as Heath took a 4-0 lead at the break. Harry Haines joined the party with a brace in the second half and Clark completed his hat trick, while Finlay Smithers-Green was man of the match and Peter Thomas earned the manager’s praise.

Under-11

Jack Holmwood netted a spectacular free kick for Partridge Green, but could not prevent his side succumbing to a 3-2 defeat to Lingfield.

A tenth minute goal put Lingfield ahead, and although Holmwood’s strike made it 1-1 after the break, Lingfield raced into a 3-1 lead with a penalty and a breakaway goal. Luke Hill scored late on to set-up a tense finish, but Lingfield held on. Cameron James-Gibson was man of the match.

Under-seven

Southwater Royals extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches with 2-1 and 3-1 defeats of Mole Valley Rangers.

Freddie Cox hit a brace and Jack Willis completed the scoring in game one, and in the tighter second match, Jack New’s two goals secured the win, while Frankie Mills took man of the match honours.