Three Bridges earn local derby bragging rights over Horsham

A non-eventful first half was followed by half an hour of Bridges dominance and then a frantic finale after Horsham scored with a quarter of an hour to play.

It took 15 minutes for anything of note to happen when Abu Touray fired just over following trickery by Tony Garrod, whilst Horsham took 24 minutes to show anything remotely hostile when Jamie Ampleford drove wide after creating space for himself.

The tireless Jamie Crellin had an effort blocked and another shot over the bar, whilst Horsham player/manager Gary Charman came close with a header.

But Bridges came out of the blocks for the second half and created a few half chances, the best of these being a Tony Garrod curler that was just wide and a Ben Godfrey drive that keeper Gareth Williams held well.

Garrod and Godfrey were combining well, so it was no surprise when Godfrey nudged the ball on for Garrod to fire the home side ahead after 53 minutes. And ten minutes later Bridges doubled their tally when Crellin stooped at the far post to head home from Hakeem Adelakun’s corner.

Godfrey and Garrod provided efforts for each other as Bridges threatened to crush their visitors, but it all changed when an individual piece of brilliance by Harry Smith finished with a goal after 75 minutes.

Suddenly the doubts seemed to creep in for Bridges, and they needed a good save by Kieron Thorp and a goalline clearance to prevent Jamie Cade from snatching an 81st minute equaliser.

Horsham threatened a couple more times, but four minutes from time Garrod saw his effort blocked after a header across goal by Callum Donaghey. Bridges then kept the ball as much as possible and held on to three valuable points.

Bridges: Thorp, Lansdale, Whitehead, MacVicar, Dynan, Crellin, Touray (Donaghey 85), Adelakun (Peauroux 90+1), Godfrey (Pulling 73), Carney, Garrod.

Unused subs: Daniel, Leach.

Attendance: 207

Aerotron Man of the Match: Martin Dynan