Score predictions - Horsham home - FA Cup

After another disappointing home result (albeit not a disastrous peformance), we now turn our attentions to the FA Cup, and the visit of Isthmian League side Horsham. Whilst there's no telling what type of side we will put out, the bookies currently have us as 2/11 favourites, with the Hornets as 12/1 outsiders, a similar price to the one we were to beat Chelsea in 2008.

Horsham were actually founded before the Reds, and we're founding members of both the Sussex County FA and the Sussex Football League, a division they've won a record 8 times, though currently play 2 divisions higher. They've reached the first round proper of the FA Cup on 4 previous occasions, losing to Notts County, Swindon, and most recently Carlisle (21/22) in the first round, and defeating Maidenhead to make it to round 2 in 07/08. The Hornets eventually succumbed to then league 1 side Swansea City after a replay. Coincidentally, this was the same season that Barnsley reached the Semi finals for the first time in 96 years.

Horsham sit just outside the play-offs in the Isthmian League after a decent start to the season. They've played fewer games than many of the teams around them, and have a positive goal difference. Away from home, they have the 3rd best record in the league with 12 points from 6 games, though they have played 2 more away games than home. They've won their last 3 games in all competitions and lost just twice all season so far.

There is one existing link between the two clubs. Hornets midfielder Charlie Harris spent around 8 months at Oakwell back in 2016. He was signed from Brighton, just a couple of days before Lee Johnson left for Bristol City, and was moved on later that year with his only taste of first team action coming in pre-season friendlies. There's an interesting article here from the Athletic detailing how he was on just £200 a week at Oakwell and struggling to afford food.

https://theathletic.com/2929420/2021/11/03/charlie-harris-as-brighton-got-better-i-sadly-didnt/

The referee for this one is Ben Toner, famous for being removed from a Blackpool game shortly after their owners had been found guilty of 'illegitimate stripping' by the high court, because of his name. Mr Toner has issued 55 yellow cards in 10 games so far this season, but no red cards. He took charge of 2 reds games last season, our 0-3 defeat to Ipswich in April, and our EFL Cup win over Middlesbrough in August 2022. As far as I can tell, he has never taken charge of a Horsham game, however the site I used doesn't show games below national league level.

Despite it being difficult to determine what type of side we will put out, I'd expect even one of our regular FL Trophy sides to be strong enough to see the reds through to round 2. I predict a mix of fringe first teamers and u21 players to make an appearance. I'm going for 3-0 Barnsley, with Cosgrove, Josh Benson and Fabio Jalo on the scoresheet.

 

Surely a comfortable victory 4-0

 

I can see a Brian Howard at Anfield moment

They will cling on while we labour to score

Devante will be rested and there will be no finishing touch

In 90 +4, Benson will give away a sloppy pass that opens up a rare opportunity to shoot

The Horsham player will right himself into folklore as he smashes it in to the top corner in front of an empty ponty end

1-2 Horsham

 

Interesting that they're the same with odds to beat us as we were to beat Chelsea.

Surely objectively a team of highly paid professionals losing to a team of part-time players would be a far more stratospheric shock than a team of ridiculously highly paid pros losing to another team of pros who are merely extremely well remunerated, and who are only 30 odd places below them in the league pyramid. Horsham must be around 100 places below us.

If we play a fringe team then 2 or 3 nil sounds about right. Bearing in mind how much better we look than most sides towards the bottom end of League 1 then the score should realistically reach double figures against Horsham if we field anything resembling our first team. We know that things don't work like that in reality, but I'm still going for a very comfortable 5-1 to us.

 

Colliers 5 Lardies 1

 

Can't see it. The gulf between our players and Horsham's is objectively far greater than ours and Liverpool's.

 

3 - 0 to us

 

3-1 Reds.

 

7-0 us

 

1912 Winners 8 - 0 2023 Shat-Upons

Watters (7) + OG

 

Do you honestly belive that or do you honestly hope that.

 

4-1, we’ll be cruising and a late slip-up at the back will hand them a consolation goal.

 

If we lose this friday

just remember I was the only one to call it

and no i hope am wrong

 

7-1. Second time in a season we hit 7 after going 20 years without. Or 0-0.

 

You would love if we lost and be gloating for months,sad really.

 

Silly bugger, we'll smash em no need to worry.

 

Won't be watching, as I'm arriving in Lisbon, Portugal on Friday to team up with my best pal, who runs Pattern Radio over there.

Looks like we'll be fielding a strong team from the gaffer's comments, although I'd be surprised if Cole starts. Would like to see Jalo feature up top with Watters, or Cosgrove, but keep most of our midfield intact. Styles if fit, maybe to start, if only to be rested later. Shepherd should get a game IMO too & Dodgson & O'Keefe. Otherwise, play the regulars & hopefully switch when we have the game won.

If we do, I think we'll win by 3 or 4.

 

4-1 after going behind early doors

 

4-0

But the burning question is, can a striker score, whose name doesn’t end in Cole? I’d tell Watters he’s in last chance saloon. I’d play Cosgrove too, cos I can’t help feeling that once he gets one he could go on a little run. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking

 

I get they've hardly set the world alight, but our strikers other than Cole have 5 league goals between them (including Dallas)