It was always going to be difficult for the away side facing a side with players of Ryman experience but in the early exchanges the young Crows pace got them into good positions with the Horsham goalkeeper called into making a good catch under pressure early on.
Horsham were moving the ball quickly forward and the inter-passing say them almost breach the Crows defence but Elliot Romain hit the left hand post and the ball was cleared , the same player was not to be denied and on six minutes fired past Ben Head in a similar move to put the hosts one nil up.

The way Horsham were attacking you were fearing the worst but when the ball was again put in the Crows net the player was clearly offside, a decision given by the referee much to the Crows relief. The well organized Crows offside game caught the eager Horsham forwards on a number of occasions , but when they did get near Ben Head he saved everything.

On eighteen minutes Crowborough got the goal their endeavor deserved when a poor clearance was punished by Morgan Steadman, scoring his first senior goal, to bring the scores level at one all. Despite some nervous moments and some rugged defending from Paul Butler and Jack Turner the scores remained level , one all at the half time break.

The second half started much in the same vein as the first with Horsham in the ascendancy and again Elliot Romain was in the action , but Head saved well yet again. Following a corner the Horsham left back shot over the bar. Crowborough were trying to fashion some possession and good running from Elliot Wood and Morgan Steadman gave the Horsham defence something to think about but the final incisive ball was just missing on the night , but you could not question the players efforts.

Alex Rich came on for the hard working but injured Callum Ridley, Morgan Steadman had a great shot that was deflected and Elliot Wood also had a shot which was deflected into the Home goalkeepers grasp. Then on fifty nine minutes, after a corner was cleared by the Crows defence , there seemed little danger but the Horsham skipper hit an absolute screamer from all of thirty yards that went in the top right hand corner , unstoppable.

Horsham were then trying to get a third goal to put the game to bed , but missed the target or were stopped by further good saves from Ben Head , in particular a one on one with Romain and a cross shot that Head did well to parry around the post.

Crows did get the ball in the Horsham net but Theo Cunningham was offside when he headed the ball down for Elliot Wood to net.

Ross Lennox was introduced for Dave Adams who had given a solid display in defence. Inspite of some late pressure from Crows and two headed chances by Paul Butler after a series of free kicks the score remained two -one to the hosts.

Overall the youngsters did well and the experience will stand them in good stead going forward and with just a little more composure it could have been taken into extra time.