Cal Laycock got the opener in a scrappy game that lacked a lot of goalmouth action, with Waledin Ahmad grabbing the equaliser for the hosts with 25 minutes left to play.

Glenn Turnbull, only a couple of days after announcing his decision to step down as Manager at the end of the season, made only one change from the start, with Steve Ramsey coming in for Lawrence Cooper.

But, despite Moneys arguably having the better of the opening to proceedings, it was the hosts who came closest to breaking the deadlock only 10 minutes in. Billy Allcock got a shot away from close range, but Callum Smart did well to stand his ground and make a big save from close range.

And, a couple of minutes later, the deadlock was broken for a Moneys persuasion. Harry Thorpe did excellently to hold off a defender and get a shot away, and whilst his effort smacked the post, Cal Laycock was there to lurk and fire a finish into the bottom left corner.

The game was very scrappy and bitty, on a pitch which certainly wasn’t conducive to free-flowing and fast-paced football, so much so that there were not to be any more real chances of note throughout the rest of the first half.

Half-Time: Horndean 0-1 Moneys

A change was made at the break, as Lewis Beale replaced James Franklyn – with the effects of Saturday’s game beginning to take effect.

Ethan Robb went close with ten minutes gone in this period, but his header from a corner was easily held by Callum Smart in the Moneys goal.

And there was to be an almighty reprieve for Moneys with just under an hour to go, when Allcock inadvertently was on the floor when he directed home an effort, unfortunately for him though he was in an offside position, hence the goal being disallowed.

Jordan Pile replaced Steve Ramsey just over an hour in, but the former Deans man was unable to do anything about the equaliser that arrived just moments afterwards.

A free-kick found its way to Rob at the back post, who put his header back across goal for Ahmad to bundle the effort into the back of the net.

Jafer Mahammedkier came on for Joel Brown with just under quarter of an hour left, before Brandon Chebby was booked following an elbow on ex-Deans man Tom Jeffes.

But it was actually the hosts, who secured mathematical safety with this win, who almost won it near the end, as Tommy Scutt’s effort from distance flew just wide of the post.

This was before, just before stoppage time, Chebby did well to hold off Jeffes and get a shot away, unfortunately for him it was just wide of the post though.

Full-Time: Horndean 1-1 Moneys

That result means that, due to other results as well, Moneys are unable to make the play-offs, with their current position of seventh being as high as is mathematically possible at the end of the season, whilst the Deans are safe in 17th – and know that they could finish as high as 15th.

Moneys end their league season at home to Rayners Lane on Saturday, with Horndean travelling to Hanworth Villa at the same time.

Moneys XI: Smart, Birmingham, Martin, Brown (Mahammedkier 76), Jeffes, Cain, Ramsey (Pile 62), Sargeant, Thorpe, Laycock, Franklyn (Beale HT).

Subs not Used: Ani, Dellaud.
Match Report by Hayden Smith

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