The Sussex Transport Senior Cup Final is upon us as Hastings and Horsham battle it out at the Amex for some long awaited silverware. This evening I, Isabelle Newnham, will take you through all the action with minute-by-minute updates LIVE on INMR. Will Hastings defy the odds and get their first win of the season against the Hornets when it matters most, or will Horsham end their 48 year wait for this trophy with a historic victory? Find out here on INMR, coverage begins at 7pm GMT.
Tonight’s venue: American Express Community Stadium
The starting line-ups are out, take a look:
Hastings vs Horsham – AS IT HAPPENED
1′: We are underway at the Amex, it’s Horsham who kick off. Who will become the champions of Sussex?
1′: Hastings have a throw in on the far side after a challenge from Horsham. The away side are pressing aggressively as usual, let’s see how Hastings handle that this evening.
2′: Lee Harding heads clear but can only find a white shirt, Jordy Mongoy came through the midfield and isn’t being picked up in a dangerous area. Eventually though he’s closed down and Horsham can get the ball away from danger.
3′: John Ufuah earns a corner early on, Harding closed the cross down well but now his side have a sete-piece to defend. Hastings go short but it’s easily cleared when the low cross does come in.
5′: Horsham can’t hold onto the ball and it’s been recycled back to Charlie Grainger in goal who can start to build up the play and calm his players down. It’s been a nervy few minutes so far.
7′: GOALLL TO HORSHAM!! Reece Meekums with a gorgeous finish into the bottom right corner. Lucas Rodrigues claims the assist with a delicate pass into Meekums’ path and he curls it past Grainger and into the bottom corner. He wheels away in celebration, silencing the very vocal Hastings fans in front of him. Hastings 0-1 Horsham.
8′: Meekums won this trophy last season with Worthing against Bognor Regis and he’s broken the deadlock early on this evening in fine fashion.
9′: That goal should settle some nerves in the Horsham camp, they were struggling to hold onto the ball early on.
12′: Danny Barker concedes possession cheaply on the far side, allowing Mongoy to drive down the wing and win Hastings another corner.
13′: Hastings go deep from the set piece a shot in the box is well over the bar. Horsham have a goal kick, Lewis Carey chooses to go long.
14′: James Hammond slots Shamir Fenelon in behind, it looks like the striker was going to shoot but instead he tries to sqaure it to Daniel Ajakaiye. The pass is behind Ajakaiye though, still Horsham do have a corner.
15′: Harvey Sparks will take the corner, he plays it short into Harding who returns the ball to Sparks. The left-back can’t get the ball into the box but he does get another corner.
16′: Hastings top goalscorer Davide Rodari has been quiet so far, he scored a brace in the semi-finals against Littlehampton but hasn’t had a sniff in these early stages.
18′: Hastings are trying to create something going forward but they can’t string many passes together. The most recent effort was cut out superbly by Hammond.
19′: The ball is sprayed out to Meekums on the left flank who has an abundance of space to drive into. He heads for the by-line before cutting it back. A good cross but none of Meekums’ teammates were able to get on the end of it. Positive stuff from Horsham who are dominating.
21′: Horsham have already beaten Hastings twice this season in the league and were certainly the favourites coming into this final. Still, even they can’t have expected to take the lead so early on.
22′: Hammond wins the ball back in midfield again, disposseing Hastings captain Adam Lovatt. The Hornets midfielder has been everywhere so far.
23′: Mongoy passes in behind to Freddie Legg who makes a good run, the youngster drives at Meekums before turning back and winning a free kick in a dangerous area.
24′: Sam Adams swings the free kick into the box, nodded down by JJ Walker but he only finds Barker who heads the ball away.
25′: Rodrigues drills his pass across the box to Fenelon, his first touch is good but makes the angle too tight for a shot. It comes back out Hammond whose shot was blocked by his own player instantly. Hammond falls to the floor in disbelief, his eyes must have lit up there, that was a great opportunity to double the lead.
28′: Harding switches the play to Sparks who keeps possession well. Captain Jack Brivio receives the ball and goes for the long ball over the top, aiming for Ajakaiye. His pass is cut out though and Hastings regain possession.
30′: It’s that man Hammond again in the middle of the park to win the ball back before releasing it to Fenelon. Horsham’s number 9 has a shot from long range that is blocked and goes out for a throw in.
31′: Harvey Sparks has come off injured, looks like an issue with his quad. He has been replaced by Isaac Philpot who joined the club on loan in January.
34′: GOALL FOR HORSHAM!! It’s 2-0 as Fenelon nods the ball home to double the Hornets advantage. Meekums started the move on the left flank with a tremendous first touch before switching the play. The cross then came in from the right side by Harding. Rodrigues was at the back post to head it back across goal where Fenelon was waiting and in the end it was a simple finish into an open goal. Hastings Uni0-2 Horsham.
35′: That was Fenelon’s 12th goal this season and what a time to score it. A great moment for him on his return to the Amex, the striker made two appearances for the Seagulls in the 2014/15 season.
37′: Dominic Di Paola can’t ask for much more from his side in this first half, it looks like his side will be heading in at half time with a comfortable lead.
39′: Brivio is shown a yellow card for a foul on Rodari on the edge of the box. Hastings have a good chance to halve the defecit from the free kick now. Rodari is stood over it and will surely shoot.
40′: It’s a poor effort from Rodari, he got it over the wall but couldn’t get the dip on it to bring it back down on target. Carey watches it sail into the South Stand.
43′: Harding dribbles inside before laying it off to Fenelon. The striker was one-on-one with Grainger, but he was denied a second in the end. His shot was straight down the keepers throat, he should really have done better there.
44′: Superb challenge from Hammond. Adams had the chance to shoot 15 yards out but Hammond made a last ditch tackle to prevent the strike. He’s been excellent in this first half, covering every blade of grass.
45′: There will be a minimum of three minutes added time before the break.
45+2′: Horsham have a corner on the near side in what will most liekly be the final action of the half. The delivery from Hammond is good but no yellow shirts were able to get on the end of it.
HT: As it stands, Horsham are just 45 minutes away from their first Sussex Transport Senior Cup victory in almost 50 years. See you after the interval. Hastings United 0-2 Horsham.
45′: There’s been no changes during the break and Hastings will get us restarted for the second half. Can they turn things around or will Horsham continue to dominate?
46′: Meekums hits the post, that is incredibly unlucky from the Horsham winger who was inches away from a wonder-goal. He burst down the left side before cutting onto his right and thundered the ball towards the top left corner. Grainger was beaten but the post denied Meekums a second.
47′: Ajakaiye picked up the loose ball and is now bearing down on goal. He’s got just Grainger to beat but drags the shot well wide, it’s a really poor effort in the end.
49′: Horsham have started the second half in the same way they started the first, very aggresive in the press and dangerous in front of goal.
50′: Jamal Lubanga is shown a yellow for a foul on Harding. Hammond’s free kick was low, eventually falling to Ajakaiye whose shot was blocked on the edge of the box.
52′: Chance for Hastings, that’s the biggest concern Carey has had so far in the match but he dealt with it well. A deep cross was lofted into the box by Ufuah but Carey was able to tip it away from danger and out for a corner.
53′: Another corner for Hastings who are finally growing into the match. It’s Ufuah again who skins his marker and cuts it back. Luckily for the Hornets, the pass didn’t fall to someone in a white shirt.
54′: Barker makes a horrible challenge on the near side and the Hastings players think that’s a red. Barker gets away with a yellow but has to be careful, that was a nasty one.
56′: Meekums nearly scores again, he could have had a hat-trick tongiht but can’t turn the ball goalwards. He was through on goal and opted to go around Grainger. The Hastings goalkeeper got a nick on Meekums boot but he stayed on his feet but in doing that the ball ran out of play. Honest play from the Horsham winger there, but surely he would have had a penalty if he’d gone down there.
58′: It’s all Horsham again now, they were caught napping at the back for a couple minutes but are straight back at it with multiple dangerous attacks. No goal to add to their other two just yet though.
60′: Hastings won the cup back in 1998 against Burgess Hill, as things stand they will be waiting at least another year to bring it back to East Sussex. They’ve got half an hour to change the story, but it doesn’t look likely, they’ve been by far the inferior side tonight.
63′: Rodrigues spins his man with a cheeky nutmeg but is quickly fouled for it. Horsham are enjoying themselves now.
64′: There’s a break in play as Barker goes down with a head injury, he should be fine to continue. Substitutes Jack Mazzone and Charlie Hester-Cook are warming up though.
65′: Horsham restart play with a free kick out to Fenelon on the right flank. He crosses into the box but there was nobody there to meet the ball. Grainger spilled the ball but quickly recaught it.
67′: Hastings have another corner but it’s cleared again, Philpot broke quickly and the counter is on here. Walker hacked at Philpot’s legs to stop the attack and is shown a yellow card by the referee.
68′: GOALLL FOR HORSHAM!! They’ve got their third and it’s Ajakaiye, he wasted his earlier chance but made no mistake this time. Horsham made the most of their free kick, punting it up to Fenelon who will claim the assist for the goal as he tucked it past Walker and into Ajakaiye’s feet. Horsham’s top goalscorer found the bottom left corner neatly and adds to his tally, that’s 35 for the season now.
70′: Plenty of cheers from the Horsham fans now who are celebrating every pass now, it almost leads to a goal too but Ajakaiye strike whistles just wide.
72′: Hastings make a double change. Lubanga and Mongoy are replaced by Ansu Jannah and Will Harley.
75′: Ufuah shimmies past Harding and sends a decent cross towards the far post, Tommie Fagg had a free header but was unable to convert from close range.
76′: Mazzone is getting ready to come on, he scored against Hastings earlier this season in a 2-0 league victory.
77′: Rodrigues holds up the ball well and plays a perfect reverse pass in behind the Hasting defence to find Ajakaiye. The Horsham winger dribbles down the line and uses the outside of his boot to cross the ball into the box. Hastings defend well but concede a corner.
78′: Mazzone is coming on now and it’s Fenelon who will make way. He’s given a standing ovation by the Horsham fans for his contributions tonight. One goal and one assist for the striker, let’s see what Mazzone can do in these final 12 minutes of normal time.
80′: Mazzone has scored four goals in the competition so far, the most out of any Hornets player.
83′: Horsham bring off another goalscorer, Ajakaiye makes way for Hester-Cook.
84′: Hester-Cook has scored 15 goals this season including a hat-trick in the round of 16 against Chichester City.
85′: Tonight’s official match attendance is 4869.
86′: Double change for Horsham. Bobby Price and Doug Tuck are coming on for Barker and Rodrigues.
88′: The tempo has dropped since the third goal but it’s already decided, Horsham have been by far the better side and are minutes away from a deserved cup final victory.
90′: There will be a minimum of five minutes added time, the Hastings fans are beginning to exit the ground. It’s been a disappointing evening for the U’s who never really had a look in.
90+2′: Hastings have a corner on the far side but Horsham get it out simply as they have done all evening. A really professional performance from the away side.
90+4′: Tuck had an opportunity to shoot on the edge of the area but was smothered by a few Hastings defenders. He scored the winner here back in 2019 for Bognor Regis.
90+5′: Horsham have a goal kick after a poor strike over the bar from Adams, this could be it. All eyes on the referee now who takes a quick glance at his watch.
FT: Horsham are the champions of Sussex for the first time since 1976.. An emphatic 3-0 victory for Di Paola’s side to cap off what has been an incredible season for the Hornets. They’ve managed their highest ever league finish, reached the second round of the FA Cup and now they have won the Sussex Transport Senior Cup.
INMR FOOTBALL 
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