BEHC STUN THE HORSHAM CROWD TO FINISH PRESEASON ON A HIGH

It's always nice to see the look on someone's face when they ask the question 'what league are you guys in', then you reply 'the league below you'....said gentleman then turned and walked away as the 4th BEHC goal went in. I think that kind of summed up the game. Horsham were blown away in a game where they thought it would be a gentle run out just prior to the season starting. Think again.

BEHC had a large squad of 16 as the final places for next Saturday were to be decided. The effort and intensity was there to be seen from all and the display was something to write home about.

From minute 1 the BE boys were on the front foot as Archer, Wyatt & Harden T moved the ball across the back line. Hughes and Bowman at half backs were getting plenty of the ball and the midfield and forward line was very much in the ascendency. Horsham had odd moment in the game of counter attacking flair but on the whole it was down to BE to unlock the half court press of our opponents.

Pressure did start to tell as Slack and Burnham got in round the back, a bit of ping pong in the D saw BE off target but starting to up the anti. On 20 minutes the break through came as Eddy Forshaw went low and hard off the top of a PC drag flick and found the bottom corner. 1-0 BE and well deserved.

The engine room of Speller, Burnham, Forshaw, Morrison, Bull and the debutant Australian, Ethan Faulds, looked in good nick, plenty of running and endeavour and the movement made for an entertaining visual feast. Faulds, the Fremantle doctor, blew into the game like the introduction of Brett Lee at the WACA in 1999, raw pace and a real threat. He looked calm and collected and kept possession with consummate ease, finding passes through the eye of a needle, the skipper seems happy with the signing of Big E, exciting times! Horsham did have a couple of erroneous PC's given for goodness knows what but the defence, especially James Craigmyle in goal, kept their heads and shut the door tight.

Half time came and went, and the 2nd half was much the same. BE attempting to break down the Home sides negative half courter and Horsham breaking when they could. The home side did level the game up as a rare foray forward was finished smartly with a push in the bottom corner but you never felt like it was the start of a possession revolution, BE had control and they were going turn the tide.

The forward line of Harden C, Slack, Lawrence and Self were really starting to make inroads and it was in quick time that they would link up to create goals 2 & 3. The second was a real team goal as the ball was fed to Dave Lawrence, who found the on rushing Speller who at the second attempt finished smartly on the reverse. The 3rd was made by a tidy bit of skill as Josh Self won a PC and then Skipper Harden rocketed the ball in off the back board with a trade mark drag flick. 3-1 looking nice (see Twitter fit video)

The lads kept the pressure up and as the game ran its course there were some fractious moments as the home side lost their rag. To be fair the officials didn't help as they let the violent attacks on BE run yet located their cards when the home side fell to the ground screaming blue murder (there should have been an explicit warning for this game, some of the language that the ball boys will have learned from their idols, goodness me!)

The 4th was something of beauty, so many people touched the ball in the build up I could just write out the team sheet, a classic move of considered and intricate passing, cut the Horsham defence apart, culminating with Josh Self putting the ball away at the far post. 4-1, Job done. And just for good measure JC in goal saved a penalty flick, much to the delight of the travelling 6 fans from BE!

The boys will be happy with this display, far more considered and controlled than last week and it leaves us in a good position to take on Purley next Saturday.

All in all a top evening day out and I can recommend the Boars Head for dinner, great food, great service.