After a chilly Autumnal week, the weather had warmed in time for today’s FA Vase fixture between Horsham YM (Young Men’s – having recently (2025) lost the CA, which stood for Christian Association) and Snodland Town.

Gorings Mead became Horsham YM’s ground in 1929, and has a capacity of 1575, with seating for 150. The grandstand seating is provided in a brick built structure and an interesting fact gleaned from the club’s Wikipedia page, notes that the seating the stand came from Brighton and Hove Albion’s old Goldstone ground.

Horsham YM play in the Southern Combination Premier Division, currently occupying second place, having started the season with an impressive six wins from seven games, which has seen them improve in their efforts to win promotion this season, after finishing in mid table (twelfth place) in 2024-25. Manager Liam Giles has seen his side launch themselves as prolific scorers, with Kaiden Hummerston and Ousmane Balde Dansoko (both 4 goals), Charlie Martin, Toby Nelson and Jesse Sentamu (all 3 goals) leading the way.

Snodland Town play at the same level as their hosts, but in the Southern Counties East Football League (Premier Division), where they currently sit on the edge of the play off places in seventh place, with four wins, two draws and four defeats from their opening ten games. Snodland Town too have seen the goals flow for them this season, with Harry Hudson (5 goals), Charlie Sheringham, the son of England striker, Teddy, (3 goals), Asante Amoah and Samuel Naiwo (both 2 goals) starting the season in fine touch. Manager, Luke Jessop, whilst pleased his side have improved form the 2024-25 season where they battled relegation, finishing eighteenth out of twenty, will also know his side’s defending, having conceded twenty goals in ten games, has cost them already this season. For today’s fixture against an in-form Horsham YM, Jessop will have been hoping for his defenders to step up. Also in the lineup today, was Nathaniel Olawole, a really decent recent signing from Isthmian League VCD Athletic, who went straight into the starting eleven and scored in Snodland Town’s win at Phoenix Sports last week.

The game kicked off and both sides showed their intent early as they launched quick passing attacking moves. Horsham YM had the best chance early on when they struck the post, but Snodland Town looked equally as dangerous at the other end.

On 20 minutes the visitors drew first blood when Nathaniel Olawole headed the ball over the line from a corner on the right, to score his second goal in his first two games since rejoining Snodland Town.

The game was temporarily halted on thirty minutes, after a fight broke out in the crowd which then seemed to trigger an on field scuffle, which stewards and the referee calmed well.

The remainder of the half saw a range of chances created by both sides but with no further goals, ensuring an exciting second half as Snodland Town went into the break just a goal ahead.

The second half saw Snodland Town in the ascendency with Charlie Sheringham and Nathaniel Olawole causing problems in the Horsham YM back line. The home team looked more threatening when they brought Jesse Sentamu on and to their credit looked like scoring was a possibility right throughout the half.

With eight minutes left Snodland Town lost their captain Connor Dymond, when he was dismissed for an incident that took place while waiting for a long throw.

The final minutes including added time saw both sides throw everything into the game in heavy rain, but as the whistle blew it was Snodland Town, who deservedly came away with a fine away win to proceed into the next round of the FA Vase.