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Whyteleafe started strongly and went close in the third minute when Jordan Wilson found Stefan Ball on the right with a great cross field ball. Ball shot across the face of goal just beyond the far post.
'Leafe took the lead in the tenth minute with a great individual goal from Sam Butler. He ran down the left from the half way line, shrugging off the shirt pulling from defender Neil Watt who would have been in trouble if Butler had gone down, before hitting a great left foot shot across keeper Tom Rand into the far corner of the goal.
Horsham immediately looked to get back into the game but poor finishing and good goalkeeping from Rob O'Hara kept them out. O'Hara made a good save from Luke Gedling's 15th minute free kick, then four minutes later made a great reflex save from close range to deny Mike Huckett. Two minutes later Gedling sent John Westcott clear but O'Hara made another great save, tipping his shot round the post.
Four minutes later the visitors should have equalised when Gavin Geddes missed a sitter from two yards. 'Leafe survived this period of pressure and in the 28th minute, Wilson won a corner on the right from which Mark Hammond found Ryan Royston in the box but he shot just wide. Four minutes later the same pair combined, this time Royston headed home Hammond's free kick to put the home side two up. Ball should have made it three in the 36th minute but shot wide from 12 yards when the visiting keeper conceded a free kick for picking up a back pass.
Daryl Coleman then shot wide from a Paul Scott cross, and Ball forced a good save from Rand in the 38th minute following a Butler cross. The resultant corner from Hammond was turned behind by a defender, but the second corner found Royston at the far post who headed over Rand and into the net for Leafe's third.
Geddes missed another sitter right on half time when unmarked in the box from another corner and the visitors must have wondered how they went in at half time three down after creating so many chances.
'Leafe, inspired by their three goal cushion started the second half strongly, and should have added to their tally in the 51st minute, this time Ellis Conroy being guilty of missing from close range. Two minutes later however, Conroy sent Scott clear down the right. He beat two defenders, cut into the box, then passed to the unmarked Wilson who thumped the ball home from 12 yards.
Ball had a chance to make five but missed the target from the edge of the box when clean through. Horsham continued to attack but by now Leafe were well on top and didn't look in any great danger. With ten minutes to play, Wilson found Leon McDowell 25 yards out. He attempted to chip Rand but he did well to catch the ball running back to goal.
O'Hara made a brilliant save in the 84th minute to deny Watt, despite being wrong footed by a wicked deflection. Two minutes later Whyteleafe scored their fifth. Hammond crossed from the right and Daniel Platel outpaced the defence to head home at the far post.
Wilson very nearly made it six in the last minute, his 30 yard effort just clearing the bar. O'Hara denied the visitors a consolation goal in stoppage time, saving a header from Geddes.
Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Coleman D, Conroy, Hammond, Coleman R, Royston (Aldous 71), Ball (Platel 63), Wilson, Oakins, Scott (McDowell 63), Butler.