Hastings Town 2, Horsham 1

HASTINGS forgot their off-the-field problems to reach the Senior Cup final for the third time in four seasons at Culver Road last night.

The holders won a largely undistinguished semi against Horsham with a second-half goal from Terry White.

Now his cousin Dean, Town's manager, hopes the prospect of facing Worthing at Crawley on May 3 will help keep his team together.

Administrators are due to take over at the Pilot Field next week and White may have to make further cutbacks to his playing staff.

He said: "It was such an important game for us to win. It gives the supporters something to look forward too at the end of the season and the players might stay together to try and win it again, we'll have to wait and see."

Steve Yates, the most effective forward on view until he limped off with a thigh injury, volleyed Hastings in front after seven minutes after Horsham's gangly defender Danny Gainsford had inadvertantly flicked on Stuart Myall's long throw.

Gainsford made amends by clearing Steve Smith's shot off the line, but Horsham hit back to level in the 16th minute when Steve Flain capitalised on some hesitancy in Hastings' defence to volley past Tony Kessell.

White's range of passing often threatened to prise open Horsham's defence and he demonstrated his finishing skills in the 51st minute, forcing his way into the box before beating Lee Preston with a low shot.

"I thought we deserved to win," said boss Dean. "Apart from a couple of spells when we took our foot off the throttle we passed it better and were in control. It's great to be in the final again after what has happened at the club, I can't praise the players enough."

Hastings: Kessell, Hobbs, Mintram (sub: Sargent 22), Playford, Myall, Tuppenny, White, Chapman, Smith, Simmonds, Yates (sub: Jones 63). Unused sub: Ball.

Horsham: Preston, Hackett, Williams, Gainsford (sub: Harrison 82), Lempriere, Clark, Charman, White (sub: Kirby 63), Mitchell, Flain (sub: Hill 77), Selway.

Referee: Tony Gurr (Brighton).

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.