WHO SAYS referees never change their mind?

Referee Adrian Tranter appeared to change his on Saturday when he gave Horsham a penalty for a Sean Ray challenge on Claude Seanla after everyone in the ground thought he had initially awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area.

It proved a pivotal moment in Horsham’s hard-fought Ryman premier victory over Hastings United in a pulsating Sussex derby.

Up until that moment of controversy, which ended with Hastings coach Mike Rutherford being sent to the stands for his protests, United were heading into half-time comfortably defending a 1-0 lead.

A sweeping attack put Hastings ahead on 29 minutes when leading scorer Ade Olorunda finished a four-man move started by former Hornet Russell Eldridge and continued by Sam Adams and Lee Carey.

Horsham’s Jack Page wasted a chance to level within seconds of the goal when he side-footed wide from Seanla’s low cross but United had been largely untroubled until Ray’s challenge sent the influential frontman to the deck either just inside, or just outside, the penalty area.

It looked as if Ray had taken the ball before player on 39 minutes and the referee appeared to indicate nothing more than a foul outside the area before bowing to Horsham protests and pointing to the spot.

Seanla sent Greg Nessling the wrong way and a rattled United conceded a second four minutes into first-half stoppage time when Pat Harding superbly took down Anthony Acheampong’s cross and fired in with virtually the last kick of the half.

Seanla’s second goal made it 3-1 six minutes after the break when Harding superbly cut the ball back into his path after being set free by Alex Haddow's pass.

Another former Hornet, Carey, reduced the deficit on 57 minutes with a delightful 25-yard free-kick which left debutant keeper Craig Bradshaw with no chance but as the game became increasingly stretched Harding swept home his second from a Seanla nod down on 81 minutes to restore the two-goal cushion. Hastings continued to press but the Hornets’ rearguard, with Ben Andrews epitomising their whole-hearted and resolute approach at centre-half, defended as if their lives depended on it to see out their fourth straight league win and also halt United's run of four straight victories.

Both managers agreed the penalty, and how their sides reacted to it, was a key moment.

Horsham boss John Maggs said: “It was a turning point as it dragged us back in the game as Hastings were on top.

“But credit to the referee as he has looked at it hard and long and decided it was in the box.

“That gave us a lift from that moment on and we got the fine individual goal. At half-time I told the lads not to throw away what had been given to us.”

United boss Dolby understandably felt the referee had played a part in altering the course of the game, although, saw plenty of things to be positive about as his side created enough openings to have won comfortably on another day.

Dolby said: “We have conceded four goals and gone backwards defensively today but we created an awful lot of chances and tiny things change games.

“We were very comfortable up until the referee had a funny 15 minutes but these things happen and you have to react the right way and we didn’t.

“I do appreciate referees have a tough job and managers are a handful on the line.

“But I thought Razor got a lot of the ball, and the referee said he didn’t, and I also thought he had given a free-kick outside. It seemed as if they were shouting it was inside and he gave a penalty.

“If it was inside, it’s a penalty but I didn’t think it was a foul anyway. It obviously changed the complexion of the game.”

Horsham: Bradshaw, Acheampong, Nicholls, Andrews, Page, Haddow, Davies (Hutchings 65), Page, Seanla, Harding, Charman.

Subs not used: Lopez, Nwachukwu, Lyons, Payne.

Hastings: Nessling, Elliott, Elford, Russell (Whyborne 85), Ray (Ramsay 85), Carey, Phillips, T Olorunda, A Olorunda, Adams (Upton 60), Eldridge.

Subs not used: Jirbandy, Dolby.