WHITCHURCH United extended their winning run to eight games and maintained their unbeaten start to the season, beating Horndean 3-2 on Wednesday night.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic for the high-flying United though, as they had to dig deep and come from behind to grab all three points from a determined Horndean side.

However it did look like it might be United’s night when the hosts opened the scoring just two minutes in.

A Danny Phillips’ looped ball from the halfway-line found Jamie Mansell in acres of space and the forward casually slid the ball past Lyall Beaszley to give Whitchurch the early lead.

Whitchurch nearly made it two when a skilful back-heel from Jack McCarthy allowed Josh Green to burst into the box and force a fantastic diving save from Beaszley.

Horndean began to grow into the game after the halfhour mark and they finally got the goal they deserved in the 35th minute when a deep cross from right back Jack McFarlane found George Davis, who guided a header past Brad Snelling and into the bottom corner.

The teams went into halftime level but it was Horndean who came out strongest after the break and they took the lead shortly after the hour mark when a bobbled shot from Nathan Paxton caught Snelling out and found the bottom left.

Horndean looked to have complete control of the game, but five minutes later Kevin Chatfield gifted United the equaliser when he knocked the ball past his own keeper and gave Jack Garner an open goal which he put away to pull United back to 2-2.

With the game finely balanced, Whitchurch manager Carl Bennett threw on Adam Battisson in the 70th minute and the striker made an instant impact when his pressure forced an almost identical mistake to Chatfield’s a few minute earlier.

Jack McFarlane, who had been playing well up until that point, was defending a through ball when he too knocked the ball passed the en-rushing Beaszley but this time Battisson couldn’t reach it and it trickled in for an own-goal.

Whitchurch then dug in for the last 15 minutes to narrowly hold their 3-2 lead but the game ended bitterly when a reckless challenge from McFarlane forced Battisson off on a stretcher and the United striker was later taken to hospital.

The result moves Whitchurch into third place, three points behind leaders Moneyfields with two games in hand.