Suburban League: Southern Division
Match Report
Suburban League: Southern Division
 Corinthian 1 |  Horsham YMCA 2 Brooker 17 Nwachukwu 34 |
| Source: Paul Cooper |
RESERVES BEGIN CAMPAIGN WITH FINE AWAY WIN
Newly formed Horsham YMCA Reserves began their Suburban League campaign with an excellent 2-1 win away at Corinthian FC on Wednesday evening.
The team has been put together in just two months by Paul Cooper and Steve Barrow, who took with them to Kent a squad with an average age of just 22, many of whom are based, and live, in Horsham.
Corinthian had won their first game 4-2 against Horley Town the week before, and a tough test looked in store from the off. This was confirmed when the hosts took the lead in the tenth minute, following a misplaced back pass which allowed the Corinthian forward a shot. Youngster Elliott Flack in the YM goal made a smart save, only for the rebound to be pounced upon and tapped home, putting the home team into the ascendancy.
The opening exchanges were a well matched affair, with Corinthian looking to muscle their way through the YM defensive line. The visitors, however, rose to the challenge and showed another side to their evolving character, out-battling their hosts to get themselves back in the game.
Within five minutes of the opener, the scores were level, when a Dan Vinten corner was whipped in, and ex-Holbrook striker Ben Brooker rose highest at the front post to head home.
And then ten minutes before half time, YM took the lead following a fast-flowing move. Brooker was again involved, this time crossing into the box for Ryan Taylor, who laid the ball back for Jude Nwachukwu to powerfully rifle home.
YM boss, Paul Cooper, explained, “The positives from a physical and battling first half were extracted during the interval, however the second half focus was to see more of the technical football this young YM side has been working on in pre-season.
"The players responded and began to control the game more effectively, keeping possession of the ball more competently. Corinthian pushed for an equaliser but man of the match centre back Marc Cobby, along with the rest of the side, defended well as a disciplined unit to snuff out any real openings the opposition tried to create on the counter."
Cooper concluded, “I’m pleased with the performance from the lads; this season will be a massive learning curve for them on many levels. We went into the unknown this evening and the character shown in the first forty-five minutes to come back from the goal down and to then kick on was impressive.
"The team know this side is about preparing them all and improving them as footballers, so they are ready to step up into first team football when the time is right. It’s a long road ahead though and we look forward to our next challenge at Crowborough away on Saturday."
YM (4-4-2): Flack, Fiest (Archer 75), Shurmahi, Curtis (Skett 70), Cobby, Sleat (c), Nwachukwu, Thomas, Brooker, Taylor, Vinten (Lovett 65)
