Match Report
County League - Division One
| Peacehaven & Telscombe 0 | Horsham YMCA 1 |
| | o.g. 31 |
Date:
28th December 2002
by Russell Staves, West Sussex County Times
The Sports Park
YM made it a very prosperous Christmas with a second win in three days but they had to do it hard way against relegation threatened Peacehaven.
In truth, the match was about as forgettable as a Christmas cracker joke but the three points could prove vital should YM keep in touch with leaders Burgess Hill.
The heavily rutted Peacehaven pitch proved difficult to play football on. YM's flair players Micky Hennessy, Nick Flint and Michael Death struggled when they tried to beat players and being a holiday
season fixture, it had all the ingredients of a potential slip-up.
But the passing game normally on view at Gorings Mead was shelved in favour of some terrier-like grit and determination. Joel O'Hara clocked up the miles and threw himself at anything winnable (?) in the air. David Oakes tackled well and got forward whenever he could while the back three of Nathan Sleat. Scott Langridge and Stewart McCreadie protected Jason Dumbrill like Batfink's wings of steel.
"I thought we deserved to win it." said YM manager John Suter. "It's nice to get three points from a game like that and on a pitch like that. I could not believe how bad it was — people were saying that you can't stand properly to strike the ball."
Both Death, a replacement for the injured Gil Taylor. and Ryan Andrews. who looked assured in the middle of midfield, hit the woodwork either side of half-time but it was an own goal from Scott Allison in the 26th minute that separated the sides.
"We created by far the better chances and I can't remember Jason [Dumbrill] having to make a save." added Suter.
With the picturesque Sussex hills in the background. the view of Peacehaven's ground from the clubhouse is pleasing on the eye. The pitch. howev
er, was a different story and acted as a leveller for two teams who arc at opposite ends of the table.
YM played up the slope in the first half and sat a little deeper to compensate for the incline but Peacehaven could not use the advantage.
With a quarter of an hour gone. McCreadie's sloppy pass across goal was intercepted by Matt Balmer who laid the ball square for Jon Lockhart to run on to. Under pressure from the YM defence, the shaven-headed forward missed the ball but appealed to referee Keith Harman for a foul. Lockhart's prolonged pleas earned him a yellow card.
At the other end. Hennessy headed Nathan Sleat's corner wide of the near post as the visitors began to get a feel for the game.
They took the lead in fortunate circumstances as Hennessy crossed low from the by-line towards Flint who had continued his run into the six-yard box. Allison. tracking back, tried to clear but ended up putting the ball into his own net as Flint eagerly waited for any scraps.
Five minutes before half-time. YM had a chance to double their advantage. Andrews played O'Hara down the line and he crossed low to Flint who did well to shoot on the turn but keeper Gary Easton watched the ball go past his right post.
Lockhart gave the fans lining the clubhouse side
of the pitch something to cheer about. After fouling Oakes, he lured the YM man into a handshake which he withdrew at the last second, leaving Oakes clutching the air with his outstretched hand a la Soccer AM's Tim Lovejoy.
In the last few minutes of the half. Flint played a short free-kick to Andrews who sent a curling shot that bounced off the top of the cross bar.
The woodwork again saved Peacehaven just after the break. Flint whipped in a dangerous left-foot cross which Death did well to flick onto the far post with Easton rooted to the spot.
From another break down the left. O'Hara',s diriven cross just evaded Hennessy at the far post as he made a desperate lunge for the ball.
On the hour. Death's shot was cleared off the line by Allison after Hennessy. Flint and Matt Duftield had exchanged passes in the dimming light.
Most of Peacehaven's attacks were broken up before they reached the box but they did manage to find the back of the net in the 84th minute when substitute Danny Hamilton beat Dumbrill but had his celebrations cut short as the linesman flagged for offside.
Team: Dumbrill; Sleat, McCreadie, Langridge; Oakes, Hennessy, Andrews, O'Hara. Duffield; Flint (Garden. 90), Death (Farmer. 80).