Match Report
County League - Division One

Horsham YMCA Sidley United 1
Eldridge 1

Date: 18th January 2003    

by Russell Staves, West Sussex County Times

Gorings Mead

YM MANAGER John Suter conceded the title after Russell Eldridge's first minute strike condemned the Gonngs Mead men to their sixth defeat of the season.

"It has presented Burgess Hill with the championship," rued Suter after the defeat, that left YM in second place, but still four points behind Hillians despite having played-two games more.

"They are effectively ten points ahead of us. They have to lose four games and we have to win every game until the end of the season. I can't see them losing four games," he said.

To finish behind big spenders Burgess Hill is no disgrace and second position would be YM's highest finish in their 105-year history. But nine wins in their first ten games, including that infamous 22- 1 win over Littlehampton, kept the club at the front of the chasing pack. Since then. YM have dropped points while Hillians have cemented their place at the top. "You try and win every game and until its impossible. it's possible. Runners-up would set a record for the club." Suter added.

The big freeze that gripped the nation may have passed but YM had not thawed out and were caught cold by Eldridge's first minute strike.

Some 300 miles away. Alan Shearer scored the Premiership's fastest goal of the season when he beat Manchester City's Carlo Nash after just ten seconds. Eldridge was not too far behind.

Wayne Potter brought down Jason Finch 30 yards from goal and Eldridge drove the resulting set-piece, which was touched square, low past Jason Dumbrill's despairing dive after only 53 seconds.

YM. who have scored 99 goals in all competitions this season, spent the next 89 minutes trying to find the net but were frustrated by the visitors who resolutely defended their slender advantage.

"We did not play as well as we could," admitted Suter. "They came out of the blocks like a greyhound out of the traps and having got the early goal, defended well. We could not break them down."

YM looked rusty after three weeks without a game as passes went astray and they struggled to create clear-cut chances. The image of Stewart McCreadie, the YM sweeper, with his hands on his hips after another pass had missed its target, was very apt.

But Suter refused to use inactivity as a reason for their poor showing. "There are no excuses, we just did not play well. I could not think of anyone who had a good game — I base that on what they are capable of doing. That's a sad indictment," he said.

Anybody late to Gorings Mead on a grey afternoon will have missed Eldridge's left-footed opener but the early set-back at least gave the home side time to regroup.

Club top-scorer Gil Taylor, injured in the Boxing Day win over Wick, took his place on the bench and the absence of 18-goal Nick Flint, with knee ligament damage, meant Suter paired Ryan Andrews with Paul Young up front.

YM's first chance came from nothing as Micky Hennessy dazzled the Sidley defence with his undoubted but frustrating talents in the 19th minute. The YM midfielder picked the ball up deep in his own half, jinked his way past four opponents but Chris Sheesmith saved Hennessy's low shot with his feet.

It would have been a fantastic goal if Hennessy been able to apply the critical final touch after a 60-yard run but was symptomatic of the midfielder's sporadic influence on the game.

Sidley could have doubled their lead two minutes later when they caught YM out with a quick break. Scott Langridge played Dave Ward onside as he escaped down the right touchline, he squared to Dave Carey whose weak shot was fired wide by Wes Tate.

Tate, surprisingly mobile for a big man, and his partner Carey were causing problems whenever they got the ball at their feet, turned and attacked the YM defence.

At the other end, both Andrews and Hennessy missed the target after good moves but a number of fans in the main stand thought David Oakes had equalised in the 38th minute when his shot ruffled the net. Unfortunately for him and the prematurely cheering home contingent, the left wing-back's shot had bounced back off the safety netting behind the goal.

YM were much better after the break and only Sheesmiths good double-save prevented an equaliser. Firstly, he blocked Young's well-executed volley and then bravely gathered Joel O'Hara's follow-up.

The hosts kept coming forward but the chances they created were more speculative than clean-cut. On the hour, YM skipper Matt Duffield pulled a shot wide from the after Young's shot was blocked.

Dumbrill was busier than his opposite number and his save to tip Tate's shot around the post was the best of the game. YM were reluctant to shoot when they had the chance and Sheesmith, decked out in a pretty horrible luminous yellow shirt, had the luxury of a relatively quiet afternoon.

Oakes did cause the Sidley keeper a nervous moment when he drilled a 30-yard shot just wide of the far post with his left foot but it was pretty easy for Sidley.

Team: Dumbrill; Langridge, McCreadie, Sleat; Oakes (Carden 85), Hennessy, W Potter, O'Hara, Duffield; Andrews (Taylor 74), Young (Death 83).