THE IRON Curtain separated Europe during the second half of the 20th century but YM had their own version that kept Worthing at bay as the two teams contested a Cold War on a bitter Tuesday night.
Two-thirds of the Worthing pitch was a mud bath but YM got in the trenches, stuck to their guns and fended off the raids launched by the Ryman Division I club.
Goalkeeper Jason Dumbrill was the night's star performer and it's hard to think that he could have played better during his 422-game stint with the Gorings Mead team as he ensured the match went to extra-time.
But there were heroes all over the park, from Stewart McCreadie at the back marshalling the excellent defensive pairing of Paul Charman and Nathan Sleat, through the endeavour of Wayne Potter in the midfield and up to the guile and strength of Gil Taylor who admirably led the line. Every YM player could hold their head high.
It was not all backs to the wall however as Ryan Andrews rapped the bar with a stinging volley and Matt Duffield and Paul Young both had chances to break the deadlock.
Worthing had the lion's share of the scoring opportunities and hit the woodwork themselves through the lively Mark Knee and defender Tom Graves.
The hosts have not scored at home since November and Ben Carrington nearly broke the duck after two hours of football but it would have been so cruel on John Suter's men.
"I'm ever so pleased for the lads that we did not succumb to a late goal," said the proud manager. "We defended as a team, played as a team, helped each other, pressed the ball
down and did not let them play. It was a rearguard action.
"We played well. They had more chances to score than us and did more attacking than us but we had some good chances to score."
Suter fears next week's replay on YM's flat Gorings Mead surface might actually be a blessing in disguise for Worthing. "It will suit them to come and play on our pitch," he warned.
Despite having had 60 tonnes of sand laid on the pitch since the start of the season, the surface cut up as early as the first minute but any contrasts to the Stamford Bridge "beach" were far from the mark as Wellington boots might have been more appropriate than a bucket and spade.
On a freezing cold evening, YM imposed themselves straight from the kick-off with Potter putting in two crunching challenges in the midfield. The thumping sound as he connected would have rung in the ears of the Worthing players and reminded them that YM were not going to be a push over.
Suter's team have been guilty of starting slowly but that could not have been levelled at them as they kept possession well in the opening five minutes and did not give their opponents a kick. "Their passing is good," said one spectator in the towering main stand that sits opposite the dugouts.
Worthing gradually played their way back into the game and the hosts thought they should have had a penalty in the seventh minute when David Oakes looked to have handled the ball when he tried to control Mark Knee's cross.
Andrews was only the width of the crossbar away from giving YM the lead in the 16th minute. Waiting to pounce on the edge of the box as YM played a short corner, Andrews displayed wonderful technique to hit a first-time volley that beat Matthew May but clipped the top of the bar.
May's kicking and distribution was causing some concern amongst the home fans while at the other end, Dumbrill's exhibition began in earnest in the 25th minute when he clawed away Wesley Lopez's back post header.
Dumbrill was in tremendous form all evening and made probably the best save of the game four minutes later. The YM keeper was at full stretch to keep out Lopez's vicious left-foot volley that was heading for the top corner from Ben Carrington's cross. McCreadie, who was superb at sweeper, cleaned up on the goal-line.
Worthing top-scorer Knee, who has scored 15 times this season, looked like the home side's chief threat with his bag of tricks up front but the striker was guilty of being over elaborate in the 38th minute. Put though by Florian Mateos' delightful back-heel, Knee tried to match his strike partner with a back-heel of his own but Dumbrill got down well to save.
Following a long period of stubborn resistance at the back, YM ventured forward a minute later and May showed good handling to hold Duffield's crisp shot after Taylor had bundled his way through two chalAt the start of the second half, a
number of fans in the main stand were tapping their feet like Fred Astaire in a bid to keep warm while on the Worthing left, Lopez was dancing down the tiank and causing havoc as he began to have more influence on the game.
Linking with left-back Chris Hibberd, who has been ever present for the Rebels' this season, the pair were causing problems for the visitors and Knee volleyed over a great chance midway though the second period from another Lopez cross.
Andy Alexander blazed a shot over the bar from close range after Knee had stepped over another Lopez cross. Jennifer Lopez might have been waiting for tonight, but Worthing's Lopez was waiting for someone to finish off his precise crosses from the wing.
The bleach blonde Graves headed against the bar from Lopez's corner in the 83rd minute as Worthing pressed hard for a late winner that would have been harsh on the visitors who defended stoutly.
Dean Carden and Sleat, both giants on the night. bravely threw themselves to block shots as extra-time
approached and Dumbrill frustrated Lopez further with another excellent save,
But the waves of attacks gave YM the chance to break quickly and Duffleld nearly stole the match with a glorious chance in the fifth minute of injury-time but pushed his shot wide after a clever one-two with Micky Hennessy.
An unmarked Lopez matched Duffield's miss in the third minute of extra-time, slicing wildly over the bar after a cross had looped over the YM defence. The game was stretched
as the two tired defences dropped a little deeper in the Worthing mud and there were good chances for both teams to score.
Tom Walker, who was finding space to break forward from the back, forced Dumbrill to parry behind after a marauding run into the
At the other end, May did enough to push Young wide when the striker was put through on goal by Taylor's well-disguised back heel that unlocked the home defence,
Knee flicked Carrington's low cross onto the post as Worthing threw everything at YM in the second period of extra-time
It was appropriate that Dumbrill should have the last meaningful touch in the game, blocking Carrington's volley from close range in the last minute.
The
replay at Gorings Mead is scheduled for a 7. l5 pm kick-off on Wednesday night.
Team: Dumbrill; Sleat,
MoCreadie, Charman (Hennessy 86); Qakes, Andrews (D Francis 100), Potter, Garden, Duffield;
Death (Young 70), Taylor.
Match Report
THE IRON Curtain separated Europe during the second half of the 20th century but YM had their own version that kept Worthing at bay as the two teams contested a Cold War on a bitter Tuesday night. 