Match Report

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County League - Division One

Horsham YMCA 5	Pagham 2
Flint 10, 43 o.g. 20 Francis 38 Taylor 84	Topley 77 MacIntosh 86

Date: 15th March 2003     Location: Gorings Mead

by Stuart Kidman, West Sussex County Times

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The chance of a top-two finish came a step nearer for YM as they eased past Pagham with stylish first half performance at a Sun-drenched Gorings Mead.

But it was not all plain sailing as the visitors dominated the Second period and had it not been it a commanding first period display, it might hay, been a different story.

It doesn't matter how you win these games, a this stage of the season it's just about Winning, Said YM boss John Suter, after they had effectively Won the match at the interval "1 was very surprised to be four up at half-time I thought it would be harder than that but they didn't play as well as they could and they proved that In the second half' he said.

They played a lot better and they were quite good going forward. To be honest they always looked dangerous and they breached us a few times in either half . We didn't defend well and that was worrying. I was not impressed with the second half performance We didn't play at any great tempo but I am happy to get the three points.

YM's Nick Flint put in an impressive display full of deft Intelligent touches. He put the hosts ahead on ten minutes with the first of his two goals after a scrappy opening exchange.

David Oakes surged down the left flank and put in a dangerous cross towards the near post. A defender tried to clear instead flicked the ball neatly into the path of Flint and the striker slotted a calm half-volley into the bottom right corner.

Flint looked the most threatening player on the pitch and hit a 20-yard strike straight at goalkeeper Wes Hallett who saved comfortably.

Pa ham failed to settle and were exposed again when Joel O'Hara wormed his way into the box. It was an excellent opportunity to extend the lead with the defence in no man's land but he failed to get any purchase on his shot and Hallett collected easily.

YM continued to dominate and oly had to wait until the 20th minute before they doubled their advantage. Flint again opened up the Pagham back-line when he sprinted down the left and his deep cross to the far post set up Matt Duffield, whose low, controlled header took a wicked deflection on its way into the net.

It seemed Pagham had no way back but just after going 2-0 down, Steve Davies came closest to pulling a goal back when he cut inside the YM defence and curled a looping shot onto the top of the bar. On 38 minutes Mark Francis slotted a third YM goal after making an example of Pagham's defensive frailties. The ball fell to Francis after some scrappy attempts to clear and he made the most of it with a low drive under the keeper.

The first half rout was completed by flint whose 43rd minute effort was deflected beyond l-lallett's despairing dive. He made the chance out of nothing after some impressive skill on the right before cutting in and firing low. 4 The home side went in at the break with a comfortable four-goal cushion but it was Pagham who r came out fighting and they won the second half a after YM's dominance drifted away.

But the visitors had to wait until 77 minutes before they had something to show for their efforts. After some inter changes on the right hand Neil Topley connected with a low cross and swept a right-font shot that crept in at the far post beyond the reach of the in-form Jason Dumbrill. Substitute Gil Taylor, who had come on for Francis, netted Horsham's fifth on 84 minutes when he rose highest to meet a floated corner kick and headed down powerfully, the ball bouncing up into the roof of the net. Pagham's Stewart Mackintosh rounded off a high scoring game with a consolation goal in the 86th minute when he burst through a crowded six-yard box, beat Dumbrill to a bouncing ball and scooped a looping shot under the bar. But despite the visitors' resurgent second half display it was too little too late.

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YM: Dumbrill; Carden, Langridge, Sleet,Fitzgerald, Duffield W Potter, OHara, Onkes, Flint (Young 70), M Francis (Taylor 75).