Match Report
County League - Division One
| Selsey 1 | Horsham YMCA 0 |
| Hurst 10 | |
Date:
22nd March 2003
YM MANAGER John Suter thought the pitch was the only winner after his side failed to beat struggling Selsey for the third time this season.
Matt Hurst's tenth minute goal a wind-affected cross that deceived Jason Dumbrill and went in off the post — was all that separated the two sides who found football difftcult on a rutted, hard surface.
"It was dreadful down there," complained Suter. "The pitch was the worst anyone could remember and there was a stiff wind off the coast. Neither side could play football, it was a lottery.
YM have the luxury of one of the best playing surfaces in the league at Gorings Mead and have struggled to adapt their passing football when they travelled to poor grounds like Selsey and Peacehaven.
"We like to try and get the ball down and play but you could not play football on it. Neither side deserved to win it. The pitch deserved to win because it was the only outstanding thing on the day," added Suter.
After a 3-0 defeat in the RUR Cup on an awful November night and a 0-0 draw when David Qakes was sent off in the first half for a wonder save last month, the second place chasing YM might have hoped for a change in fortunes as they travelled to the south coast with a near full-strength side.
But the hosts struck the first blow through Hurst when his driven cross was helped into the top corner by the swirling wind after Scott Langridge had only half-cleared the original set-piece.
The pitch made both sets of players look pretty ordinary as passing and controlling the ball became a problem during a scrappy opemng to the game.
The visitors had an escape when Dumbrill handled outside the box after Clinton More had been put through, but the referee deemed the offence worthy of just a yellow card, "It was an escape. I was looking around the field to see who was going to be put in goal," admitted Suter.
YM had chances to equalise and two good crosses to the edge of the six-yard box from Nick Flint and Matt Duffield should have been latched on to.
Suter's men kept plugging away in the difficult conditions and only the pitch prevented them from scoring in the second half. Mark Francis put Flint through on goal but the ball bobbled as the in-form forward was about to strike the ball and he sliced wide of goal.
Paul Young's introduction 20 minutes from time gave YM an added spark and he lashed a left-foot shot across goal that was begging to be touched in. "He made an immediate impact," commented Suter of his second half substitute.
Joel O'Hara headed a cross wide when Gil Taylor was probably better placed to take advantage and Micky Hennessey missed with a volley after a defender had flicked on a right-wing ball.
However, it was Selsey who had the game's last chance as time ran out, but Hurst somehow missed with only Dumbrill to beat after being put through.
'I was in no way thinking that we would not win," said Suter, who will be hoping his team can bounce back when they welcome Redhill tomorrow.
YM: Dumbrill; Carden, Langridge, Fitzgerald; Duffield, Taylor, Potter, OHara, Sleat; Francis (Hennessey 60), Flint (Young 70).