Match Report
County League - Division One

Horsham YMCA 2 Redhill 0
O'Hara 26
Young 76

Date: 29th March 2003   

by Russell Staves

at Gorings Mead
Joel O'Hara passes a Redhill defender. Picture by Mick Burren, courtesy of West Sussex County Times YM ManagerJohn Suter will be hoping his players keep theit feet on the ground after turning in one of their best performances of the season to completely dismantle the league's in-form team.

Coming to Horsham with 29 points from their last 13 games, a run that included a 4-1 win over champions-elect Burgess Hill, Redhill might have fancied their chances of a sucker punch following YM's disappointing loss to Selsey the week before.

But there was nothing to be had for the visitors who were bettered in every department and YM's two goals with a clean sheet does not tell the full story of how the home side totally ran the show.

Only the post and the crossbar denied Paul Young what would have been one of the best hat-tricks seen in many years at Gorings Mead but his 76th minute goal, to add to Joel O'Hara's first half strike, was enough for a win that means YM's chance to secure a first ever runners-up spot is still in then hands.

"That's as good a performance as anything this season," enthused an excited Suter who was running out of superlatives to describe the polished showing "Ian Dawes [the Redhill manager] said after that we are the best team they have played all season. 'They are in the in form team in the County League - they beat Burgess Hill and people said it could have been more.

Suter, however, will not be getting cameo away:

"We can't afford to be complacent. One good performance does not get you a runners-up spot, we need another six. There is an awful lot of hard work to be done."

There were no weak links in the YM sloe, from keeper Jason Dumbrill to the lively front pairing of Young and Nick flint, and the contrast with the loss at Selsey was huge.

"It was a tremendous team performance:' added Suter. "I like team performances where everybody has an input in the game. Everyone was up for it today. People wanted to come back after last Saturday and we thoroughly deserved it in the end:'

On a mild afternoon, the hosts started at frantic pace and Scott Langridge was only inches away from giving YM a fourth minute lead but he could not connect with Phil Fitzgerald's free-kick.

YM fzhanged systems to accommodate Stewart McCreadie'5 return at sweeper and last year's player of the season showed how well he reads the game by nicking the ball off Andrew Graves just as the Redhill midfielder was about to pull the trigger.

The best football was coming from the busy hosts and skipper Mall Duffield's non-stop running was proving a dangerous outlet on the right. After Fitzgerald picked him out on the touchline in the ninth minute, Duffield took a touch to come inside before sliding a 40-yard ball through to Young but the YM striker pushed his shot wide.

Flint shot wide from the edge of the box after a typically jinking run past two defenders and Fitzgerald drilled a low shot straight at James Wastell in the Redhill goal after collecting a one-two with flint.

A goal was imminent and only Duffield's excellent positioning to clear off the line in the 25th minute ensured Redhill did not take an undeserved lead.

It was a crucial moment in the game because YM scored a minute later. Duffleld beat his man down the right and sent over a cross that drifted over the congregation waiting on the edge of the six yard box to flint ten yards out. The striker's thumping volley was saved by Wastell but OHara thundered. the rebound home.

The Redhill bench and players got excited when Fitzgerald and the hulking Luke Jones, who would not look out of place in a Wales front-row, tangled in the box but referee Barry Crowhurst waved play on despite a number of vociferous appeals.

With his dark flowing locks, Redhill captain Stephan Gillet is more in the Demetrio Albertini mould than Chris Marsden, and the midfielder's runs looked like the visitors' best chance of clawing themselves level.

But YM's middle-men were far more dominant, with the economical Wayne Potter sitting a little deeper to break up any. attacks so That David Oakes and Micky Hennessy could push forward at will to support Young and Flint.

In the 32nd minute, flint's turn and shot was deflected wide after he had held off his marker and Hennessy should have done better after ghosting behind the Redhill defense but he pulled a left foot shot wide with only Wastell to beat.

A moment of individual brilliance nearly brought YM a second goal after 41 minutes. Flint's cheeky drag-back gave him space to turn and pass the ball to Young who steadied himself before unleashing a curling shot from 35 yards that beat the diving Wastell but hit the inside of the keeper's left post and bounced back into play.

The half-time interval was the only thing that might have stopped YM's flowing football and Danny Vanti nearly levelled after the break when he scooped a volley over the bar after Langridge's half clearance was helped back into the box.

Young was unlucky not to score on the hour when he showed great composure to volley a high ball against the cross bar from the edge of the area. The shot hit the frame with such force that the net shook but Duffield could not turn in the rebound as Wastell parried his effort against the post and behind for a comer.

Despite being completely outplayed, Redhill were still in the game as long as YM failed to build on their slender lead and the hosts were nearly made to pay for some wasteful finishing when Ben Monger fired wide After Merve King had dummied the defence by letting a pass roil through his legs to set his fellow substitute through on goal.

The goal that Young had been threatening all game, and which he fully deserved, came in the 16th minute. The former Broadbridge Heath striker robbed Vanti and bore down on Wastell before beating him for the third time, despite Lee Osbourne's claim that he had ken fouled in the build up to the goal.

Osbourne traded a few verbals with Duffleld and Potter as the challenges began to fly in and there was just enough time for Fitzgerald to be helped off with an ankle injury and Langridge to clatter substitute Mark Sherwin on the edge of the box.

Team: Dumbrill; Langridge, McCreadie, Fitzgerald (M Francis 90); Duffield, Hennessy (Garden 83), Potter, Oakes, OHara; Flint (Taylor 87), Young.