Match Report
County League - Division One
| Ringmer 2 | Horsham YMCA 0 |
A Johnson 76
C Johnson 90 | Flint 81 |
Date: 8th April 2003
by Richard Byrne
at The Caburn
The terrible twins ruined YM's night as Ringmer snatched an injury time winner in an entertaining match on Tuesday.
The visitors dominated the game but Andy Johnson put the home sid ahead with 14 minutes left and twin brother Chris fired home the winner in the 91st minute to grab three points Ringmer hardly deserved.
In between Nick Flint equalised with an exquisite finish and YM always looked more likely to take the points but came away with nothing.
"I'm absolutely gutted," said YM boss John Suter. "It was an excellent performance. I think everyone agrees on that. They put absolutely everything into the game but we didn't get out what we pout in."
YM certainly left Saturday's dismal performance against East Preston behind them and looked more like the side Redhill manager Ian Dawes recently rated as best in the division.
"People will look at this result, and Chichester will be delighted, but the scoreline doesn't remotely tell the story," said Suter with some justification.
The only moment of controversy came shortly after the break when the home keeper Sam Figg flattened Flint just outside the area. "It looked like a professional foul to me and he's prevented him from scoring," was Suter's diplomatic verdict, and although referee Jorge Martins awarded a free-kick he kept his card in his pocket.
Ringmer's tight little ground has a steep slope and the bumpy pitch was hardly conducive to passing football but both sides knocked the ball around sweetly and the game flowed end to end.
YM started with a flat back four in the absence of the injured Stewart McCreadie but their football fizzed with energy. Joel O'Hara and skipper Matt Duffield raced down the other flank as if they had rockets up their backsides, and right-back Dean Carden must have had a Trident missle down his shorts the way he sprinted up and down.
Wayne 'Jiggy' Potter arrived at the ground less than an hour before the game after travelling down from Manchester and his commitment typified YM's performance as he sat in the middle to allow others to foray forward.
The visitors peppered Figg's goal with shots but failed to test the home keeper sufficiently. He was only twice forced to go to ground, first to deal with a low strike from O'Hara and later in the half turning Duffield's cross shot into the side-netting.
Flint constantly teased the home defenders into silly challenges and was equally dangerous with his crisp delivery from free kicks and corners which several times just evaded the head of Ian Fenn.
Ringmer's best chance came two minutes before the break when Darren Longsley raced clear but he fired widely over the angle of post and bar.
Flint continued where he left off after the break, racing onto Potter's header before Figg nailed him just outside the box. "It was Ronald Koeman and David Platt all over again," was Potter's verdict.
But YM almost took the lead with a sweeping move initiated by Potter in the 58th minute when he won the ball deep in his own half and sent O'Hara racing down the left.
The winger whipped in a great early ball which Gil Taylor met beautifully on the half-volley but his shot fizzed just over the bar from six yards out.
At the other end Andy Johnson went close when he flashed a shot across the face of the goal but the home bench seemed more intent on getting on Mr Martins' back "that's toffee" being one of the few repeatable comments aimed at the official.
In the 73rd minute Figg's fingertips were all that stopped Fenn giving Horsham the lead as the keeper turned over the defender's hooked shot as YM continiued to play with verve down the slope.
However, they were caught out at the back when Longley cut in from the right and pulled the ball back for Andy Johnson to sweep home the opener.
YM equalised within five minutes when O'Hara stretched out his long legs to control the ball, burst past the last defender and crossed to Flint, who got in front of his man and, while still airbourne, delicately steered a volley into the corner for a memorable goal.
The visitors tore forward for the winner and O'Hara was denied by a fantastic double save by Figg, frustrating th evisiting supporters who felt the keeper shouldn't have been on the pitch after his earlier indiscretion.
But at least it looked like YM would have something to show for their performance but 30 seconds into stoppage time Longley broke down the right and crossed, Baz Allen miskicked but the ball ran invitingly to Chris Johnson who slotted the ball low into the corner to the delight of his team-mates.
Suter looked like a man who had lost a winning lottery ticket and who could blame him, few teams play so well and loose.
Team: Dumbrill; Carden, Langridge, Fenn, Sleat, Duffield, W Potter, Oakes, O'Hara, Taylor,Flint.