Match Report
County League:Division One
| Sidley 2 Carey 14, 20 |
Horsham YMCA 2 Price 18 O'Hara 23 |
Date:13th September 2003 Location:Gulliver's Sports Ground
Source Russell Staves, West Sussex County Times
DAVID Beckham's nickname 'Goldenballs' is unlikely to be bestowed on any YM player after they struggled to find the Midas touch in front of goal.
In a first half fraught with errors, Sidley twice took the lead when they capitalised on lapses in the visitors' defence. But YM showed a steely resolve to draw level through Package Price and Joel O'Hara headers before they dominated the rest of an entertaining game.
On another day Phil Churchill could have had a hat-trick as the frontman showed signs of his former free-scoring self while Sidley keeper Danny Poole was by far the busier of the two keepers.
YM manager John Suter would have looked more at home in Sicily rather than Sidley with his shades and all-black attire, but he did not need an interpreter to convey his thoughts on the match. "We've given away two very soft goals and it's very difficult to come to a place like this and expect to win," he explained before taking a mouthful of his cold beer.
As a former striker, Suter knows the importance of putting the ball in the back of the net, something YM should have done more than twice despite creating the best chances of the game. "We bossed the second half, territorially we dominated. Scott Kenward did not have a save to make. We had chances at their end but we could not find the Midas touch. It's all about putting the ball in the net."
On a glorious September afternoon, YM kicked down with slope on the sun-drenched pitch, which is flanked by a newly roofed stand daubed in blue paint and Sidley Cricket Club's dusty and tired looking square.
YM's midfield trio of Gil Taylor, Tim Brown and Joel O'Hara were much the busiest of the visiting players as the opening exchanges took place in and around the centre circle. But after 14 minutes where finding an opening was as difficult as Robert Pires finds standing up, YM gifted their hosts the opening goal.
Poole sent a long clearance deep into the YM half which Ian Fenn or Andy Lutwyche should have cleared with a straight forward header. However, both left it to each other allowing Dave Carey to nip in and head the ball over Scott Kenward into an empty blue net.
YM drew level four minutes later and it was no surprise when it came from the left flank which O'Hara and David Oakes patrolled with energy and invention. From another foray down the left, O'Hara swung in a telling cross which Package Price headed low past Poole who remained rooted to the spot.
Having done the hard work to restore parity, YM conspired to hand Sidley a second gift in the 20th minute which was gratefully received. Fenn and Nathan Sleat got in a muddle under a high ball leaving Carey to mop up for the second time in quick succession, this time with a turn and shot from five yards.
It was level three minutes later from another slick move which started on the left. Oakcs' deep cross was cleared as far as Matt Duffield who took it to the by-line and crossed for the effervescent O'Hara to head home.
The visitors were unlucky not to have taken the lead in the 29th minute when the revitalised Churchill collected a bobbling ball and rifled it goalbound which Poole did extremely well to tip onto the bar.
But it was the hosts who finished the half well and Shae Spraefico, Sidley's diminutive white booted midfielder, showed quick feet to pull the ball back to Carey who snatched at his shot and fired over the bar.
In the dying minutes, Fenn nearly turned the ball into his own net but YM nearly committed suicide from the resulting corner which Kenward caught but threw straight to Carey who took one touch and fired wide from thirty yards much to the relief of the tall custodian.
Suter switched Lutwyche to sweeper at the start of the second half and moved Fenn across to centre-half, a move which gave YM a bit more stability at the back and a solid base to launch a number of penetrative second half assaults.
Oakes' set-pieces, whipped in at pace with his educated left foot, provided YM with three chances as they dominated the start of the second half, despite playing up the hill. Churchill headed the first wide from seven yards, Lutwyche had a header cleared off the line and Duffield fired over when Oakes played the ball short.
YM kept coming forward and only some excellent goalkeeping prevented Churchill finding himself on the scoresheet when Poole, sporting a green cap and luminous orange top, bravely dived at his feet to deflect the ball wide after O'Hara had surged into the box. From Oakes' resulting corner, Brown studded the ball over after it had hit Phil Mitchell look-a-like lain Smith on the elbow.
Churchill kept plodding on in spite of Poole's heroics and the former Hillian nearly got the better of the Sidley keeper when he took Brown's through ball in his stride and shot first time past the far post.
The game was becoming stretched, with counterattacks from both sides by-passing the midfield as the 132 crowd were treated to an end to end affair.
Sidley's Mark Freeman was in the right place to head Oakes' curling corner off the line before a combination of Brown and O'Hara headed over Fenn's cross moments later.
Oakes forced Poole into a good stop as YM pushed for a late winner and it looked set for a grandstand finish when YM won a corner in injury time after Greg Brabon had slipped the ball through to Price whose cross was deflected behind.
But in keeping with a game of mistakes, Oakes' reliable left foot, which had been so consistent throughout, conspired to send the ball straight into the side-netting.
Team: Kenward; Fenn, Lutwyche, Sleat; Oakes, OHara, Taylor (Brabon 82), Brown, Duffield; Churchill, Price