Match Report
John O'Hara Cup - 2nd Round
| Eastbourne Town 6 Holman 9, 41, 62 Fuller 41 Charman 48 (og) Odubade 81 |
Horsham YMCA 0 |
Date:29th November 2003 Location:Eastbourne
Source West Sussex County Times
JOHN SUTER insists he does not have a magic wand to stop his side's dreadful run of form as they lost under Easthourne Town's flickering floodlights.
YM are in dire straits at present, as one win and nine defeats in 11 games would suggest, and the defeat to Eastbourne plunged them further into the dark.
After being 2-0 down at halftime, YM conceded four more on a dreadful afternoon which ended with keeper James Plumley having to pull off a number of saves to keep the score down.
Their only hope seemed to be the hosts' dodgy lights that were about as reliable as this year's Oxford Street illuminations but shone long enough to allow the hosts to dump YM out of a competition they won only two seasons ago.
"Just when you think it can't get worse, it does," admitted Suter after the latest setback. "It's an awful situation and I have not been issued with a magic wand. It's difficult at the moment and I don't have an answer to it."
What makes YM's plight so puzzling is that the side Suter generally selects is full of good players who have done the business in the past. They put four past St Leonard's less than five weeks ago and were unlucky three days later not to have beaten Three Bridges in the RUR Cup after playing them off the park before losing on penalties.
Their lack of goals is strange too when you consider the firepower at Suter's disposal.
Phil Churchill has been prolific in recent years, Steve Davies gave as clinical a display of finishing against St Leonard's as you are likely to see while Paul Young was as good as any other forward in the division at the start of the season. There is also Gil Taylor, who was the club's top scorer last year, and Ramin Jarvand waiting in the wings.
"I was very upbeat before the Easthourne game, I thought the team on paper was capable of winning. People are just not performing, maybe that counts for the manager too. The trouble is that confidence is at a low ebb," he added.
The afternoon did not start well for YM when a floodlight failure looked like ending the contest before a ball had been kicked in anger. The hosts had the lights working after a lengthy delay but they continued to fail during the first half prompting Suter to push for the game to be abandoned. "I wanted the referee to stop it, I thought it was dangerous." he said.
But the game went ahead and Easthourne took the lead in the ninth minute when Graham Holman latched onto a pass threaded through the middle of the YM defence and lobbed the stranded Plumley. 'They were all over us like a rash," admitted Suter.
However, YM staged a minirevival and had enough chances to get themselves back in the game. The first opening fell to Davies when Plumley's long kick caused problems in the heart of the Easthourne defence. The striker went through with only the keeper to beat but rather than head the bouncing ball over the advancing stopper he shot over the bar.
But from another promising break, YM lost possession and handed Eastbourne the chance to counter in the 41st minute. They accepted the invitation and scored again when Holman lobbed Plumley for a second time.
Young missed a one-on-one as YM tried to claw their way back into the game and the half finished when Davies fashioned another chance after a strong run but shot wide.
"We've had three excellent chances to score and we have come in with no goals while they scored two. That's the difference between the two sides," said Suter.
Eastbourne went further ahead three minutes after the break as Fuller turned in the rebound after Plumley had saved from Leon Cumming.
Holman grabhed his hat-trick just after the hour when he latchec onto Gary Brockwell's pass and slipped the ball past the exposed Plumley for number four.
Young nearly pulled a goal back but after rounding the keeper he shot into the side netting from an acute angle. YM did manage to get on the scoresheet in the 65th minute but it was at the wrong end. From a free-kick, Paul Charman marked his return with a bullet header into his own net. "It was better than Peter Durrant's last week," joked Suter. "It was that sort of day."
YM's misery was complete when substitute Yemi Odubade, possibly the smallest person on the pitch, headed the sixth nine minutes from time. "Things are not good. We just have to roll up oui sleeves and work hard. Things will come right," insisted Suter.
YM have a tricky December starting with a testing trip tomor row to Arundel, a team who aver age more than two goals a game "That's a very difficult one. admitted Suter.
Team:Plumley; Carden Charman, Lutwyche, Sleat Duffield, Andrews, Brow' (Rigden 75), OHara; Davies (Churchill 67), Young.