Match Report
Sussex County League: Premier Division
| Horsham YMCA 2 |
Hailsham Town 0 |
Date:20th Mar 2004 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: Russ Staves, West Sussex County Times
WHEN John Suter suggested bringing an abacus to Gorings Mead it was probably because he expected another avalanche of goals, such is the razzle dazzle football currently on display at the club.
But instead of using the counting device to record YM's goals – they had scored 18 in their last five games prior to this fixture - it came in handy to tally-up the number of good saves James Plumley made as Hailsham bombarded the hosts in the first half but lost 2-0 in the County League Division 1.
The visitors were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty after 11 minutes when Nathan Sleat scythed down Paul Richardson and were further frustrated by Plumley who made two good tip overs which, considering the swirling wind, were excellent saves.
Paul Charman's magnificent block, when Tobie Hutchinson looked certain to open the scoring, just rubbed salt into the wound.
Plumley made two more good saves in the second half on the way to picking up his eighth man of the match award from an impressive debut season for the 16 year old.
But the points were secured at the other end. First Steve Davies showed the cool head that Hailsham were crying out for when he went round the keeper in the 75th minute and rolled the ball home. br>
Matt Duffield wrapped up the points in time added on by squeezing home a rebound from an acute angle after James Bird's penalty had been saved by the unfortunate Russell Tanner.
Duffield's goal was symptomatic of Hailsham's day, and Suter sympathised with his opposite number who kicked a ball at the fence in sheer frustration when his side went 2-0 down.
"Maybe a draw would have been a fair result," suggested Suter, who admitted his side were fortunate to still be level at the halfway stage.
"The ball was given away far too often and people made the wrong decision far too often. It was not a classic. We were happy to be 0-0 at half-time."
But there is little room for sentiment in football and the veteran manager will not be losing too much sleep after watching his side suffer numerous injustices this season.
"We had the better of the exchanges in the second half and played with a bit more control after the goal. We should have had more," he added.
On a grim afternoon where the wind played havoc with Gil Taylor's flowing mullet, it was the visitors who adapted to the conditions first and spent most of the time in YM's half as the sides put out the feelers.
As the sides continued to paw at each other like a pair of tentative boxers, Hailsham thought they had landed the first blow in the 11th minute.
YM's failure to clear following Plumley's save from Paul Richardson's header caused panic which resulted in Sleat fouling the same player on the edge of the box.
There was no doubt contact was made, but referee Antony Gurr consulted his assistant and awarded a free-kick despite the Hailsham players pointing to stud marks inside the box which suggested it was the wrong decision.
"It should have been a penalty, that's what the lads said," explained Suter.
The game petered out after the furore surrounding the penalty had died down until Plumley made the first of his handful of quality saves. Martin Richardson's free-kick from near the left touchline caught the wind and was dipping under the bar before a fleet-footed Plumley nimbly moved across to tip it over.
YM, playing with a 4-3-3 formation, were being overrun by Hailsham's five-man midfield and again found themselves in trouble on the half-hour when right-back Duffield was caught too far upfield. Hutchinson kept a cool head to pull it back to Scott French who, under pressure from Sleat, shot wide.
Bird sliced a shot high and wide as YM began to claw their way back into the game but it was the visitors, clad in yellow and green, who looked favourites to find the back of the net.
They had their best chance in the 37th minute when Ashley Jones got round the back and squared to Hutchinson who looked set to tear the net out from ten yards. But he dithered, rather than hitting it first time, giving Charman enough time to bravely launch himself at the ball which he deflected wide off his shoulder.
Minutes later, Plumley made good ground to tip over Mark French's curling effort and only a last ditch tackle by Barrie Westgate on Hutchinson prevented the teenage keeper being called upon for a second time.
YM had their best chance of the half deep into time added on, and it was no surprise that it was Duffield who fashioned the opportunity. The all-action captain attacked the line with typical gusto and after reaching the byline swung in a cross which fell kindly to Davies six yards out.
With perhaps too much time to think about what to do, he brought the ball down and shot straight at the keeper with the goal gaping.
Plumley made another good save low to his right, this time from Nick Barden, as the teams resumed hostilities in the drizzle after the break and followed that up with an identical stop from Jones minutes later.
The teenager was by far the busier of the keepers yet it was his opposite number who was first to pick the ball out of the back of the net.
Wayne Potter threaded a beautifully weighted pass through the hordes of Hailsham defenders which Davies ran on to, calmly touched the ball past the keeper before clinically shooting home.
Hailsham could not respond and the game was over as a contest in the last minute when Davies was bundled over in the box by Leone Legge and Mr Gurr pointed to the spot.
Tanner made a fantastic save to keep out Bird's spot-kick but deserved more luck when the rebound fell to Duffield who slid the ball in from a tight angle.
Team: Plumley; Duffield, Westgate, Charman, Sleat; Taylor (Still 82), Potter, Bird; Churchill (Carden 75), Young, Davies.