Match Report
Sussex County League: Premier Division
 Horsham YMCA 3 O'Hara 68, 70 Davies 90(pen) |
 Redhill 2 Guscott 17 Morgan 47 |
Date:24th August 2004 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: by Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times
YM DRAMATICALLY came from behind to steal the points against a spirited Redhill side.
The league leaders found themselves 2-0 down after 55 minutes but fought back to win 3-2 with a last gasp penalty by Steve Davies.
"I thought it was an excellent three points, the boys didn't play well in the first half but we showed a lot of character in the second," said manager John Suter.
Redhill started the match the brighter of the two sides and deservedly took the lead on 17 minutes. A Michael Morgan corner was curled into the near post where Danny Guscott headed it home after YM keeper James Plumley missed his punch.
The visitors had already threatened before they went in front, knocking the ball round nicely while YM looked shaky and kept giving the ball away. Morgan was menacing down the right, causing havoc as early as the fifth minute when he could have scored. He cut inside, beating defenders but 17 year old Plumley saved.
YM responded with their first meaningful attack of the game in the 21st minute. Wayne Potter slid the ball through to GLS man of the match Ally Russell who found James Grant, the forward hit his shot left-footed across the keeper who saved well to turn it behind for a corner.
On the half hour mark Luke Jones was unlucky not to double Redhill's lead when he struck the bar after the dangerous Morgan's run and lay-off.
Three minutes later Jones should have scored again but was denied by a good reaction stop by Plumley at his near post from a ball whipped in by Morgan.
Five minutes before the interval Chris Roberts made a fine save from Grant after he latched on to a through ball from James Bird but was denied as the keeper flung himself to his right to palm the ball away.
The home side upped their game in the second period. They brought on Joel O'Hara down the left, which helped turn the match. "We did some fitness tests with Joel O'Hara before the game and decided it was in his best interests not to start and would only bring him on if we needed him, and we needed him," insisted Suter.
He made an immediate impression by running at their defence. In the 51st minute he set up Russell for a great chance but he scuffed his shot into the ground from close-range.
To the disappointment of the home fans Redhill scored from the first attack of the half. YM were caught cold from a throw in, Morgan spun in the box and fired his shot into the bottom corner.
This prompted Suter into more substitutions, bringing on Davies up front and only playing three at the back. "We changed our formation and I thought it suited us better," said Suter.
YM piled on the pressure, O'Hara continued to run at their defence causing problems. In the 68th minute he drove into the box, cut the ball back for Russell who should have scored but the ball found its way back to O'Hara who put the ball into the back of the net from an offside position.
Chances followed at both ends, with Plumley smartly denying Jones and Davies side footing wide from six yards out at the other end.
"I thought it was going to be one of those nights after they ironically scored from their first attack of the half and especially when we were missing chances," said Suter.
With 20 minutes to go YM scored twice in three minutes to draw level. Gary Bidwell floated in a free-kick from the right and O'Hara rose like a salmon to head in off the bar. Shortly afterwards the keeper parried Russell's shot and Davies was on hand to put the rebound in.
YM continued to pour forward in search of a winner and it came in the 90th minute. O'Hara surged into the box, squared it to Bird who turned sharply and was tripped, a cast-iron penalty.
The usual penalty taker, Mark Francis, had been taken off but Davies immediately stood up to be counted, picking up the ball and slamming it past Roberts, who got both hands to it but could not keep it out.
Team: (4-4-2): Plumley; Levett (D. Potter 58), Sleat (O'Hara 45), Westgate, Carter; Bidwell, W. Potter, Bird, Francis (Davies 58); Grant, Russell.
