Match Report
County League:Division One
 Pagham 1 Akmenkalns 78 |
 Horsham YMCA 1 Potter 82 |
Date: 18th Septemeber 2004 Location: Pagham
Source: West Sussex County Times
YM EARNED a hard fought point at Pagham on Saturday.
They bounced back from the disappointment of two cup exits in the last two weeks by maintaining their unbeaten league record.
The hosts took the lead with just 12 minutes remaining but Steve Davies levelled things five minutes later to leave the score at 1-1.
"We should have won it," said manager John Suter. "With all due respect to Pagham they are not a good side, they work hard but got beaten 5-0 last week, they are the sort of side we should have beaten.
"It is an improvement on last year though, we conceded a goal at a similar time and lost the game," he added.
YM created the majority of the opportunities but a lack of composure in front of goal cost them maximum points.
The first chance fell to James Grant who should have done better but he headed Davies' cross just wide of the post. The home side created openings of their own as Darren Akmenkalns" effort was saved by visitors' keeper James Plumley.
Joel O'Hara terrorised the Pagham defence but his weaving run ended up with the left-winger shooting straight at James Leahy.
The hosts came close again as Jordan Willis produced a spectacular overhead kick which fizzed just inches wide of the upright.
YM should have found the net from set pieces shortly afterwards as good deliveries from Grant were not converted. Tom Carter headed over the bar from the first one then Carter and Barrie Westgate got in each other's way when they could have scored.
A Gary Bidwell cross was met by Davies but he failed to trouble the keeper as the score was goalless at the break.
YM suffered a blow when keeper Plumley, who was injured earlier in the game, was replaced by outfield player Nathan Sleat during the interval.
The second-half started in similar fashion with the visitors creating chances, but no one was able to get on the end of a Matt Duffield cross.
The dangerous Lee Stevens set up Kevin Moore who had the goal at his mercy but managed to head straight at Sleat, much to Suter's relief.
YM continued to push forward-looking for that elusive breakthrough, Davies saw an effort go over the top from an O'Hara cross then Westgate headed back across the face of goal from a superb cross by Bidwell but again no one was there to apply the finish.
YM should have scored when Davies broke through the middle, drew the keeper but then could not quite find a way past him as his attempt was blocked.
Another great chance fell to the centre forward when he beat the defender in the box and failed to hit the target. "He shot high, wide and ugly I'm afraid," said Suter. In the 78th minute Stevens then put another threatening ball into the box, which was flicked on by Nick Levett to Pagham's Doug Peach. He was not closed down properly and Sleat could only push his shot back out to Akmenkalns who had the simplest of tasks to open the scoring.
The equaliser was not long in coming. There was 82 minutes on the clock when Wayne Potter released Davies and he beat Jason Geall three times before coolly slotting past the keeper giving Suter's men the very least of what they deserved.
Team: (4-4-2): Plumley (Sleat 45); Duffield, Westgate, Carter, Levett; Bidwell (Martin 82), Potter, Grant, O'Hara; Davies, Russell (Simpson 68).