Match Report
County League:Division One
 Horsham YMCA 2 Davies 20 Levett 76 |
 Arundel 0 |
Date: 21st Septemeber 2004 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: By Russell Staves, West Sussex County Times
YM MANAGER John Suter refuses to admit that his unbeaten side are title contenders despite being four points clear at the top of the County League.
"Look at the calendar, it's only September," said Suter, after watching YM beat Arundel 2-0 at Gorings Mead on Tuesday night.
"It is too early to talk about winŽning leagues, we have only played seven out of 38 games. We have had a good start, I will acknowledge that, but you never know what is going to happen. I had high hopes one season but most of the side got injured and people were talking about relegation," he added.
Suter might not talk publicly about YM's chances of success, but inwardly he must be delighted with their start to the new campaign. Unbeaten in seven games, with six wins, YM sit proudly on top of Division 1 and there were glimpses of championship winning material in the win against Arundel.
The hosts carved their opponents open at will during an impressive opening 25 minutes and could have been 3-0 up by half-time.
With the exuberant Dean Garden and irrepressible Joel O'Hara bombing down the flanks, comŽbined with the positive running of James Grant from midfield, YM looked dangerous every time they got the ball. Overlapping full-backs Matt Duffield and Nick Levett furŽther added to the visitors' woes.
Up front, the mercurial Nick Flint mesmerised the Arundel defence with his quick feet while powerful strike partner Steve Davies created a number of promising openings. The only criticism was their incessant need to play too many intricate passes and poor finŽishing in front of goal.
O'Hara had the first chance in the tenth minute when he shot straight at Ben O'Conor from 25 yards while Grant fired wide from a similar distance minutes later.
The chances kept coming at the Arundel end, with Flint forcing O'Conor into a comfortable save after Grant had outstripped left-back Chris Green with his handy pace.
It was no surprise when YM took the lead in the 20th minute. Flint played in Grant who took the ball away from the Arundel defender before crossing low to Davies who tapped in the simplest of chances.
Davies had a great chance to double the advantage when Garden was fouled in the penalty box by Jason Wimbleton. The blond striker hit the penalty well but O'Conor flung himself to his right to palm the ball wide.
Rob Grove then cleared Flint's shot off the line as YM continued their onslaught and Davies gave Arundel another let-off when he headed Duffield's cross over the bar.
Arundel, like a boxer who knows he has taken all his opponent's best shots, were boosted at only being a goal behind and they finally showed some attacking prowess towards the end of the first half.
However, Arundel's headband wearing forward Eamon Breman single-handedly ensured YM remained in front at the break. He missed a glut of golden chances, the best of which he volleyed wide from close range after Gary Norgate had presented the opportunity.
Arundel improved after the break and should have scored in the 59th minute. Ben Cairns' cross was inadvertently flicked on by Nathan Sleat to Andy Boxall who somehow volleyed over from three yards.
The game degenerated into a scrappy affair, not helped by perŽnickety referee Darren Eaton who made a series of odd decisions that left both benches scratching their heads.
The visitors managed their first shot on goal in the 67th minute but former Horsham and current Burgess Hill keeper Ian Chatfield, deputising for the injured James Plumley, leapt to his left to palm Breman's shot clear.
Chatfield got the thumbs up to play for injury-hit YM from Burgess Hill officials.
YM had the ball in the net a minute later but the linesman flagged for offside against Grant as the midfielder stroked the ball home.
However, there was nothing wrong with Levett's 76th minute cracker that sealed the points. The left-back, whose brave block moments earlier kept YM in front, cut inside from the touchline before unleashing an unstoppable shot with his right foot from 25 yards that seared into the top corner.
Arundel's hearts sank once the ball hit the net and they were deflated further when Wimbleton was shown a second yellow card for a scrap with O'Hara in the dying minutes.
"The first 25 minutes was very good," said Suter. "We took them apart but I was not happy with our finishing."
YM travel to East Preston in the RUR Cup tomorrow.
Team: Chatfield; Duffield, Westgate, Sleat, Levett; Garden, Potter, Grant, O'Hara (Bidwell 90); Flint, Davies.