Match Report
County League:Division One
 Horsham YMCA 2 Bidwell 57 Flint 65 |
 Worthing United 1 Banks 25 |
Date: 28th Septemeber 2004 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: By Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times
YM STORMED back from a goal down to win 2-1 against Worthing United on Tuesday night.
The result leaves the Gorings Mead club four points clear at the top of the table. Second-half strikes from Gary Bidwell and Nick Flint helped secure the victory for the hosts.
"We tend to keep going which is a pleasing aspect of our game," said manager John Suter.
"I felt we deserved to win it but it was too close, we are not turning chances into goals. We make it hard for ourselves but then achieve the end product," he added.
Fellow promotion rivals Worthing would have gone top if they had won by two goals and they gave YM an early warning as Cameron Johnson volleyed wide in the first minute.
Joel O'Hara had the first effort for the home team but his header was off target from a Matt Duffield cross in the sixth minute.
After 13 minutes the visitors could not clear a corner properly and James Grant's ball into the box was headed wide by Ally Russell when he could have done better.
Worthing responded with a chance of their own when a near post corner that was flicked on hit keeper Ben Courtney before being cleared to safety.
With 20 minutes gone YM came close to scoring once again as a free-kick played low into the danger area caused havoc, Russell missed a cheeky flick, Grant's shot was blocked and the ball was somehow scrambled clear.
Worthing opened the scoring after 26 minutes when Sonny Banks latched on to a poor goal kick and slid the ball past the advancing keeper into the bottom corner.
The visitors' goalkeeper Dean Fuller raced quickly off his line to smoother Russell's effort after the centre-forward ran onto an audacious flick by his strike partner Flint.
On the stroke of half-time Banks came close to his second of the game when he controlled a clearance and bent a shot with the outside of his right foot but it came back off the post.
The hosts came out after the interval and exerted a lot of pressure on the Worthing goal, they had three corners in quick succession but could not make the most of them.
Worthing should have doubled their lead when they broke away in the 56th minute, they appealed for a foul on the edge of the box but the referee waved play on and Simon Hancock squared the ball for the unmarked Banks but he blazed over from close range.
Immediately YM took full advantage of this and levelled the scores.
Russell found Bidwell breaking down the right and he calmly tucked it into the bottom corner.
Grant then wasted a chance to go in front as the keeper saved his effort after Russell had laid the ball off.
The opportunities kept coming though and YM took a deserved lead through the skilful Flint. He raced on to a ball from Dean Carden and delightfully chipped Fuller.
O'Hara found the Duracell powered Grant but he could not finish after a good run from deep.
With 15 minutes remaining Worthing attempted to walk the ball into the back of the net but were crowded out by the home side's defence.
YM had chances to wrap up the victory but could not kill the game off.
With five minutes remaining substitute Clinton Moore was on the end of a long ball by Nathan Sleat but he sliced his lob wide. The same player then sent the ball into orbit as he failed to control his shot from a Bidwell cut back.
Grant still had time to miss another chance, which was a pity because his performance warranted a goal.
He shot wide with the outside of his right foot when perhaps utilising the left would have been a better option.
The home side were using their fourth keeper in four games following an injury to James Plumley. "I'm going for the Guinness Book of World Records when it comes to using goalkeepers," joked Suter.
YM's next game is at home to Pease Pottage Village tomorrow in the John O'Hara League Challenge Cup.
Team: (4-4-2): Courtney; Duffield (Bidwell 49), Levett, Westgate, Sleat; Carden, Grant, Bird (Comper 73), O'Hara; Russell (Moore 71), Flint.