Match Report
County League:Division One
 Sidlesham 1 |
 Horsham YMCA 1 |
Date: 13th November 2004 Location: Sidlesham
Source: Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times
YM DROPPED their first points at home in the league despite bossing the game against Chichester City United.
"We hammered them 1-1," said manager John Suter.
"It was two points dropped but the team played really well," he added.
The hosts had the majority of the match and scored after just 65 seconds through a clinical finish by Steve Davies.
They continued to dominate, created chance after chance in the first half and pinned their opponents back after the break, but had nothing to show for it.
The first attack of the game brought the opening goal as Davies latched on to a through ball and delightfully chipped it over the keeper and into the net.
The lead could have been doubled minutes later when Joel O'Hara played in Phil Churchill behind the defence, he beat the keeper but was driven so far wide that Alex Hards was able to recover and thwart the centre-forward.
Nick Levett played a nice one-two with Churchill but fired his shot just wide as the hosts poured forward.
YM had the ball in the back of the net for a second time in the 12th minute only for it to be ruled out for offside. Matt Duffield's free-kick was headed down by Ally Russell and hooked in by O'Hara but a tight decision went against the home side.
Levett then struck the woodwork when he over hit his cross, the keeper was beaten but much to his relief it rebounded back off the bar while on another day it could easily have sailed in.
Midway through the half Churchill was on the end of a Davies flick but with the outside of his right foot curled the ball narrowly over.
Chichester had the occasional foray forward and equalised when Duffield failed to cut out a through ball which the lively Scott Murfin gleefully ran on to and poked under the advancing Ian Chatfield.
Russell Hardwell was the visitors' main threat marauding down their right flank. On one attack he skipped past a couple of challenges but Chatfield was out smartly to stop the ball from reaching Murfin for an easy tap in.
Russell then found Davies in the 33rd minute but he was twice blocked by Hards from close range.
YM had another goal disallowed somewhat unluckily for dangerous play shortly afterwards. Davies did brilliantly down the right to beat a couple of defenders, he passed it to Churchill who had a poor first touch, the ball bounced up and he attempted a bicycle kick which fell to O'Hara who stabbed the ball home.
However the celebrations were cut short when the referee ruled it out due to Churchill's high boot, which did not appear to be very close to the defender's face.
Chichester remained a threat on the break, Hardwell continued to run at the defence but again picked out Chatfield rather than a lurking team-mate.
There were a few minutes injury-time played at the end of the half and twice YM could have restored their lead.
First Davies chested down an O'Hara cross but the keeper saved from a tight angle when he should have passed it. Then the colossal Russell headed the ball just wide of the far post but agonisingly in front of the incoming Churchill and Davies.
The second period started like the first with YM quickest out of the blocks. Churchill closed down a short back pass, the ball rebounded to O'Hara 20 yards out and he curled the ball first time over the crowd but Ben Hitchman got back to head off the line.
The visitors defended deep for the remainder of the match, soaking up the pressure to leave the Gorings Mead fans frustrated as the home team could not make the breakthrough.
Plenty of possession only resulted in a few chances, Barrie Westgate headed wide from a corner and with ten minutes to go Russell had a swing and a miss after good work by Clinton Moore and O'Hara.
GLS man of the match Dean Carden was a constant threat down the right, beating players and getting crosses in, but stout play by the Chichester rear guard kept the league leaders at bay.
Suter will be looking for his side to bounce back tonight when they have a trip to bottom of the table Sidlesham. "It looks like an easy game on paper which means that it will be difficult in reality. They are always stronger on a Friday night," commented Suter.
Team:(4-4-2):Chatfield; Duffield, Levett, Westgate, Carter; Carden, Russell, Grant (Potter 8), O'Hara; Davies (Moore 78), Churchill (Ahearne 68).
