Match Report
County League:Division One
 Sidlesham 0 |
 Horsham YMCA 2 Davies 67, 80 |
Date: 19th November 2004 Location: Redhill
Source: West Sussex County Times
YM REMAIN undefeated in the league and 11 points clear at the top with a 2-0 win at Sidlesham.
Steve Davies second half brace saw off their bottom of the table opposition.
"The result was good, the performance was good enough," said manager John Suter.
"It's not the best place to go to on a Friday night, I can think of better places to be. If you had offered me that before the game I would have taken it. They were a physical team as sides tend to be when they are fighting for surŽvival," he added.
The first real opening came in the 27th minute when Matt Duffield ran on to the end of an Ally Russell flick on after a big goal kick by Ian Chatfield. Unfortunately he blazed over the bar when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Shortly afterwards the hosts had their best chance when Jimmy Stewart fired in a superb effort that Chatfield was just able to tip on to and over the bar.
Davies latched on to a Russell flick on but he was not quick enough to get his shot away so played the ball to Dean Garden who found the side netting.
On the stroke of half-time Wayne Emery worried the visitors when he screwed a shot just wide of the post.
After the interval Duffield had another great chance to open the scoring. Russell linked up with Davies who found the YM captain but a bad miss left him holding his head in his hands.
Nathan Sleat had been delivering quality from set pieces all evening and one was headed back across goal but Duffield headed weakly at the goalkeeper when he could have done better.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 67th minute by Davies. Russell found Duffield who released the front man and he coolly slid the ball home.
The lead was doubled as Davies grabbed his llth league goal of the campaign in the 80th minute to wrap up the game. Nick Levett hit a searching ball for Duffield down the left, and his pass was thrashed into the roof of the net by Davies.
YM's top scorer should have completed his hat-trick but failed to keep his composure in front of goal. Garden won the ball with a fine challenge, picked out Davies but he wanted to try to break the back of the net when he should have scored.
The home side nearly scored a consolation goal when Gavin Spuriway just missed the target from 25 yards out.
In the final few minutes of the match there was a bit of a brawl as players needlessly got involved after Russell got booked for a foul and a Sidlesham defender was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
"It was just handbags really but it's disappointing to see, no-one seems to enjoy their football anyŽmore, there is always something to complain about," said Suter.
Team:(4-4-2):Chatfield; Ahearne, Westgate, Carter, Levett; Garden, Duffield (Bidwell 80), Potter, Sleat (Flint 67); Russell (Moore 85), Davies.