Match Report
County League:Division One
 Horsham YMCA 3 Moore 35 Davies 57 Grant 90 |  Southwick 0 |
Date: 18th December 2004 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: Russell Staves, West Sussex County Times
JOHN Suter does not think YM will 'do an Arsenal' despite extending their unbeaten run to 18 games following a comfortable win over Southwick.
The Gorings Mead men have yet to taste defeat in the league this season and will spend Christmas 14 points clear at the top of the County League. Such is YM's lead that County League officials might be tempted to order black and white ribbons in advance of April's trophy presentation.
But the ever-cautious Suter is only too aware of what happened to Kevin Keegan's Newcastle in 1996 and extracting a title-winning boast from the 64 year old is hardŽer than pulling a 20 pence coin from a soggy Christmas pud.
"I don't believe we can go the season unbeaten," said Suter. "It's not that we are the best side by a mile, every game we have had id scrap. Other sides are coming at us like express trains. Something could go horribly wrong."
Suter is giving little away in public, probably rightly, but you can bet your last mince pie that he bursts into a typically wide grin once he walks through his front door after another victorious Saturday. Inwardly he will be delighted, knowing that a repeat of the first half of the season will see YM lift the County League trophy for the first time in their 107-year history.
The win over Southwick was more a cold turkey than a Christmas cracker, but three points is still three points, regardless of whether the performance was more pauper than prince.
"I thought we were good for the first 15 minutes, but then we slackened off and dropped off the pace. We did improve in the second half and have to be happy with the three points," added Suter.
The visitors stole a point when the two teams met in mid-October and have improved since, winning five games. But hopes of a sixth success looked unlikely when they travelled to Horsham without strikŽers Carl Dunk and Jon Donohue while the influential Mark Burt started on the bench.
In contrast, YM have an embarrassment of riches, particularly upfront where Steve Davies, Clinton Moore, Nick Flint and Ally Russell contest two spots.
It was Davies, the club's leading scorer with 13 goals, who had the first chance to open the scoring after only three minutes but he missed a sitter at the back post when he guided Nick Levelt's teasing cross horribly wide.
Moore then squandered another opportunity, shooting wide after Davies had flicked-on Ian Chatfield's long kick.
Southwick were just managing to hang on, with Aaron Macmillan and James Rhodes providing a few bright sparks, and the former might have done better when he shot weakly at Chatfield when well placed.
Moore should have put YM ahead when he latched on to Ronan Callaghan's poor goal-kick and shot straight at the keeper, and the busy Joel O'Hara headed Moore's cross wide moments later.
But former Three Bridges striker Moore atoned for his earlier blemishes with a goal that drew comparisons with Thierry Henry.
Standing over a free-kick 30 yards out, Moore, having spotted Callaghan lining the wall up, took the free-kick early and curled the ball into the empty corner.
The stricken keeper scrambled in vain and ended up on his knees as the jail rested in the net.
"I heard Ali Rennie say 'where is Thierry Henry when you need dim?' Lo and behold Clinton did exactly the same as Henry," said Suter.
Southwick's chances of getting back in the game ended just five minutes into the second half when Lee Cox, O'Hara and Moore took turns to swing their handbags at each other. Cox was sent-off, a little harshly, while the YM players went unpunished.
The hosts went further in front in the 57th minute when O'Hara dashed down the line and centred to Davies who had the rather simple task of tapping the ball home.
James Grant, whose last goal came in the 7-1 thrashing of Pease Pottage in early October, had a chance to redeem himself when he ran on to Lee Butcher's through ball but his shot was saved.
A number of substitutions combined with the visitors being a man down killed any flow the game had and there was little to get excited about until the last knockings.
If Moore's goal was Henry, then his miss in the 82nd minute was Chris Kiwomya. O'Hara's sublime first time pass off Chatfield's kick which sent substitute Nick Flint clear was worth the entrance fee.
But, with a goal of the season contender looming, Flint crossed low to Moore who somehow dinked the ball horribly wide.
There was still time for a third, however, and it went to the YM player most in need of a goal -Grant. Surging clear of the ragged Southwick defence, the midfielder finished with the panache of a prolific striker.
Team:(4-4-2): Chatfield; Duffield, Carter, Hooper (Westgate 82), Levett; Garden (Ahearne 84), Butcher, Grant, O'Hara; Davies (Flint 75).