Match Report
County League:Division One
 Horsham YMCA 3 O'Hara 13 33 Grant 76 |  East Grinstead 1 Dart 56 |
Date: 18th January 2005 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: West Sussex County Times
ON A cold Tuesday evening at Gorings Mead YM warmed the hearts of their supporters with a fine victory over East Grinstead.
The hosts gained revenge for being dumped out of the RUR Cup by their opponents earlier on in the season with a 3-1 victory but it should have been by more.
Joel O'Hara hit a first half brace as YM threatened to rack up a big score but they were still in the dressing room for the beginning of the second half and allowed the visitors back into it before James Grant killed them off.
YM have now moved a massive 16 points clear at the top of the league but if Whitehawk win their two games in hand the lead can be cut to 13 points.
However the Gorings Mead boss John Suter is still taking absolutely nothing for granted. "Football is a fickle game," commented Suter.
"It can show you the promised land, it can pick you up then dump you on the floor. Look at Arsenal, they were the best team in the world – lost to Man U then their world fell apart. Anything can happen in football, it was just another three points and I am pleased with that," he added.
It was a lively encounter that caught fire in the 13th minute when O'Hara thundered in the opener. Matt Duffield took a quick throw, Ali Russell brought the ball down well and laid it off for Grant who lifted it over the defender and O'Hara banged the ball into the roof of the net.
Russell was winning absolutely everything in the air and one of his flicks found Clinton Moore who curled a cross in that O'Hara headed too close to the keeper.
Dave Tidy in the visitors' goal was called upon regularly by the midway point in the first half.
He made a save for the cameras from a Moore curler then a minute later he was forced into a brilliant stop as Dean Carden let fly with a cracker from fully 35 yards that was just tipped over.
The lead was doubled in the 33rd minute when Dean Cooney under hit a back pass that O'Hara ran on to, he rounded the keeper who forced the winger wide but the YM man kept his composure to slide the ball past a defender on the line as Tidy was running back.
A couple of minutes later Grant hit a great knock to Carden but he was unable to control his shot as it ended up in a nearby garden.
YM continued to dominate for the remainder of the half – Russell even had time for a spot of show boating as he ran with the ball on his head for five yards before it was removed by an East Grinstead player, but it was after the whistle had gone for handball.
Just before the break Moore again tested Tidy but he was equal to the task as he tipped it over.
The hosts fell asleep at the beginning of the second half as East Grinstead came back into the game, passing well but lacking the final ball in the attacking third of the pitch.
"We weren't holding the ball up front when Ali Russell dropped back into midfield for the injured Lee Butcher but we got back into it when Ali went up front again," said Suter.
Ben Burns burst into the area, just avoiding several desperate lunges by the home defence, before the ball fell to Adam Dart on the edge of the box and he smacked it in off the underside of the bar to reduce the deficit in the 56th minute.
Substitute Nick Flint was put clear a minute later but Tidy made himself big and saved with his legs.
In the 69th minute Carden had a good opportunity to restore the two goal lead but he volleyed into the side netting from O'Hara's cross.
Russell then had a shot blocked and the rebound came out to Grant who ran towards the box, he got the ball back from Flint and calmly tucked it into the bottom corner to secure the points in the 76th minute.
Moments later Flint went close as he chipped the keeper but Tidy just got his finger tips to it as it went off for a corner.
Barrie Westgate nearly added a fourth at the death but he volleyed Flint's corner into the side netting.
YM face Sidlesham at Gorings Mead tomorrow looking to continue their winning ways.
Team:(4-4-2): Chatfield; Duffield, Westgate, Hooper, Levett; Carden (Ahearne 82), Potter (Flint 51), Grant, O'Hara; Russell, Moore (Carter 67).