Match Report
County League:Division One
 Rye & Iden United 3 Rhodes 53 Baker 69 McArthur 75 |  Horsham YMCA 2 Davies 41 Moore 65 |
Date: 12th February 2005 Location: Rye
Source: West Sussex County Times
YM LET the lead slip twice as they succumbed to their second league defeat in a row losing 3-2 at Rye & Iden United.
"It's a disappointing result, we did not play well enough," said manger John Suter. "It was a lacklustre first half, some spectators dropped asleep and we didn't defend well in the second half."
The goals flew in after the break to the displeasure of Suter as his side have now taken just four points from a possible 15. "That's relegation form. We just need to win the next game, not just think about all the games.
The team has put itself under unnecessary pressure, we need to remember what we were doing before Christmas when things were going well," commented Suter.
It took 23 minutes for the first shot on target and it came from the hosts as former Bighton & Hove Albion player Duncan McArthur tested Ian Chatfield.
Tim Olorunda put the ball over the bar from a McArthur corner before YM got going, James Grant beat two or three men and unluckily struck the post and it was scrambled to safety.
Ellis Hooper then went on a surging run out of defence but saw his shot turned wide by Will Toal.
In the 41st minute Toal could not keep out a Steve Davies header, Ali Russell spread the play to Dean Garden who found Gary Bidwell and his inch perfect cross was headed home by YM's top scorer. Things livened up in the second half as Grant put in Bidwell who cut inside the full-back but blasted the ball high, wide and anything but handsome.
Phillip Rhodes headed in unchallenged from a McArthur free-kick to level the scores. YM responded as Russell blazed a free-kick over and then headed wide from a Clinton Moore cross. They regained the lead through Moore, he latched on to Nick
Levett's pass and finished with aplomb in the 68th minute.
Two minutes later YM conceded the second equaliser when they failed to deal with a ball into the box, Lee Butcher's clearance hit some-one and Paul Baker took his chance well.
Olorunda, whose powerful runs caused problems for YM, forced his way past Garden and found McArthur to hit the winner in the 77th minute. Michael O'Callaghan hit the angle of post and bar as Rye nearly sealed the points.
The visitors huffed and puffed as they tried to get something out of the game but it came to nothing.
Team: (4-4-2): ): Chatfield; Garden (Sebuliba 77), Hooper, Carter, Levett; Bidwell (Martin 80), Butcher, Russell, Grant; Davies, Moore.