Match Report
Sussex County League: Division One
 Whitehawk 2 o.g. 7 Mitchell 82 |  Horsham YMCA 3 Flint 60 Russell 75 (P) Carden 80 |
Date: 3rd September 2005 Location: Gorings Mead
Source: West Sussex County Times
YM TURNED it on in the second half to see off Whitehawk but manager John Suter is worried that his side do not perform in the first 45 minutes.
A goal down after seven minutes, the visitors finally found their stride and scored three times in the second half [ to complete their third win in succession in all competitions. However, a more telling statistic is that of the 20 goals YM have scored this season, including in the Roy Hayden and Norman Wingate j Trophies, 18 have come in the second half.
A perplexed Suter is at a loss to explain his side's Jekyll and Hyde form and is worried they will be punished by better sides.
"We don't start games very well," said the YM chief. "We are slack at the start of games and I don't know why. It's worrying that we do not play all game."
It was a familiar story against Whitehawk as YM fell behind early.
After Joel O'Hara lost possession, Daniel Turner raced to the byline before crossing low into the box. Matt Duffield, unsure whether to clear the danger or leave for lan Chatfield to collect, got caught in two minds and skewed the ball into the roof of the net for a horrible own goal.
The two sides traded chances, James Grant shooting wide when through one-on-one with the Whitehawk keeper and Turner firing straight at Chatfield for the hosts.
YM were struggling to put much together on the rutted pitch but could have equalised before the break when Dean
Garden's shot was blocked after a move involving Nick Flint, AH Russell and Russell Eldridge.
The visitors were a different side after the break. Having had little success playing the ball short, YM were instructed by Suter and assistant boss Tommy Sampson to boot it long - a move which paid off.
YM equalised in the, 55th minute when Eldridge's free-kick only half -cleared Flint chased after the ball and crossed, the keeper spilled leaving Russell with a simple tap-in.
Suter's side took the lead ten minutes later from the penalty spot after Eldridge's ball into the box hit Stuart Garrard on the arm. Garden bagged his second goal in five days by tucking away the spot-kick.
Number three came with ten minutes remaining, although there was an element of controversy about Flint's goal. O'Hara, making his first start of the season, had just fired over when the referee dragged play back and awarded a free-kick, deeming no advantage to have been gained from O'Hara's miss.
Flint then curled in a superb free-kick from the edge of the box, much to the annoyance of the Whitehawk bench who strongly remonstrated with the referee.
Substitute Dave Mitchell pulled a goal back for Whitehawk four minutes from time but YM, for whom Wayne Potter was outstanding, hung on to move into fifth position.
"It was a good three points - lots of teams will go there and not get anything. But were very indifferent in the first half. We played accordingly with the conditions in the and worked hard."
Team: (4-4-2): Chatfield; Duffield, Woodburn, O'Carroll (Carter 57), Eldridge; Carden, Potter, Grant, O'Hara (Bidwell 80); Russell, Flint (Williams 85).