Match Report
County League:Division One
 Wick 2Morrow 40 Curd 95 |  Horsham YMCA 3 Eldridge 1 Grant 3 Trevor 13 |
Date: 8th October 2005 Location:Wick
Source: West Sussex County Times
YM MADE a barnstorming start in their 3-2 victory at Wick.
The visitors banged in three quality goals in the first 13 minutes through Russell Eldridge, James Grant and Kris Trevor.
"We played absolutely fantastic for 30 minutes," said assistant manager Tommy Sampson, who was in charge for the day with boss John Suter sunning himself on holiday. "It was top drawer stuff, we could have been six up after half an hour. Wick weren't giving it to us, we just played super.
"Hats off to Wick, they never chucked it in when they could have done. When they scored their second after 95 minutes, I thought 'here we go'.
"It was never a 3-2, we played some delightful stuff - the best that I have seen. I have been here three months and not tried to change the way they play because they are champions, we've got some really good players here," he added.
YM hit the ground running when they opened their account in the first minute, Ali Russell held up the ball well before teeing up Eldridge who fired in from 20 yards out. "Russell Eldridge is a Ryman League footballer, comfortably.
He's got a lovely strike on him," purred Sampson.
The advantage was doubled after three minutes following a slick move - a diagonal ball was knocked into Russell who found Grant with a lovely touch and the diminutive midfielder volleyed first time into the back of the net.
The visitors had to wait ten minutes for the third, which was a fine individual goal by Trevor, turning two defenders and then coolly clipping the ball into the corner.
During the blistering opening spell YM should have had more goals, Eldridge missed a golden opportunity on his weaker side from nine yards, Grant should have scored and Wick were able to scramble an effort off the line from a corner.
Wick pulled one back five minutes before the break when they got in behind YM's defence and Morrow converted the cross.
In a bizarre first half, seconds later Wick should have got a second. "It's the worst miss I have ever seen," commented Sampson.
The ball was flicked on from a long throw then headed on to the bar, with keeper lan Chatfield lying in the goal having attempted to make the save, the rebound was volleyed over from three yards out.
The second half petered out which suited YM, however, they were ' given a scare deep into injury time when Wick pulled another goal back through Curd and seven minutes of added on time were played but YM stood firm.
"We are a very good side and I still haven't seen our best side out there yet. I don't think we get stretched enough, we need to be tested more," remarked Sampson.
Team: (4-4-2): Chatfield; Garden, Carter, Woodburn, O'Carroll; Bidwell, Potter, Eldridge, Grant; Trevor, Russell.
