Match Report
RUR Charity Cup: 3rd Round
 Mile Oak 2Ayre 8 Burnett 25 |  Horsham YMCA 4 Rusell, M 37, 53, 102 Grant 100 |
Date: 7th December 2005 Location:Mile Oak
Source: West Sussex County Times
YM WERE taken the distance by Mile Oak as they came from two down to win 4-2 in extra-time and progress into the quarter-finals of the RUR Charity Cup.
Matt Russell scored a hat-trick and James Grant hit the other goal as YM made things difficult for themselves by going 2-0 behind again but yet again they showed fighting spirit to come out on top.
"Mile Oak made us struggle," said manager John Suter. "Whoever played with the wind had the upper hand all of the time. The conditions were appalling. We only played ten minutes each way extra-time and we devastated the pitch.
"It was a dreadful night for football, the only plus point was winning the game," he added.
The County League Division 2 outfit started brightly and took the lead in the seventh minute when lan Chatfield spilled a cross-shot from the right and the ball was stabbed home by David Ayre.
They doubled their advantage after 24 minutes from a cross from Ayre and Tony Burnett got the better of Russell Eldridge before slotting home.
Mazin Hudai responded for the County League Division 1 champions with two good runs down the wing, the first was scrambled clear for a corner and Russell hit the post with an overhead kick from the second.
Mile Oak should have made it 3-0 shortly after but Burnett skied one over the top from close range.
YM halved the deficit in the 35 minute. Nick Weekes played the ball to Eldridge who found Russell and the hitman struck a crisp shot from 25 yards that Richard Whittington could not keep out.
Trevor then spurned a couple of opportunities to equalise when he completely missed an Eldridge cross and then failed to test the keeper. Hudai did test Whittington but he was equal to it.
Just before half-time Eldridge cleared off the line from a corner and Chatfield saved at full stretch.
YM were level in the 54tn minute. Weekes and Hudai combined to set up Trevor, his shot was saved but Russell was on hand to poke home.
Russell then had a glorious chance when he put the rebound straight at the keeper from a yard out following Trevor's parried effort.
In the 90th minute Grant was unlucky not to score as Whittington tipped his drive on to the post.
In extra-time, substitute, Ali Russell dispossessed a defender and fed Grant who turned inside and put YM into the lead in the 100th minute.
Two minutes later YM's path into the last eight was secured as Matt Russell headed in an Eldridge corner.
Barry Westgate has done his hamstring badly, Dean Garden injured his foot and he doesn't come off for much which is bad news.
Joel O'Hara is inavailable for Saturday and Dave Gellatly is cup tied," bemoaned Suter.
Positive news is that Wayne Potter, Nick Levett, Ellis Hooper and Matt Duffield all have a chance of playing against Wealden in the John O'Hara League Cup tomorrow.
Team: (4-4-2): Chatfield; Garden (Grant 46), Woodburn, Carter, Eldridge; Hudai, Westgate (Fitzgerald 97), Weekes, O'Hara; Trevor (A Russell 90), M Russell.
