Match Report
John O'Hara Cup: 3rd Round
 Wealden 2Head 12 Hutchinson 63 |  Horsham YMCA 1 Eldridge 80 (pen) |
Date: 10th December 2005 Location:The Oaks
Source: Steve Payne, West Sussex County Times
IT WOULD appear YM are saving their poorest performances for the cup competitions, the only exception being last week's fight back in the RUR Cup.
They have been dumped out of the FA Cup, FA Vase and now the league cup, thanks to fairly low key defence and a disappointing lack of power up front.
Saturday's cup tie at the attractive Wealden ground, near Uckfield, East Sussex, was a struggle from the start, as a hatful of players were unable to play for a variety of reasons. But their replacements should have had the ability to overcome this Division 2 outfit.
YM played plenty of attractive football in the middle of the park, were less confident in defence, and most of their play up front was snuffed out by a robust Wealden defence.
In fact, the home side had two experienced central defenders who kept YM's lively Mazin Hudai and the hard working Matt Russell at bay.
Hudai has a wealth of talent, but is just short of strength and loses the ball too easily, leaving Russell's flicks going begging.
However, it was Hudai who had one effort go wide and another saved in a low key first half.
Wealden, though, took the lead after 12 minutes from a corner, which probably should have been a foul on Russell Eldridge before the ball went over the line.
A cross was floated over and found Reece Head, up from defence, who looked surprised to have so much room and time to fire home.
YM showed even less enterprise up front after the break and it was no shock when Wealden extended their lead after 63 minutes. Wes Tate had a good effort saved by YM keeper lan Chatfield and from the resulting corner skipper Justin Harris shot into a crowd and Tobi Hutchinson managed to deflect the ball home.
With 15 minutes to go, YM manager John Suter (or as the programme had it, John Stutter) switched things round to 4-3-3, with Ellis Hooper moving up front from central defence.
Off came injured defender Nick Levett and midfielder Nick Weekes and, within five minutes, a fairly innocuous tackle on the edge of the Wealden box was rewarded with a penalty which Eldridge slammed home.
Two minutes later and Hooper burst through the defence, but his shot was too high. The ball immediately went to other end and Tate's shot was saved.
Another couple of decent YM moves came to nothing, leaving Wealden celebrating as if they had won the cup itself.
To add salt to the wound, YM's low-key FA Vase victors, Chessington, are still winning in the FA Vase.
Team: (4-4-2): Chatfield; Duffield, Hooper, Woodburn, Levett (Carter 73); Weekes (O'Carroll 73), Potter, Grant, Eldridge; Hudai, Russell.
