Match Report
Brighton Charity Cup: 1st Round
 Horsham YMCA 2 Fitzgerald 6 Grant 20 |  Lancing 0 |
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Date: 17th January 2006 Location:Gorings Mead
Source: Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times
YM EASED through to the second round of the Brighton Charity Cup with a 2-0 win over Lancing.
The Gorings Mead outfit got the job done in the first ten minutes with a fortunate goal from Phil Fitzgerald and an absolute cracker from James Grant.
The hosts played well and looked very dangerous in the opening quarter of the game but it petered out after that with a dire second half display against their Division 2 opponents.
"The first 15 minutes we played well but after that it just went downhill, it's very difficult - the game was won," said manager John Suter.
"We did the business early, too early really and people knew the score. It's in the mindset of a footballer. You cannot kick start it. It was a poor game in the end. The pitch wasn't conducive to football, which didn't help but they [Lancing] passed the ball better than us in the second half," he added.
YM started like they meant business and earned a corner in the fourth minute that Ali Russell headed goalwards, Ashley Walker was unable to hold the ball with but with skipper, Tom Carter lurking, the ball was scrambled clear.
A minute later the home side won a free-kick way out on the right touch line that was whipped in by Fitzgerald, it evaded everyone and the ball bounced into the top corner.
Good work by Kris Trevor in the channel set up Russell but his shot was deflected just wide. From the corner, Carter saw his header cleared off the line.
However, YM did not have to wait long before they doubled their advantage in the tenth minute. Grant picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran at the defence before unleashing a thunderbolt with his left foot that flew into the corner from 25 yards.
"It was a cracking finish for the second goal, the high point of the game," remarked Suter.
The Lancing skipper, Mark Burt, failed to work the largely redundant lan Chatfield as he fired well over from the edge of the box.
Dean Garden bombed down the right flank and delivered a great first time cross for Joel O'Hara but he headed over.
Trevor and Dave Gellatly had shots blocked before Trevor came close to making it 3-0 in the 33rd minute. From a Lancing corner Russell launched the ball up field and the diminutive forward beat Lee Cox for pace and skipped round Luke McCabe in the box but Walker denied him with a sharp save low to his right.
The hosts had the game wrapped up in the second half, with the pitch cutting up, their passing went to pieces as they failed to trouble the keeper after the break.
At times both teams seemed intent on passing the ball to each other, however, Lancing had more possession with Burt pulling the strings but their attacks broke down in the final third with Chatfield only having to make one comfortable save to make from an Adam Burton header.
"We are through. It would be nice to have a game against Horsham, Worthing or Ringmer. "It would be ever so good for the town if we played Horsham," commented Suter.
YM face a trip to bottom of the table Southwick on Saturday and they will be welcoming back hitman, Matt Russell.
"Matt wanted to play Tuesday night but I wanted to give him four more days rest on a hamstring. He'll play on Saturday.
"I'm worried about Southwick, it's in our make-up not to beat them - bottom of the league and conceded six on Saturday - they are a real banana skin for Horsham YMCA," added the YM supremo.
It is a must win game for the champions as they attempt to catch Ringmer at the top of the league.
"I'd rather be in Ringmer's position with the points on the board but watch out for Whitehawk, they're coming on.
"Ringmer are not playing well and picking up points, we are not playing well and dropping points and Whitehawk are playing well and picking up points," said Suter.
Team: (4-4-2):Chatfield; Garden (Leyett 45), Carter, Westgate, Fitzgerald; Grant, Potter, Gellatly (Duffield 57), O'Hara; Trevor, Russell (Woodburn 68).