Match Report
County League: Division One
 Ringmer 1 Tidey 18 |  Horsham YMCA 3 Carden 73(pen) |
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Source: Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times |
CHAMPIONS Horsham YMCA took a step closer to retaining their title with a hard fought 1-1 draw at rivals Ringmer on Easter Saturday.
The game was played in atrocious conditions with chances few and far between until the final quarter of the game when either side could have won it.
Barren Tidey's left foot curler in the 19th minute lit up an otherwise forgettable first half but Dean Garden held his nerve from the penalty spot to send the keeper the wrong way after the break and give YM one hand on the trophy.
"We came for the win but I'll be more pleased about the draw than Mr Crumplin," said manager John Suter.
"I think a draw was probably a fair result. We had some reasonable chances, one from Kris Trevor got stuck in the mud. Possibly we shaded it but the pitch dictated it, going down the hill was always easier than going up it.
"You have to credit all players on both sides because it was a very difficult game to play in the conditions," he added.
At the end of the game the YM players could be heard chanting 'champions' but as soon as their manager arrived in the dressing room it was silenced.
"As soon as I got in there I shut it up, I said to them 'you are reigning champions so you can be forgiven for singing that for last year but you haven't got it yet this year. It's not all over, anything can happen in football," commented Suter.
"It's not guaranteed - I see no one here with the championship trophy giving it to us so it's not over."
Ringmer - kicking down the slope in the first half -were getting some joy down the right without creating anything until Tidey cut inside Nick Levett and curled a beauty into the top corner, to make it game on in the title race.
YM's first chance came midway through the half when Joel O'Hara headed a free-kick down to James Grant who fired over the top.
O'Hara headed well over from a corner before they received a let off when Gavin Jones flicked the ball on for Tidey but he dragged his shot wide of the far post
The visitors nearly levelled just before half-time when Glen Woodburn nodded across goal to Grant but his looping header over the keeper was hooked off the line by Clay Lamont.
Ringmer, having had most of the pressure in the first half, seemed content to sit on their lead and invite YM on to them.
The hosts looked comfortable until Grant raced clear and was scythed down just outside the area by the keeper for a free-kick and Ross Standen was lucky to escape not getting a card at all.
From the set piece there was a blatant handball, denying Woodburn a chance and referee Paul Hammond pointed to the spot.
Garden confidently stepped up to level the proceedings and force Ringmer to come out and have a go again.
I an Chatfield saved well from a Lamont header, Dominic Sheperd curled a free-kick just over and YM survived a scary moment when Chatfield was out sharply to save from Tidey and when the cross came back in, Woodburn nearly sliced into his own net.
With two minutes to go YM came so close to the victory when a lovely pass foom the outside of Matt Duffield's boot found Trevor who poked the ball past Standen but it got held up in a puddle in the goalmouth and was eventually cleared.
Suter and his assistant, Tommy Sampson, were out of the dug out and ready to celebrate, only to be denied by the weather.
Ringmer went straight down the other end and nearly won it themselves, but Chatfield saved from Gareth Green to earn a point for YM in a bruising encounter.
Team: (4-4-2): Chatfield; Garden, Hooper, Woodburn, Levett; Duffield, Bird, Gellatly (Potter 82), O'Hara; Grant (Trevor 75, Russell.