Match Report
County League: Division One
 Horsham YMCA 3 Russell.M 36, 71 Trevor 56 |  Wick 0 | |||
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Source: Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times |
YM ENDED a fantastic season in a disappointing style with a goalless draw at home to Hailsham on Friday evening.
The game had an end of season feel about it, especially in the first half as YM -already crowned champions the previous week - failed to finish with a bang.
"I'm disappointed," said manager John Suter.
"End of season, the league was won, very bumpy pitch, opposition that defended quite deep, which is what people do when they come here which is why we've won more games away.
"They've got a good goalkeeper, but you wouldn't have known that from the first half, we didn't test him but he made two good saves from Matt Russell in the second half," he added.
However the manager was delighted with the season overall. "I wanted to finish with a win and probably wanted it too much because I was really down about it.
"But I'm looking at the league table and we are top, scored more goals than anyone else, conceded less and got more points so I shouldn't be too disappointed. I was accused of being an old misery guts.
"We've got a fantastic away record. When you look at it now we've won by nine points. To come from 12 points behind, it was a totally different achievement from last year - more memorable," commented Suter.
Hailsham - fresh from defeating Ringmer - made a bright start to the game and Eddie Keboah raced away but his final ball let him down when Peter Cooper was lurking dangerously at the far post.
YM responded well without ever really threatening the goal for the remainder of the half.
Dave Gellatly burst through from midfield but curled his shot over the top and dragged another one wide. James Grant span on a sixpence but his shot flew over.
Just before half-time a flowing move involving Matt Duffield and Grant resulted in Joel O'Hara volleying a good opportunity over.
Hailsham's first effort on goal came three minutes into the second half but it never looked like troubling lan Chatfield, who could have popped to the bar for a celebratory drink during the game.
Russell Tanner comfortably held Barrie Westgate's flicked header from a Gellatly free-kick and the defender headed a good chance wide minutes later.
Hailsham's best chance came from a Jason Satchwell header that went straight into Chatfield's grateful hands.
Russell and Duffield linked up well before YM's top scorer stung the palms of Tanner.
The striker then showed his tinkle toes when he turned in the box and forced the keeper into another excellent save but it was not to be for YM as Gellatly drilled a shot wide in the dying moments.
Team: (4-4-2): Chatfield; Garden, Hooper, Westgate, Levett; Duffield, Bird (Potter 60), Gellatly, O'Hara; Grant (Miller 86), Russell