YM's race for the County League Division 1 Championship
August
THE DEFENDING league champions started the season with a last gasp 2-1 defeat at the hands of Conference side Crawley in the Roy Hayden Trophy. Their league campaign kicked off with a tidy 2-0 win over Littlehampton with lan Chatfield providing some heroics in the net. Arundel inflicted their only away defeat all season as YM lost 1-0, but they thumped East Preston 6-2.
September
A FINE second half display saw them battle back from a goal down to beat Whitehawk 3-2 in impressive fashion. They sent Storrington crashing out of the RUR Cup with a convincing 5-0 win and the good league form continŽued for YM as they despatched newly promoted Crowborough Athletic 5-1 and a battling Shoreham 1-0.
October
YM'S SIXTH win on the trot came as they beat last year's runners-up, Rye & Iden United 3-1 with a Kris Trevor brace. In a tight contest an Ali Russell strike was enough to win at Chichester and a draŽmatic finale saw Trevor grab a winner seven minutes into time added on against Eastbourne Town. However, the month ended badly with a home loss to rivals Ringmer and a shock defeat to Chessington & Hook in the FA Vase when the team failed to perform.
November
GOOD character was shown as YM bounced back with a 5-2 mauling of Sidley thanks to a Trevor hat-trick. Despite a lively debut from Matt Russell, YM were held to a goalless draw by East Preston as the gap opened up to six points from leaders Ringmer. A late show from YM saw them come from two down to gain revenge and beat Arundel 4-2 with Russell scoring his first during his second coming at Gorings Mead.
December
A NINE point gap appears at the beginning of the month with YM not in league action, however a valiant 3-1 win over Eastbourne United cuts it by two. A terrible Boxing Day was endured as the Gorings Mead side crashed to a home defeat at the hands of local rivals, Three Bridges, in a dire encounter. New Year's Eve brought a smile back to faces with a vicŽtory over the dangerous Crowborough thanks to Matt Duffield and Dave Gellatly.
January
THE YM smile grew bigger with a 2-1 victory over Littlehampton and the Boxing Day blues were forgotten. They then paid the penalty as John Suter's men were knocked out of the RUR Cup in a shootout but that was backed up with an emphatic 4-0 demolition of Southwick. After a couple of disapŽpointing draws the gap was still nine points.
February
THINGS went from bad to worse for the defending champions as Shoreham perŽformed a smash and grab raid to take all three points away from Gorings Mead. A deplete YM bounced back with Mazin Hudai scorŽing the only goal of the game against Eastbourne Town. Despite more heroics from Chatfield, YM could only manage a 2-2 draw with Rye thanks to goals from Gellatly and Dean Garden. They finished the month in style with a late brace from Russell handing YM a 2-0 triŽumph over Redhill and a fanŽtastic second half display saw them come from behind to beat Hassocks thanks to goals from Gellatly and Russell.
March
IT LOOKED like a 1-1 draw with Sidley and a lack of cre- ativity would derail YM's aspirations. However, Trevor came the bench to hit another i matic injury-time winne Hailsham, in a game that dominated by the visitors. They suffered more pen agony as Tom Rand hel Wick to victory in a shooi in the Brighton Charity Cu Russell had his shoot boots on as the top scorer four during the 5-0 destr tion of Southwick to make deficit five points with ju; game in hand on Ringmer. More hope was given YM continued their scintil ing away form to win 3-1 Worthing United, < Ringmer showed signs choking with a defeat.
April
AN EMPHATIC 4-1 victory at Eastbourne United sent YM top for the first time this year. Their lead was extended thanks to a last gasp strike from Russell against Redhill. YM had a very happy Easter - cruising past Three Bridges and earning a valuable point in what was billed as the title decider in appalling conditions at Ringmer. Dean Garden kept his cool from the spot. It was party time at Gorings Mead when YM completed an amazing points turn around to seal back to back championships with Russell (two) and Trevor scoring in the rout of Wick.