YM's award joy cut short by tough week
HORSHAM YMCA manager John Suter and goalkeeper Dean Ruddy were handed their awards in recognition of a superb December on Saturday.
Suter won the manger of the month honour, and Ruddy the golden gloves accolade, after going on a six match unbeaten run in which they conceded just one goal.
Ruddy said: "I don't think I've been playing too badly, the defence has made my job a lot easier. I feel I have been in good form."
The young US keeper, who joined after graduating from Rhode Island University, rates his performance against Dover in a backs to the wall 0-0 as the pick of the month.
"We were under a lot of pressure in that game and we held it up pretty well," he commented.
Unfortunately the club's fine form came to a shuddering halt in a 4-2 loss at home to Cray Wanderers on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Gorings Mead outfit were left fuming after their match at Ashford Town was called off at 6pm on Tuesday - while the team were on the M20.
"It was galling," manager Suter said.
"Especially for someone like Tom White, who has to come from Bognor in the first place.
"We have not got enough money for this to happen.
"It's the second time it has happened in a fortnight, we turned up to Sittingbourne and it was called off then.
"My gut feeling was that the match was not going to be on -it is frustrating."
A heavy downpour around two hours before kick off was blamed.
Ashford Town secretary Elaine Orsbourne said: "Our groundsman had been working on the pitch all morning.
"He spoke to the match referee at lunch time and explained the pitch situation, as he knows it better than anyone.
"At 4.45pm I was asked to call in our local referee as it had rained a bit harder in the afternoon. He arrived at 5pm and spoke to the match referee and all was still ok.
"However between 5.15pm and 5.45pm the heavens opened up and by the time the match referee arrived it was deemed unsafe to play on due to a waterlogged pitch. I can only apologise for the game being called off at this time. If only that last downpour hadn't occurred it would have been playable."