Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Walton CasualsCrowe 18 Hinds 49 Carley 56 Gale 63 |
 Horsham YMCA 3Russell 20 greenfield 38 |
|
|
Source: Allan Norbury, West Sussex County Times |
FRUSTRATED Horsham YMCA manager John Suter rapped his 'Jekyll and Hyde' side after a crushing 4-2 defeat at Walton Casuals on Tuesday.
His side were a shadow of the team which defended so well at times against Maidstone on Saturday in their 2-2 draw, and crumbled in the face of the same kinds of questions from the Casuals strikers.
Even more frustrating was the fact YM were 2-1 up at half time, and failed to capitalise, conceding three goals in the space of 16 second half minutes.
"It was a very poor performance," Suter complained.
"When you think about how much my players rolled their sleeves up against Maidstone coming under the barrage like we did, there are no excuses.
"At 2-1 the only good thing was the scoreline. They were much sharper than us. In the first half they got on the front foot and we gave the ball away too often.
"It's very difficult to put a finger on it."
Led by skipper Scott Harris, who probed and prompted all night, Walton made the better start to a disjointed first half, and the first warning signs came when Craig Carley bustled past Ellis Hooper and Kristian Webb hooked his sliding effort over the YM bar.
Walton were dominating the midfield battle and won almost every second ball, eventually the persistence of Harris paid off when he had space to square to full back James Crowe on the burst to rifle a left footed shot in from 20 yards.
Only now did YM seem to awake from their slumber, two minutes later Tom White was clattered by Harris and the Gorings Mead side had a chance to equalise on their first sortie into Walton territory.
A well worked free kick saw the ball shifted wide right to Andy Ottley, whose precision cross found Matt Russell rising highest to head the equaliser.
After this, neither side could establish a period of dominance, it was end to end stuff - without the excitement.
Just as it looked as if Walton were starting to crank back through the gears, YM found a second goal out of nowhere. Matt Russell's deft touch on the halfway line sent Richard Greenfield haring away, and the striker's pace carried him past Jermaine Hinds and John Ambridge before unleashing an unstoppable shot from inside the box. Not bad - two shots, two goals, 2-1.
Minutes later it could have improved further when Matt Reed saved James Grant's effort.
Scott Kirkwood started the second period well, but once his burst of energy disappeared, Casuals got back on top. Four minutes into the half, Hooper handballed to give away a free-kick. From the resultant set piece, Hinds smashed a close range shot past the helpless Jason Dumbrill, and the score was even.
Buoyed by the goal, wave after wave of Walton attacks came, Dumbrill made a good full legnth save from Carley's low shot, but could do nothing about the third.
On 56 minutes David Ocquaye picked out Carley's run behind Glen Woodburn and Hooper, and the striker slid into put the ball beyond Dumbrill, trickling agonisingly inside the post.
It was to get worse as YM struggled to find a way out, and when the unlucky Dean Garden left Dumbrill stranded after deflecting Anthony Gale's free kick in, the damage was complete.
Kirkwood dragged two chances wide after good work from Andy Ottley, but the visitors were never in the second half.
YM travel to Dartford on Sunday in the FA Trophy, where a crowd of more than 4,000 is expected to celebrate the opening of their new ground.
Suter commented: "I do not know how we are going to react, you never know with them, they are Jeckyll and Hyde. They put in a terrific display on Saturday to get a point then produce this kind of quiet performance."
Man of the Match: Andy Ottley - gave YM another outlet and looked busy.
Magic moment: Matt Russell's flick to set Richard Greenfield away for the second YM goal.
YM (4-4-2): Dumbrill; Garden, Woodburn (M Ottley 59), Hooper, Shuga'a; Grant, White, Kirkwood, A Ottley (Levett 79); Greenfield (Brackley 64), Russell
