Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Whyteleafe 0 |
 Horsham YMCA 1Hooper 58 |
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| Source:West Sussex County Times |
NINE points from the last three games have left Horsham YMCA in dream land.
After a shaky start to life in the Ryman League, YM have consolidated and their three game winning streak lifted them to tenth spot in Division 1 South, for two days.
Latest victims Whyteleafe went down 1-0 on Saturday, and manager John Suter admitted: "It's boy's own stuff."
Ellis Hooper scored the decisive goal after a spell of YM pressure at the start of the second half and goalkeeper Dean Ruddy was called on to make three crucial stops as Whyteleafe threw the kitchen sink at their visitors at the death.
Suter said: "Dean (Ruddy) made two very good saves and one brilliant one. He kept a clean sheet and that's as good as anyone who scores.
"Three wins in a row, it's boy's own stuff really.
"We have around about the points we wanted to get by the end of the month and we still have four games to go before the end of the year."
Whyteleafe, galvanised by the appointment of new manager Dave Swindlehurst, made all the running the first period and almost took the lead in the sixth minute when Glen Woodburn's poor clearing header fell to Shaun Rivers who contrived to miss the target.
"It was a real let off," commented Suter.
"We made a sluggish start and Whyteleafe looked like a side who were trying to impress a new manager, they were bright and sharp and worked hard.".
In a first period short on incident, YM's only real opportunity was a near own goal. From an Andy Ottley free kick, the 'Leafe keeper didn't know whether or not to come for the ball, this confused defender Leon McDonald who almost guided the ball into his own net.
A transformation occurred at half time, and YM flew out of the blocks.
The opening goal went begging when Matt Russell, at full stretch, couldn't guide Phil Fitzgerald's shot goalwards, and he was thwarted again when set up by a combination of Richard Greenfield and Matt Duffield.
Was this down to an inspirational team talk? No, says Suter. "I didn't think they could maintain their pace from the first half;" he said. "I told my lads that at half time. We just keep plugging away and do not give anything up."
Sure enough, YM kept plugging away and on 58 minutes took the lead. Ottley's corner was cleared only as far as Hooper on the edge of the box and the defender rifled in a shot through a crowded area and found the back of the net.
The goal woke Whyteleafe form their slumber, forcing the Gorings Mead outfit on the back foot.
Glen Woodburn almost scored an own goal when he rose to meet a cross but the ball shaved the top of his head and flew marginally wide of the far post.
Whyteleafe were becoming more and more desperate, they couldn't let their new boss down, but left space at the back.
Richard Greenfield almost capitalised when he latched on to a backpass and the goalkeeper made a good save above his head.
Towards the end of the half it turned into kitchen sink stuff as the hosts exerted real pressure, calling Ruddy into action three times in the dying moments.
For the first, Oliver Barnett had beaten three men on the edge of the box and Ruddy made a great save diving to his right.
Whyteleafe then threw the imposing Daniel Arkwright up front and aimed a succession of crosses at him but Ruddy made two more fine stops as YM clung on for grim life.
"We hung on and hacked the ball away," Suter added.
"It's the third game in a row we have named an unchanged lineup and having Matt Duffield and Phil Fitzgerald back helps, they give a lot for the club."
YM (4-4-2): Ruddy; Garden, Woodburn, Hooper, Fitzgerald; Duffield, White, Kirkwood, Ottley; Russell (Davies 85), Greenfield.