Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Horsham YMCA 3 Russell 11, 61 Goncalves 42 Davies 90(+5) |
 Corintian-Casuals |
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Source: Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times |
TOP DRAWER goals from Horsham YMCA helped them to a 4-1 victory over Corinthian Casuals on Saturday.
YM were not at their best but still showed enough quality to see off the bottom placed side who were lively and probably counted themselves unlucky to be behind at half time.
Matt Russell sent the hosts on their way with the opener, followed up by a fantastic individual effort from Jose Goncalves before Andre McCollin pulled one back on the stroke of half time.
Another brilliant effort from Russell gave YM a breathing space before a neat finish from Steve Davies put the icing on the cake.
Manager John Suter commented: "Overall not the best performance but the right result.
"We were 2-1 up at half time and I didn't think we played that well.
"I thought that they played better than us, the only good thing I could say at half time was that we were 2-1 up.
"I think we improved in the second half until we scored the third goal when we lost our way a little bit.
"A better side might have punished us and we have to learn from that, but when you come away with a 4-1 win you can't argue with that," he added.
"Matt Russell had a good game and we scored some good goals, Jose's goal was a bit special."
The game started at a brisk pace and the Casuals broke quickly, the ball was cut back for Tyrone Myton but Dean Ruddy got down well to make the save.
Another chance went begging when Matt Smith's free kick hit the wall and McCollin was first to the loose ball but blasted a good opportunity over.
Russell then showed them how it was done in the llth minute. Scott Kirkwood's cross was headed to the edge of the box where Dan Sackman hit an excellent volley that was too hot to handle for Colin Harris and the striker coolly guided the rebound home.
Russell held the ball up well and laid it off for Goncalves who bent the ball agonisingly wide.
At the other end Kane Sergeant lashed a shot wide with Ruddy scrambling across his goal but it was 2-0 three minutes before the break.
Twinkle toes from Goncalves saw him jink past three defenders before curling his shot past the keeper.
But YM went to sleep at the back and Ruddy was forced into a good save when he pushed away Lee Hall's effort, however they did not heed the warning and McCollin got in behind them moments later to tuck the ball underneath Ruddy in first half injury time.
The hosts started the second half positively as the Portugese winger released Duffield but his pass was behind Russell with the goal gaping.
Goncalves moved up front with Kirkwood, who was constantly caught offside, going out wide and Suter's men carried more of a threat, stretching the defence.
A beautiful pass from Sackman was brought down by Russell and he fired the third into the far corner.
YM took their foot off the pedal and Corinthian Casuals had a good spell without creating clear cut chances
The final ball was lacking from the hosts until Russell was played in again but, in search of his hat-trick, he shot tamely at Harris.
Ruddy was nearly bundled over the line by James Goodwin when trying to collect a cross and Sergeant missed the target with a free header.
At the death, substitutes Pat Massaro and Davies linked up but the latter missed a golden chance when he headed at the keeper, which was more like a cushioned header back by a defender.
In the fifth minute of added on time Goncalves skinned Smith and whipped in a cross that was delightfully turned in by Davies.
Suter remarked: "We thought that if we got 50 points we would have had a very good season, we've got 48 points with 12 games left to play."
Man of the match: Matt Russell - superb centre forward's display.
Magic moment: When Jose Goncalves danced past three players and scored.
YM (4-4-2): Ruddy; Garden, Hooper, Wopdburn, Levett; ; Duffield, White, Sackman (Achoko 77), Goncalves; Kirkwood (Massaro 83), Russell (Davies 86).