Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Dulwich Hamlet 4Roberts 22 Bremner 32 Ahmad 38 (pen) Scannell 90 (+3) |
 Horsham YMCA 1Davies 19 |
|
|
Source: Patrick Corlett, West Sussex County Times |
A CRAZY quarter of an hour cost Horsham YMCA as they were beaten 4-1 at Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.
The visitors started excellently and went in front through a top quality goal by Steve Davies which could have been added to before Dulwich levelled.
Poor defending and a very debatable penalty meant that YM were 3-1 down at the break, an uphill task was then made impossible when Ellis Hooper was sent off and it was just a question of how many the hosts would score.
Manager John Suter said: "We played ever so well for 20 minutes, scored and could have had another two goals. We were bombing and buzzing."
However, he was left to rue a sloppy period. "We then had a very bad quarter of an hour, disappointing goals to concede," remarked the boss.
"Two almost identical free kicks, we were too deep and should have dealt with them better, and I felt it wasn't a penalty but the linesman gave it.
"The penalty was a killer blow then the real killer blow was Ellis [Hooper] getting sent off, I was disappointed with the indiscipline.
"Second half was a rear guard action all the time, everybody worked their socks off."
YM, often slow starters this season, got off to a flyer. A fantastic ball with the outside of his right foot by Andy Ottley picked out Matt Russell but the keeper, Simon Overland, was out quickly to save.
Tom White was controlling the middle with Ottley and Scott Kirkwood buzzing around and YM deservedly took the lead in the 19th minute with a brilliant goal.
The ball was fed into Russell's feet on the edge on the box and his back heel fell perfectly into Davies' angled run and he drilled the ball into the far corner.
Dulwich changed things and introduced Mazin Ahmad, within a minute of doing so they were level. A free kick was whipped into the area and Leigh Bremner's diving header bounced into the ground, off the bar and was nodded home by Justyn Roberts.
Kirkwood latched on to a poor kick by the keeper and found Davies, he picked out Dan Sackman bursting forwards but Overland atoned for his mistake to make a fine save.
The dangerous Phil Williams caused YM problems all day, he ran at the defence but was chopped down by Hooper who was booked.
Yet again YM were punished from the set piece when the ball ricocheted off Jamie Lovegrove on to the post and Bremner finished the rebound.
Damien Scannell then raced clear, miss hit his shot and tangled legs with White who was tracking back but the linesman gave a harsh penalty. Ahmad sent Dean Ruddy the wrong way to make it 3-1.
Williams skipped past Nick Levett and played in Bremner but he shot wildly over with only the keeper to beat.
Roberts then thumped a header off the bar as Dulwich were in full flow by now.
Early in the second half Levett's shot was well held by Overland but Hooper then tripped Williams again and got his second yellow, reducing YM to ten men in the 53rd minute.
The hosts dominated after that - Williams, Scannell and Ahmad tormented YM who tried their best, but chances kept coming.
They missed the target on several occasions and Ruddy was called on to make a number of good saves despite the visitors working hard.
Garden, who was marauding down the right played a low ball into Davies who missed his shot for YM's only chance. Dulwich completed the scoring in injury time when Scanell's deflected shot wrong footed Ruddy.
Suter added: "They are a good side and play some good football but there were a lot of things in the game that we came away feeling unhappy about."
Man of the match: Dean Carden - didn't give up and worked tirelessly down the right.
Magic moment: Matt Russell's cheeky flick through to Steve Davies for the goal.
YM (4-4-2): Ruddy; Garden, Hooper, Lovegrove, Levett; Ottley (Greenfield 74), White, Sackman, Kirkwood (Massaro 79); Davies, Russell (Taylor 59).