Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Horsham YMCA 1Sutherland (og) 33 |  Metropolitain Police 3Gregory 55, 75, 86 |
| Source: West Sussex County Times |
A HAT-trick from a centre half rammed home Horsham YMCA's struggles this season, keeping John Suter's side firmly rooted to the bottom of Ryman Division 1
South.
Simon Gregory struck with three headers in the second half for Met Police, exposing YM's soft centre in the absence of long term injury victims Ellis Hooper and Glen Woodburn. The hosts had taken a first half lead when Steve Sutherland sliced into his own net, but a fired up Met side were soon back on terms before running away clear winners.
It was the way YM conceded which gave Suter most cause for concern.
"I would have settled for the half time score," he remarked. "They (Met Police) played a lot better in the second half and they deserved to win. Three free-kicks and three goals by a centreback is not a regular occurance and not something I take pleasure in.
"Our defending in open play was reasonably good, but we defended appallingly from set pieces.
"All in all it was another disappointing afternoon.
"We are really missing Glen Woodburn and Ellis Hooper. If they were playing you have to wonder if they would have scored three goals from set pieces. But you cannot think like that."
YM started positively and looked like they were start¬ing to shake off the shackles of some horrible results. James Grant was denied by Will Packham and Greig Palmer's touch deserted him at a vital moment Before long, frustration was etched on the faces of the boys in blue - surely they hadn't turned up expecting an easy ride? But the Met's movement was pretty wretched and the offside flag went up and down like a yo¬yo as YM held a high line.
But the Met's wily striker Dave Stevens rippled the side netting before forcing a smart save from Ken Westoby.
Just as it looked like the visitors were ready to capi¬talise, YM took the lead.
Andy Ottley's free-kick bobbled around in the box before the last touch came off Steve Sutherland to loop over Packham.
A combination of the woodwork and desperate YM lunges kept the Met out just before half time.
And it was all hands tol pump stuff for a short while before the Met finally broke through in the second period. Martyn Lee swung in a free-kick which was bulleted home by Gregory.
Two minutes later it could have been 2-1 when after an awful corner Craig Carley skinned Tom White but was denied by Westoby's legs.
Westoby was forced into another fine save from Stevens, but the YM defence was all at sea when Gregory buried his second header from another Lee set piece. And four minutes from time Gregory completed the YM misery, Lee again the provider for the centre half to rise unchallenged and easily plant a header beyond Westoby.
Magic Moment: A terrific tip over from Ken Westoby to deny Dave Stevens.
Man of the Match: Dean Garden - relishing the responsibility of the captain's armband.
Horsham YMCA: Westoby; Garden, Flack, White, Ottley; Greenfield (Ifill 59), Keehan, Simpson, Grant; Russell, Palmer (Keaney 78)