Match Report
Ryman league: Division One South
 Horsham YMCA 1 Grant 59 |  Corinthian-Casuals 2 Lutwyche 71 (og) Amara 76 |
Source: Steve Pickthall, West Sussex County Times
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HORSHAM YMCA's battle to avoid relegation took a huge dent on Saturday as they went down 2-1 to nearest rivals Corinthian Casuals.
YM were sunk by two second half goals in five minutes after they had taken the lead at Gorings Mead.
Second half substitute James Grant broke the deadlock in the 59th minute with an unstoppable left foot shot, before an own goal by Andy Lutwyche and a Hinga Amara strike won it for Casuals.
Saturday's disappointing result leaves YM second bottom of the league and nine points from safety with only eight to play.
Casuals started the game the brighter, with striker Carlton Murray-Price finding room just inside the area, but his shot was straight at Alan Mansfield who was able to beat the ball away.
A scrappy first half produced few moments of real quality from either side -debutant Scott Marshall struggled to get going down the right despite some neat touches and link-up play with Dean Cardon on the overlap.
It took YM 42 minutes to register a shot on target, the ball falling to Alex Keaney on the edge of the box from a corner, but his goal-bound shot was just tipped over by keeper Paul Smith.
The start of the second half brought a downpour of rain and a rejuvenated home team who came out of the dressing room with a far greater sense of purpose.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 59th minute, substitute Grant skinning his defender on the right before unleashing a left foot strike into the bottom corner.
With the home crowd woken, YM looked the more comfortable, although a dangerous pass across their own backline nearly led to an equaliser.
The game swung in the 71st minute when Casuals full-back Matt Smith knocked in a dangerous ball which Lutwyche could only turn into his own net with an outstretched leg.
It got worse for YM when Mansfield could only half clear a shot and it fell straight to Amara inside the area, who had the simple task of finding the net on 76 minutes.
Despite a spirited effort by the home side to get back into the game, Casuals held on to lift themselves into 18th position and ten points clear of Horsham YMCA.
A dejected YM boss John Suter was the last one to leave the pitch as the rain lashed down, and could not hide his frustration with the result.
When asked if he could take any positives from the game, Suter said: "Absolutely none.
"In a game we couldn't afford to loose, we lost.
"Disappointing would be an understatement."
While refusing to make any excuses for his team's performance, Suter pointed to key moments in the game that didn't go the home side's way.
"It was unfortunate, the own goal," said Suter.
"When you're one nil up it's "not what you want, but it's consistent with what goes on when you're at the bottom of the league.
"I don't really believe in luck, but Carden hit the post and one time it will go in and another time it will go wide.
So luck does play a part in football.
"It was unfortunate that we conceded an own goal like that.
"I don't blame anybody for it, I don't blame Lutwyche, it was a ball he had to go for, although with hindsight you. could say he could have left it but he didn't know that."
The defeat leaves YM second bottom of Division 1 South and nine points behind nearest rivals Whitstable Town and Eastbourne Town. Suter is targeting a win in their next fixture, away to Whyteleafe on Saturday (March 15), as a platform to avoiding the drop
Man of the Match: : Dean Garden - dealt with the threat down the right well and made some positive runs forward.
Magic Moment: James Grant's brilliant individual goal to give YM the lead and lift the home supporters.
Teams: YM (4-4-2): Mansfield; Garden, Lutwhyche, Woodburn, Fitzgerald; Marshall (Grant 45), White, Pearce, Keaney; A Russell (Palmer 88), M Russell (Greenfield 80).