Match Report
Ryman league: Division One South
 Burgess Hill Town 1 Howell 60 |  Horsham YMCA 0 |
| Source: Allan Norbury , West Sussex County Times |
EVERYTHING is boiling down to 'that little bit of quality' this season for Horsham YMCA
A desperate pair of results over Easter, Saturday's 3-2 loss to Kingstonian, and Monday's 1-0 defeat at Burgess Hill encapsulated their efforts for much of this term, and left John Suter's side in need of a footballing miracle. Both of those sides are realistic Division 1 South play-off contenders, and although YM matched them almost stride for stride, it was again down to the difference in quality between the sides in the final third.
On Monday, it was the Hillians player/manager Steve Harper who proved to be the difference, teeing up a well taken goal for Jamie Howell.
Suter said: "A draw would have been a fair result, but that would not have been enough for us."
Kicking down the slope in the first period, YM came to fight for their place in the league and had Burgess Hill on the back foot. James Grant and Darren Pearce bit into tigerish tackles in midfield, forcing the Hillians into numerous blocks and desperate dives.
Grant shot over and Ali Russell was inches away from meeting Pearce's free kick.
YM's efforts intensified after the break - two Pearce corners caused problems, but the hosts were capable of some attractive football, despite the conditions.
And they produced some real quality when Harper ghosted past Glen Woodburn on the outside before unleashing a powerful left foot drive, which Ken Westoby got a hand to but the ball dropped for Jamie Howell to tap in the rebound.
As legs tired on the sticky surface, YM substitute Pani Ortis connected with a Matt Foreman cross but could not hit the target, while Andy Lutwyche, Pearce and Woodburn all fired balls across the face of goal which just required the slightest of touches. Despite YM's late pressure though, Harper almost put the game beyond doubt when he clipped the bar.
Suter added: "If your desire is greater than theirs and you are desperate to win you can ask no more than giving 100 per cent.
"We dominated it from the first moment with our attitude."
Man of the Match: : : Darren Pearce, caused trouble with his set pieces.
Magic Moment: Any one of the goalmouth scrambles which so nearly yielded a YM goal.
Teams: YM (4-4-2): Westoby; Garden, Fitzgerald (Keaney 85), Woodburn, M Russell; Pearce, Foreman, Grant, Greenfield (Lutwyche 78); A Russell, Palmer (Ortis 69).