Match Report
County League:Division One
 Horsham YMCA 2 Metcalf 85 Sadough 90 |  Oakwood 0 |
| Source: West Sussex County Times |
HORSHAM YMCA left it late to finally overcome strugglers Oakwood 2-0 and move within two points of leaders Eastbourne.
For 85 minutes the visitors created a series of chances which they failed to convert until Steve Metcalf finally broke the deadlock, and Shaheen Sadough's superb solo effort sealed the points.
Having watched a shaky defensive display the week before against Pagham, manŽager Chris White was delighted with his back four's performance.
"The most pleasing thing for me was that we kept a clean sheet," he said.
"We have struggled at set pieces but we worked on it at training and we defended them very well and looked organized when they hit us on the break."
After an even opening to the match YM began to threaten the home goal, Sadough with the first chance but, opting to beat a man too many, instead of getting a shot away.
Ryan Bradley was looking lively upfront and a ball over the top saw him get behind the Oakwood defence and flick over the keeper, but his header at goal spun agonizingly wide of the post.
Midfielder Scott Marshall should have given YM a half time lead but could only side foot Tom Lawley's cutback wide, but there was no half time panic.
"I said to them just keep playing," White insisted.
"We missed chances but we were creating opportunities so it was only a matter of time before we put one in."
Oakwood's game plan was to draw their visitors in and hit them on the break, which they did to good effect in the first half but strong defendŽing limited the amount of times keeper Tom Rand was tested.
Illness to Clay Lamont meant Paul Williams was drafted into centre back alongside James Virgo,although such was the assurance at the back that the two looked like they had played together all season.
A great start to the second half set the tone for YM's dominance after the break. Lawley was soon played clean through but with just the keeper to beat he put it past the post, but from then on the winger terrorised his marker.
Richard Carter blazed over from close range and when Metcalf somehow missed a volley from virtually on the goal line with ten minutes to go it looked like it would ne one of those days for YM.
But with five minutes to play Sadough again crossed from the byline for Metcalf to this time get there ahead of a defender and slide in.
Having made a goal Sadough saved his best until last. Picking the ball up on the right he ghosted past three defenders before rounding the keeper and slotting into an empty net to seal a valuable three points.
YM move to sixth but are now just one win off the top with a game in hand over Eastbourne, in what promises to be one of the closest promotion races in recent years.
YMCA: YM (4-3-3): Rand; Watts, Williams, Virgo, Metcalf; Carter, Marshall, Manton (Joseph 85); Sadough, Lawley, Bradley (Elliott 70).
