Match Report
John O'Hara Cup: Quarter Final
 Redhill 3 Robinson 14 Reid 48, 95 |  Horsham YMCA 3 Harwood 45 Manton 75 Death 120 |
| Source: West Sussex County Times |
A BUNDLED Tony Timms goal in the last minute of extra time kept Horsham YMCA in the John O'Hara Cup in what manager Chris White described as "one of the strangest game I have ever been involved in".
YM had already twice come from behind through goals from Ben Harwood and Tom Manton, and as the game went into extra time a thick fog moved in making it virtually impossible for the players to see anything.
Tony Reid grabbed his second to put Redhill ahead for the third time, and as the visitors threw men upfront a goal mouth scramble ended with the ball deflecting off Timms for what proved virtually the last kick of the match.
"It was one of the strangest games I have ever been involved in," White said. "Most of extra times was played in such thick fog that you couldn't see in front of you.
"They had a player sent off and we didn't even know that they had, I even asked the linesman what had happened and he said he didn't know, it was a farce."
The home side made a good start to the game and took the lead on 14 minutes with the first of what White called three poor goals to give away.
From a throw the ball came to Reid in the box, and as Wayne Robinson easily peeled off Timms he was fed the ball to drill past keeper Tom Rand.
Shaheen Sadough and Ryan Bradley missed crosses when well placed and Clay Lament somehow put Tom Lawley's cross over the bar from a yard out at the back post.
YM did go into the break at 1-1, after good work from Lawley and Bradley, Harwood was released down the left and he took a touch before rifling into the net on the stroke of half time.
Redhill were back in front early in the second half, a cross was cheaply allowed to come in and Reid out jumped Lament to head in.
Again YM created chances, Sadough twice going clean through only to strike the post and chip wide and Bradley again missed a cross.
With 15 minutes remaining Manton picked up the ball on the left, rounded his fullback and slid the ball across the home keeper and into the net.
A third defensive error gave Redhill the lead for the third time early into the extra period when Timms completely missed a routine header allowing Reid to net his double.
The thin mist that had been hanging in the air was then replaced by a thick fog which made playing near impossible, although Rand still managed to pull off a brilliant save to keep YM in the match.
White went to 3-4-3 and with 120 minutes on the clock the visitors had a corner which ping-ponged around the area before a defensive clearance hit Timms and found the goal to force a replay.
"As far as the football went both sides couldn't defend," White commented.
"We had enough chances to win a couple of games although they were decent up front, but we had chance after chance.
"We still have 21 league games to play and we are still in two cups so it's another game to play which obviously isn't ideal."
YMCA: (4-2-2):Rand; Williams, Lament, Timms, Metcalf; Lawley, Marshall (Flack 88), Geard, Harwood (Manton 60); Sadough (Death 80), Bradley.
