Match Report
John O'Hara Cup: Final
 Horsham YMCA 1 Manton 82 (pen) |  Whitehawk 2 Francis 32, 65 |
| Source: Allan Norbury, West Sussex County Times |
A DEADLY double from striker Sam Francis deprived Horsham YMCA of the John O'Hara Cup, on a day that too many of their key players failed to shine.
Whitehawk took the Sussex County FA final 2-1 thanks to goals either side of half time from Francis, and although YM boss Chris White was unhappy with the performance on a sticky surface in poor conditions, he knew he had bigger fish to fry.
"I said to the boys the season is now over for Whitehawk, but we have a lot to play for," White commented.
"Fair play to them, they won the cup today, and we need to bounce back on Monday - promotion has always been the aim.
"Whitehawk defended well, but we have not got our wide players in the game enough to really stretch them.
"All the time we went long we made it easy for them and made it a little hard for ourselves."
Whitehawk, who had called in a few favours to field the strongest possible side, started the stronger of the two teams, Lee Pontin headed over after six minutes, and Jorge Lopez forced a good save from Tom Rand on the break.
YM struggled to get their flying winger Tom Lawley into the game, and found a combination of offside flag and some superb organisation on Whitehawk's part, hugely frustrating. Paul Elliott was the biggest offside culprit as the spearhead of the YM attack.
It was no surprise when Whitehawk grabbed the lead. Francis won the race to a cute ball over the top and flicked a shot past Rand which dribbled over the line despite a desperate swish of Tom Manton's boot.
With White's half time words still ringing in their ears, YM stormed out for the second period, but found Whitehawk in immovable mood. Elliott's inviting cross was crying out to be converted, Scott Marshall fired over, and after Lawley finally skipped round Andy Beech it took a superb tackle to deny Matt Geard.
There was no such problem for Whitehawk though. For all YM's pressure early in the half, they fell further behind shortly after the hour when Francis headed in at the far post.
Expecting the kitchen sink to be unhooked, Whitehawk retreated and defended brilliantly. Even when the blunt instrument of Clay Lamont was thrown on to cause havoc, they held firm.
But just as hope looked to have disappeared, YM were thrown a bone, from nowhere. Centre back Lament's wrecking ball tactics must have proved effective as a penalty was given their way confusion reigned, but it appeared there was a handball in the build up.
Manton stepped up to bury the spot kick via a post, but despite further YM pressure in the last few minutes, and the presence of keeper Rand inside the penalty area, the cup was Whitehawk's.
Man of the match: Shaheen Sadough. Tried, and went close, to making an impact after introduction on the left wing.
Magic moment: Where the penalty award came from was a mystery, but it threw YM a lifeline.
YMCA: (4-3-3):Rand; Williams, Metcalf, Graves, Flack (Bradley 66), Marshall; Manton, Marshall, Geard; Rhodes (Sadough 55), Elliott (Lamont 78), Lawley.
