Match Report
County League: Division One
 Horsham YMCA 1 Graves 73 |  Oakwood 0 |
| Source: Steve Pickthall, West Sussex County Times |
CHRIS White says he is confident his Horsham YMCA side will be playing Ryman League football next season.
A Tom Graves header midway through the second half settled a nerve-jangling final league match against Oakwood in front of the biggest crowd of the season at Gorings Mead.
Victories for both Arundel and Eastbourne United see YM finish the season in third place, but if, as expected, White's men are awarded three points for Chichester fielding an ineligible player they will finish as champions.
"All the conversations I've had with people at the County this week, Chichester are guilty, they will be found guilty and the points will come back to us, but until it's official we are not going to tempt any fate," White said. "If they stick by their rules and the league do what they've always done then we will be champions."
The probable reprieve is likely to drag on well into the summer months with Chichester expected to appeal any points deduction. The players know they should have at least earned a point at Worthing in midweek to win promotion on their own backs, but credit has to be given to White for assembling a team from scratch capable of fighting for the title.
"I've just said to the lads, outside of Martyn Flack we're all completely new to the football club so to be in this situation in our first seaŽson is credit to all of them," he said.
The news on Chichester had also handed already relegated Oakwood a possible lifeline at the other end of the table should they take the three points. And with much of the 338 fans at the ground made up of Horsham supporters cheering on their for-mer YM neighbours to keep alive plans for a ground share next season, the stakes could hardly have been higher.
CHRIS White says he is confident his Horsham YMCA side will be playing Ryman League football next season. A Tom Graves header midway through the second half settled a nerve-jangling final league match against Oakwood in front of the biggest crowd of the season at Gorings Mead.
Victories for both Arundel and Eastbourne United see YM finish the season in third place, but if, as expected, White's men are awarded three points for Chichester fielding an ineligible player they will finish as champiporters cheering on their for-mer YM neighbours to keep alive plans for a ground share next season, the stakes could hardly have been higher.
Tom Manton had the game's first half chance with a header on 20 minutes which he failed to get any power on and the home side were adamant they should have been awarded a penalty when striker Paul Elliott was hauled down right on the edge of the box.
Oakwood's best chance of the half came when Flack's missed header allowed Chris Williams to get to the byline and cut back for striker partŽner Nathan Puller but his low effort was comfortably saved.
YM suffered a blow when James Rhodes was forced off with injury forcing White to throw on the half fit Shaheen Sadough on the half hour mark, and the winger showed good skill to beat two players and set up Manton, who could only shoot straight at Anthony Dibernardo in goal.
YM should have gone into the break in the lead, Sadough's fine pass found the run of Elliott and he did superbly to pick out Scott Marshall who had ghosted into the box from midfield but could only rattle the post with the goal gaping.
Dibernado denied Lawley with a diving save after flicking a Sadough cross at goal at the start of the second half and as the game ticked on frustration began to creep into the home side's game.
Oakwood hatched a great chance to ruin the party when Williams chested a ball into Puller's path and he forced his way past defender Tom Graves to leave him with just the keeper to beat, but Craig Stoner justified his selection with a vital stop with his legs.
The crucial goal came in the 73rd minute, Sadough picked up a short corner on the left and curled an effort towards the back post which had Dibernado beaten, and Graves was there with the slightest of touches to send the players, management and fans into rapture.
White said: "They've worked really hard, they've been a pleasure to work with, they've been at all training sessions and I've never come across that in my career so I think they deserve it (promotion) to be honest."
Man of the Match: Shaheen Sadough - made a massive difference when he came on and made the all important winning goal.
YMCA: (4-3-3):Rand; Williams, Metcalf, Flack, Graves; Rhodes, Manton, Lawley, Sadough (Marshall 40); Bradley (Lament 78), Elliott (Death 90).
