Match Report
FA Cup: Preliminary Round
 Horsham YMCA 5 |  Wick 3 |
| Source: West Sussex County Times |
HORSHAM YMCA served up a goal fest as they saw off former County League rivals Wick to earn a £1,500 FA Cup pay day.
Chris White's men went 3-0 ahead shortly after half time, but had to fend off a stirring Wick fightback to take their place in the first qualifying round - always ensuring their noses were just in front.
YM had been told to play at the tempo they are now experiencing in the Ryman League and Wick would be blown away but White was less impressed with the failure to close the game out.
He said: "When you get 3-0 up you have to close the game out. That doesn't necessarily mean scoring more goals, but making yourselves nice and solid and not giving anything away. That was disappointing. If we give teams a foothold like that in the league it might have been different."
YM started like a train. Tom Manton put them ahead after 12 minutes. Simon Lockwood claimed a corner and bowled the ball out to Steve Sargent, and possession passed to John Westcott who slipped Manton in to sidestep the full back and produce a crisp finish.
Mike Huckett, who has impressed in a role just behind a lone striker so far this season, teed up Paul Elliott for the second, reaching the by-line before whipping over a cross which Elliott converted.
A Steve Metcalf volley from Luke Gedling's cross early in the second period looked to have put the game to bed. But Steve Boston, after robbing Sargent, and Paul Murfin pulled two back. Substitute Tom Lawley restored a two goal advantage again with a superb individual effort as he jinked across the edge of the box and rifled in a left footed shot which nestled in the far corner.
Still Wick came back though, and with 15 minutes remaining, Phil Turner notched their third to keep the match on a knife edge.
But YM kept their cool, and ensured their progress when Elliott nodded home Mark Pulling's cross to make it 5-3.
"We have been talking about missed chances quite a bit, and it was pleasing that we took about 90 per cent of the chances we created," White commented.
"The lads at the back have been saying it would be nice to go three goals up, but we then went and gave them three goals."
YMCA: 4-5-1):Lockwood; Simpson, Graves (Cooney 58), Flack Metcalf; Sargent, Gedling, Westcott (Lawley 20), Manton, Huckett; Elliott (Pulling 75).