Match Report
FA Cup: 1st Qualifying Round
 Horsham YMCA 1 Huckett 53 |  East Grinstead 0 |
| Source: Allan Norbury , West Sussex County Times |
A HORSHAM YMCA side decimated by injury and last minute withdrawals crept past East Grinstead to book an FA Cup second qualifying round visit to Ryman Premier Tonbridge Angels.
Mike Huckett scored the only goal early in the second half to secure YM's safe passage, and although they were short of six first team starters, the hosts were rarely troubled.
Manager Chris White already had a lengthy injury list, including broken leg victim Simon Lockwood in goal, before Tom Lawley pulled out with flu on the morning of this first qualfying round tie, and then Shaheen Sadough turned an ankle in the warm up.
White said: "We made it quite hard for ourselves, but when you are missing as many players as that, the result is the important thing." Playing their former Sussex County League rivals, YM, now of the Ryman Division 1 South, must have been confident of progression, and a £3,000 pay day. But they were less then convincing in a drab first-half which yielded few chances for either side -White's troops were reduced to a number of pot shots from range, while at the other end, Tom Rand, deputising in goal for Lockwood, commanded his box with authority.
Huckett netted the winner in the 53rd minute when Steve Sargent swung over a cross which he met with a firm header.
Minutes later, Hucket should have had a second, teed up from six yards by Steve Metcalf s cut back, his shot came back off the post. Grinstead threw the kitchen sink at YM for the last 20 minutes, but one smart save from Rand aside, it was hardly sophisticated stuff.
White commented: "We had more of the ball, and while they went long to try and get in behind us we dealt with it pretty well."
Next up will be Tommy Warrilow's Tonbridge, and a return for John Westcott, who left the Longmead stadium for YM in the summer.
YMCA: 4-4-2):Rand; Simpson, Cooney, Virgo, Metcalf; Pulling (Shaw 80), Sargent, Gedling, Manton; Elliott (Massaro 70), Huckett (Graves 80).