Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Horsham YMCA 4 |  Corintian-Casuals 0 |
Match Ball Sponsor: Mr R Kelsey | Source: West Sussex County Times |
IN MID October, Horsham YMCA slipped to a 2-1 loss at Corinthian Casuals, to cap a run of just three points from 21 - how the tables have turned.
Now the Gorings Mead outfit have settled into their stride, they have become unstoppable, scoring four times or more in three of their last five games. Saturday’s 4-0 defeat of the Casuals was a case in point, the front pairing of Terry Dodd and Matt Geard proving to be a lethal combination, backed up by the pace and verve of the Toms — Lavvley and Manton.
Manager Chris White believes YM are just three wins from ensuring their Division 1 South safety.
"That win moved us closer a to the bunch of teams above us in the division," he remarked.
"We have always said the aim was to stay in the Ryman and three more wins should ensure we are still here and then we can look at where we go from there.
"The result was never really in doubt. Casuals did try to play but we have been creating chances all season and now we are putting them away."
The Casuals, who were a point behind White’s men at kick off, made an eager start before the hosts got on top with their now trusted 4-2-2-1-1 formation.
YM scored the first on 20 minutes, when a Tom Lawley run resulted in a ball across the box which Luke Gedling met on the run and his left footed shot took a slight deflection before nestling in the net.
Casuals responded well, Murray Price forced a smart save from Tony Di-Bernardo - a long throw found the striker whose shot was well dealt with.
Racing up the other end though, and YMCA were two goals to the good, thanks to another slick move on the left flank. Geard picked out Manton, and his cross was turned in at the far post by Mike Huckett.
YM were still not done, and the officials had a choice of decisions when first Geard was chopped down and then Dodd hit the deck seconds later. The resulting spot kick was confidently dispatched by Huckett.
White wanted to go for t the jugular, 9-0 and 6-2 wins against Eastbourne Town and Leatherhead were fresh in the memory.
And it was Geard and Dodd’s blossoming partnership which produced the fourth. Dodd burst into the box, and squared it for his strike partner to rifle home.
Di Bernardo was called upon to smother a shot in the closing stages, but by then YM had made the game well and truly safe.
YMCA (4—2-2-1-1): Di-Bernardo; Watts, Cooney (Timms 60), Metcalf, Brake; Gedling, Huckett; Manton (Shaw 70), Lawley (Westcott 70); Geard, Dodd.