Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Horsham YMCA 0 |  Leatherhead 11 |
Match Ball Sponsor: MARTIN TICKNER | Words by Tom Norris |
Horsham YMCA supporters watched on in embarrassment on Saturday afternoon, as their 10-man side slumped to a humiliating eleven goal defeat at home to Leatherhead.
The Division One South high-flyers proved simply too strong for Colin Jenkinson’s men and have left YM precariously close to the foot of the table.
The visitors flew out of the blocks from the first whistle, and took the lead with only thirty first half seconds on the clock; defender Tommy Williams’ deflected shot finding the back of the YM net. The score line was then doubled five minutes later, when a Leatherhead goal kick failed to be dealt with and the ball was crossed for Kevin Terry to glance home with his head. Matters then got worse for the home side, when with only nine minutes played, full-back Tommy Brewer was controversially shown a straight red card for a challenge in which he seemingly won the ball.
A forced YM reshuffle resulted in Leatherhead being able to dominate the midfield area, and chance after chance was soon being created by the visitors. Frustration set in for YM, and with just half of the first forty-five played Leatherhead had a chance to increase their lead from the penalty spot. Some good link up play between Pestle and winger Jack Macleod down the Leatherhead right resulted in a rash challenge and the full-back being brought down in the box. The referee had no option but to point to the spot, and the visitors’ Greg Andrews cooly slotted home his first of the afternoon. The away side then added a fourth from a poorly defended corner, before YM were given their first real sight at goal just before half time. Some superb work down the left hand side from Michael Amponsah enabled him to pull the ball back across goal, but from six yards, striker Joey Collewijn could only find the Leatherhead crossbar.
If The Tanners needed confirmation of all three points and their sixth away win of the season, it certainly came in the second forty five. They began the half much like they did the first, with two quick goals in the first five minutes. YM keeper Mark Fox was first lobbed by a fluke shot from midfielder Rob Hill from virtually the half way line, before Andrews added his second with a finely curled finish into the corner of the net. The real onslaught then began, and in the space of twenty second half minutes YM conceded a further four goals and were faced with a score line that read into double figures. What is worrying for the home side is the fact that at 10-0, it could easily have been three or four more with ten minutes still to play. Goalkeeper Fox produced a string of fine saves, the pick of which instinctively kept out a close range strike from Leatherhead substitute Danny Hunt. The eleventh was then finally added close to the death from ex-Arsenal youth player Marc Elston, who curled home from the edge of the box to round off a superb display.
YM’s next first team fixture is against Corinthian Casuals away on the 23rd October and even at this early stage in the season, the game could be seen as a relegation six-pointer.
YM (4-4-2): Fox, Brewer, O’Neill (Mahadoo 45), Napper, Woodburn (c), Alusa (Gordon 45), Kirkwood, Barkley, Amponsah, Collewijn, West.
