Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Chatham 0 |  Horsham YMCA 1 Dudley 75 |
| Source: West Sussex County Times |
DEFENDER Danny Dudley earned Horsham YMCA a stay of execution by bagging the winner against Chatham Town on Saturday.
His scrappy goal summed up a scrappy encounter as the two threatened sides did little to suggest either could perform a miracle and escape mathematical relegation from the Ryman League.
Nothing but a win would do for YM as a miserable season draws to a close, and the three points on Saturday means they get to fight for their league status another day Boss John Cumberbatch knows relegation is a nailed on certainty but was pleased with what he saw with wide men Stefan Cox and Michael Abnett the focal point.
"I抦 still frustrated because it would have been nice to have won by two or three goals," he remarked afterwards.
"We have dominated the game in this way before and still ended up on the losing side. It抯 nervy for us every time. Even a 1-0. I was pleased with, it doesn抰 matter how the goal goes in.
"I抦 sort of planning for next season and Iwant to see what I have got and Stefan Cox is looking very good. We tried to get him when I iirst joined, I feel if I had been able to get him earlier on things would have been very different for us."
Although the plight of the two teams was obvious, they still carved out a hatful of chances, 26 to be exact.
Cox, whose pace and trickery was perhaps wasted on the difficult, dry and dusty Chatham playing surface, created the first opening. His slide rule pass through the middle found Tom Youle抯 run and his effort from 18 yards was well tipped over by Adam Molloy in the Chats goal.
With former coach and Kent football doyen Tommy Sampson looking on, healthy and in high spirits after a stroke three years ago, YM looked to have something about them, without much end product, while Chatham were completely devoid of confidence. Twice in the first half they punched holes in the visiting defence, and twice striker Rob Denness elected to pass when the shot was on.
At the other end, Scott Harris produced some hairy moments for the Chatham defence with his dead ball delivery but in truth neither side looked capable of scoring.
Gavin Gordon worked hard up front, and after a challenge which left him with a very bloody fat lip at the end of the first half, went close with the first effort of the seconc half. However; there was still nothing to suggest somebody would be able to lift the game.
Chatham抯 first effort on target came ten minutes into the second half, Denness shot tamely at Mark Fox after the keeper抯 punch dropped for him on the edge of the area.
A purple patch of chances followed, as Denness shot into the side netting, and Gordon saw his scuffed effort palmed wide.
The busy Youle suffered a rush of blood to the head when he had a very presentable chance, before Fox saved well twice from Billy Shinners and Denness. From the second of those saves, YM sprung forward and when Cox was tackled inside the box, the ball fell for right back Dudley whose shot somehow found the far corner
There were still chances at either end, Fox put his name forward for a man of the match nomination with a decent save from Anthony Hogg抯 snap shot, while Gordon lifted an attempted lob over the bar.
Cumberbatch added: "lnjuries have played a major part for us.
Kevin Lott was going to play a major part in my plans. We lost him, we lost Matt Simpson. This is the first week I have named the same side two games running?
YM (4𦴖): Fox; Dudley, Plummer, Sammuels, Reid; Abnett (Mercer 73), Henry, Harris, Cox; Goron, Youle.
Man of the match: Scott Harris. His composure was valuable.
