Sussex County League: Division One
Match Report
Mid Season Friendly
 Horsham YMCA 4 Martin 5, 70, 82 D.Sullivan 75 |  TD Shipley 2 |
| Source: Tom Norris |
Horsham YMCA failed to bounce back from their recent cup exits with a return to league action on Saturday afternoon, as their previous three-game unbeaten run was brought to an abrupt halt at the hands of Division One new boys, Lancing.
Timmy Martin’s hatrick helped YM twice come from behind in a hard fought friendly win over struggling Division 3 opponents TD Shipley at Gorings Mead on Thursday night, in what manager, Sammy Donnelly, described as a ‘worthwhile exercise’.
|
Match Stats |
||
|
Horsham YMCA |
V |
TD Shipley |
|
5 |
Shots On Target |
4 |
|
3 |
Shots Off Target |
8 |
|
3 |
Offsides |
4 |
|
7 |
Corners |
5 |
|
5 |
Fouls |
9 |
|
3 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
|
0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
Brad Curtis and Lloyd Graham were handed their first outings in over a month following persistent injuries, whilst youth team players Louis Masih, Marcus Collier and Zach Haulkham were all given run outs, and new signing Hassan Conteh also featured.
‘I thank the club for the night really,’ Sammy remarked. ‘Obviously a Thursday night isn’t the ideal day for a game because then you’ve just got one day away and you’ve got to come back again, but I’m sure the lads enjoyed it. It was a worthwhile exercise and helped in building some important relationships.
‘I saw Hassan tonight and I’m going to sign him on. Bradders [Curtis] had his first run out for about a month tonight and although he might be a little bit tired he needed a game. And Lloyd having not been around for about two months looked like he also needed a game. There were some pleasing things, especially with some of the under-eighteen boys, and we need that integration.’
YM went behind after just two minutes of the first half, but responded quickly through a magnificent strike from winger, Martin. However, a resilient Shipley fought back and took a deserved 2-1 lead into the break.
The hosts made changes at the interval, but it was Martin who equalised with a dipping effort from the edge of the box. Dan Sullivan then delightfully curled in a 30-yard free kick, before Martin completed his hatrick in style with a lobbed effort from just outside the area.
Boss, Donnelly, added, ‘The opposition were really great tonight and I went into their changing room and just said that if they can take their performance from tonight into Saturday’s game, then they’ll have no trouble.
‘I thought that in the second half we were a lot more disciplined. It gets the fitness levels up and it’s not about the result but about looking at the bigger picture of keeping these boys work rate going.’
YM face a competitive home fixture against Ringmer on Saturday, where they will be looking to put right the 2-1 away defeat from earlier in the season.
YM (4-4-2): G. Donnelly, Scally, Crane, Hunter (Conteh 45), D. Sullivan, N. Sullivan (Collier 45), Curtis (Haulkham 56), Hawthorne, Martin, Wright (Masih 45), Graham
