Sussex County League: Division One
Match Report
Sussex County League: Division One
 Redhill 1 |  Horsham YMCA 2 |
| Source: Graham Carter |
HORSHAM YMCA overcame a crippling injury and suspension crisis to record a gritty 2-1 win at Redhill on Saturday.
YM were only able to name two substitutes, one of whom, Lewis Scally is suffering from a hamstring injury and while manager Sammy Donnelly admitted he was embarrassed at the situation which might have resulted in no substitutes at all, he saluted the all round team display.
He said: "It was a complete team effort. We were absolutely desperate for players and they all helped each other out.
"It was a very professional performance against a Redhill side pushing to win the league."
YM put themselves in charge in the opening 15 minutes with goals from George Hillier and Dean Wright. For the opener Dan Sullivan found Nick Sullivan and his mazy run and shot came back off the post for Hillier to pounce on the rebound.
And five minutes later; Wright doubled the lead when he converted Hillier’s cross.
Donnelly added: "The three up front were unplayable, they had no answer to George, Dean and Nick."
All three frontmen had chances in the second half as YM continued to dominate.
Redhill did create some pressure, but could not turn that into goals, as YM fell back on the experience of coach Mark Hawthorne, who played his first 90 minutes of the season.
Redhill did get a sniff of a point with five minutes remaining, as Wayne Clarke netted with a free kick, but could not convert further pressure.
Donnelly added: "It gave them a little something to hang on to."
Meanwhile, Donnelly believes the crisis facing his side created the solidarity which led to Saturday’s win, but admitted he was at one of his lowest points in football before kick off.
YM do not run a reserve side due to the groundshare with Horsham, and it is having consequences or the first team.
"We are struggling. It could have been that we didn’t have any substitutes. I am really embarrased to be in that position, I have never had it before in my carear.
People have said you can dual sign players, but you cannot do that in the County League.
"I am to totally against the way things are being run. I tried to get some under-18s in the team, and offered them a days wages as compensation, but they could not get the time off.
On Saturday l was at my lowest ebb. You need to run a reserve side and have your under-18s go in there. Although, perhaps that is what made the team gel, we knew we were up against it and we came away with the win, we knew we had to be a team.
But I was really upset about the situation before the game."
YM (4-4-2): Lockwood; D Sullivan, Crane, Stilwell, Dugdale; Hawthorne, Smith, Curtis, Hillier; Sullivan, Wright.
