Sussex County League: Division One
Match Report
Sussex County League: Division One
 Horsham YMCA 6Pryor OG 9 Wright 21, 63 Smith 27, 30(pen) Cox 90 |  Crowborough Athletic 1 Carrington 42 |
Match Ball Sponsor: | Source: Tom Norris |
YM OFF TO A FLYER, AS BUCKLAND SETS HIS SIGHTS HIGH
Horsham YMCA made their intentions for the new County League season known, as they brushed aside Crowborough Athletic 6-1 in their campaign opener on Saturday afternoon.
|
Match Stats |
||
|
Horsham YMCA |
V |
Crowborough Athletic |
|
12 |
Shots On Target |
4 |
|
6 |
Shots Off Target |
2 |
|
2 |
Offsides |
6 |
|
5 |
Corners |
5 |
|
8 |
Fouls |
9 |
|
0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
|
0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
The result saw them go one better than the final game of last season, where they put five past The Crows to maintain their County League status. And it looks as if Peter Buckland's side are keen to pick up where they left off, as a brace each from Dean Wright and new signing Lee Smith helped the hosts to a comfortable three points.
The YM boss said, "At the end of the day, you can only beat what's put in front of you. At any level of football you can be playing the bottom side in the league, and all of a sudden you lose one-nil at home.
"We needed to put them [Crowborough] to the sword early doors and we did, as we came out of the traps flying and sent out a message to them that they weren't getting anything from the game today, and they didn't.
"And that's exactly what I wanted, the game done and dusted by half time so that we could relax just a little in the second half, enjoy it, get to know each other better and build up the camaraderie."
YM are still five players shy of a full strength squad, with Matt Crane and Lewis Scally both on holiday, Dan Smith serving a two match suspension and new signings Kevin Burgess and Tyrone Oliver out injured. Scally and Crane are among ten surviving members of last season's squad, with Buckland also recruiting ten new additions, six of whom join from his former club Dorking.
And it was YM of old that got them off to a lightening start, as Dan Sullivan's floated corner was fumbled into his own net by Crows' 'keeper Ben Pryor. Dean Wright then doubled the hosts' lead ten minutes later, when this time a long Ashley Dugdale throw-in was misjudged by Pryor in the Crowborough goal, and the forward volleyed into an empty net from six yards.
Mike Gardner, signed from East Grinstead, then went close for YM, Pryor redeeming himself with a smart stop to keep out the defender's powerful header.
Another new signing, assistant manager Dave Smith's son Lee, then got in on the scoring action, the striker profiting from a mix up in the Crowborough defence to tap home the easiest of finishes.
Liam Hunter was then brought down in the Crowborough penalty area minutes later, and Smith coolly stepped up to convert the resulting spot kick to put YM four up with just half an hour played.
The hosts took their foot of the gas and went to sleep as the first half ended, Crowborough twice going close through Sam Carrington, before the lively winger eventually got his just reward, punishing some sloppy YM defending by side footing home on the stroke of half time.
The second half was a much quieter affair, with little in the way of clear cut chances until fairly late on. YM defender Tom Stillwell headed over, before Wright grabbed his second of the afternoon following a neatly threaded through ball from youngster Harry Lowe.
Buckland made changes for the hosts, and it was substitutes Leroy Hyett and Dean Cox who made the biggest impact on the game in the final quarter of an hour. Hyett saw two efforts well kept out by The Crows stopper late on, before a 90th minute screamer from Cox rounded off a solid YM performance.
"If we'd given them the opportunity, that young Crowborough side would have played football." Buckland added. "They were 5-1 down and still going for it, so we couldn't really relax one iota. I must give them full credit for that."
YM next face a tough away trip to East Grinstead Town in the league on Tuesday evening, where they will be hoping to build on their positive start.
Buckland concluded, "If I could fast forward and come away from there with a point now, I would take it. It will be a tough game as they're always there or thereabouts in the league, and we'll know that we're in for a game of football.
"It's a tough fixture for early on in the season, but we'll be up for it, and don't be surprised if we come away from there with at least a point."
YM (4-4-2): Lockwood, Gardner (Cox 75), Hartt, Stillwell, Lowe, Sullivan, Dugdale (c), Hunter, Martin (Evans 65), Smith (Hyett 69), Wright
Unused Subs: Thompson, Vinton
