Sussex County League: Division One
Match Report
Sussex County League: Division One
 East Grinstead 1 Neville 80 |  Horsham YMCA 1 Smith 20 |
| Source: Tom Norris |
FRUSTRATED YM FORCED TO SETTLE FOR DRAW
Horsham YMCA will feel aggrieved not to have made it two wins out of two in their start to the new County League season, as they were harshly denied all three points late on away at East Grinstead Town on Tuesday evening.
Lee Smith gave YM the lead with a neat finish midway through the first half, as both sides struggled to carve out a great deal of further clear cut chances.
Half time quickly came and went, before referee Tim Hatt provided the game's major talking point ten minutes from time, when he allowed a Wasps equaliser, despite his assistant's flag being raised aloft.
A frustrated YM manager Peter Buckland said, "Having gotten so close to the perfect smash and grab, it leaves a bit of sour taste in the mouth that we were cheated for their equaliser.
"The linesman flagged, kept his flag up, and their player was offside in the first phase of play. Then they went into the second phase of play, and for some reason he put his flag down, they scored, and the ref gave the goal. It was a shocking decision."
Harry Lowe and Tim Martin made way for the return of defender Matt Crane from holiday and Kev Burgess from injury, as Buckland's side produced a defensively astute performance.
The YM boss added, "We matched them all over the park, and I thought we played the offside trap really well. Their 'keeper had a tremendous kick on him and every time they were banging it up the middle or into the channels, and we had to keep on defending that.
"As much pressure as we were under for the last twenty minutes, we never looked like conceding a goal. We were in control of the game, and the players did exactly what I asked of them.
"In the end, a draw was a fair result, and it was a very good point when all is said and done. They're a very good side and will without question be up there come the end of the season. There won't be many teams that'll come here this season and go away with much at all.
"To get cheated out of a goal, which was clearly offside, does leave a sour taste in the mouth, but we've got to move on. Sometimes Lady Luck will shine on us, and not against us."
And YM will move onto an FA Cup tie away at Raynes Park Vale on Saturday afternoon, with the mouth-watering prospect of a meeting with tenants and local rivals Horsham in the next round, if they can progress.
Also tonight (Tues 7th Aug) YM's Reserve side beat Midhurst and Easebourne 6-2 in a friendly at Gorings Mead.
YM (4-4-2): Lockwood, Gardner, Hartt, Crane, Stillwell, Sullivan, Burgess, Hunter (Martin), Dugdale (c), Smith, Wright (Hyett)
Unused Subs: Evans, Cox, Lowe
