Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Horsham 0 |  Horsham YMCA U18 5 Masih 28, 68 Merridew 53 Scally 71(pen) Magnus 83 |
| Report by Tom Norris |
MASIH DOUBLE CROWNS YM DERBY KINGS
Horsham YMCA U18 once again showed their superiority over fierce, local rivals Horsham Youth with a comprehensive 5-0 home thrashing in front of a season’s best crowd at Gorings Mead on Thursday evening.
|
Match Stats |
||
|
Horsham YMCA |
V |
Horsham |
|
11 |
Shots On Target |
2 |
|
8 |
Shots Off Target |
4 |
|
2 |
Offsides |
4 |
|
9 |
Corners |
3 |
|
14 |
Fouls |
12 |
|
0 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
|
0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
The hosts dominated from the outset, brushing aside a noticeably inexperienced Young Hornets’ side, and without rarely progressing out of third gear. Striker Louis Masih bagged a brace, whilst captain, Matt Merridew, Lewis Scally and substitute Harry Magnus all struck in a one-sided second half.
YM welcomed back goalkeeper Matt Laker to an otherwise unchanged line-up from last week’s visit to Hastings, and made a lightening start to the first half. Max Love’s darting run and dangerous cross from the YM right flashed across goal, just evading the outstretched leg of Christian Stevens, before the winger turned provider, crossing for the powerful Love, whose side-footed effort was well kept out by Horsham ‘keeper, Jonathan Burfiend.
With the visitors heavily on the back foot, it wasn’t a surprise when YM finally opened the scoring on the half hour mark. The ball was cleared out of the host’s defence, falling to Love whose perfectly timed through ball was slid into the path of the on-rushing Masih, and the striker coolly slotted home.
The Young Hornets responded quickly however, and the host’s were fortunate not to have been punished for some sloppy defending. YM stopper, Laker, first kept out youngster Zak Comber’s tight angled shot straight from the kick-off, before Timi Ojo took advantage of a poor clearance, firing inches wide from the edge of the box.
Stevens should have then doubled YM’s lead just before half time, as some good work from Marcus Collier down the right and an intelligent lay-off from Love handed the winger a clear sight of goal, only for him to fire wide from six yards.
At the other end, a mix up between ‘keeper, Laker and defender, Matt Merridew almost cost YM the lead, but the latter’s last ditch tackle just about redeemed his earlier mishap to ensure the host’s a half time advantage.
The second forty-five followed in much the same vein, but with even less pressure exerted from the visitors. YM controlled the play, the excellent Scott Murrell directing the midfield, and Masih and Love both still threatening up front.
Defender Dan Skett saw his header come cannoning back off the Horsham crossbar as he leapt highest to meet a Collier set-piece, before minutes later, skipper Merridew went one better and nodded home an Ollie Filkins corner against his former club.
A rare Hornets attack again saw Comber halted by the legs of Laker in the YM goal, before the host’s finally stepped up the pressure. A quickly taken short corner found its way to Masih on the edge of the box and the striker made no mistake with his finish, slamming an unstoppable, swerving shot into the roof of the net.
And two minutes later it was 4-0, as some neat footwork from Love inside the Horsham area saw the striker brought down, and Scally stepped up to comfortably convert the spot kick.
With the game all but over, a trio of YM substitutions then followed. Bulley replaced the ever-industrious Haulkham in midfield and Filkins made way for Matthews at full-back. However, the biggest impact came seven minutes from time, as just two minutes after replacing Masih up front, striker Harry Magnus netted his first goal of the season with a neat turn and shot from six yards, following some excellent build up play from Stevens and Love down the left.
The convincing win is YM’s third straight defeat of bitter rivals Horsham, having beaten them twice last year, and puts them up to sixth in the Ryman Youth League.
Their next encounter sees a difficult away trip to fourth-placed Lewes on Wednesday 30th November, although September’s 1-0 home victory over The Rooks will surely be fresh in their minds.
YM (4-4-2): Laker, Scally, Merridew (c), Skett, Filkins (Matthews 79), Stevens, Haulkham (Bulley 74), Murrell, Collier, Masih (Magnus 81), Love
Unused Subs: Hamilton, Cook
