Horsham YMCA

After suffering our worst defeat of the season from the only team that we have not been able to lay a glove on, there was the opportunity to put it behind us with this Tuesday evening fixture. The only side we had yet to face this season was Horsham YMCA having had the original fixture postponed due to our FA Vase run and the re-schedule being washed out. Below us in the table and having been held to a draw by lowly Saltdean United last time out, Horsham YMCA provided a good chance to chalk up a win. So it proved, as after a rather flat first half, the goals rattled in during the second half as we earned a good 4-1 win.

The first half was one of honest endeavour as both sides looked to find some fluency. Horsham won the first corner of the match in the third minute but our defence dealt with it comfortably. A minute later Louis Gates found the space just beyond the D to have a shot but could not stop the ball from rising over the bar. With eight minutes played, Stephen Hodge delivered a ball out to Jay Simpson on the right wing. He collected and drove past the full back into the box where a well timed tackle dispossessed him. In the next couple of minutes, we had free kicks from midway into their half on the right and then the left. David Heaton delivered from the right to find the head of Conor Wilford in the box but his header lacked the power to trouble the keeper. From the left, Heaton’s ball in was cleared. Just past the quarter-hour, Gates worked his way from the left wing into the box and passed across to Haydn Dickinson, making his first start since being injured at Crawley Down. Taking a snapshot, he was not quite able to set himself and it went wide.

On 19mins the clearest chance so far fell to Horsham as they attacked down the right, cut inside, and drew a save from Jack Webb-Olley with the follow up deflecting behind for a goal kick. Nathaniel Williams, making his first start for The Lingers, cut into to the box from the left but the ball was scrambled away for a corner that was then cleared. Horsham had a good spell with a ball down the centre headed out to the right for their forward to drive towards the box, however, he pulled his shot wide of the left post. They followed this up with possession on the left to work space to cross the ball into the six yard box but it was put over for a goal kick. Two good chances wasted and not even on target. On 35mins Horsham delivered a free kick into the centre of the box but a good claim by Webb-Olley saw him win the ball and then gather it. A minute later Dickinson received the ball from the right and took a shot but it was closed down and behind for the corner. Both defences were holding firm as Horsham comfortably cleared the corner and Josh McArthur Nolan tenaciously defended the right side of our box as the half drew to a goalless close.

The second half started with a good drive into the box from the left by Williams in the opening minute but his cross evaded everyone and went out. On 50mins Gates had the ball down the left, centred it to Dickinson who laid it off to Simpson for him to tuck away for the opening goal. A good start to the half got better on 58mins as McArthur Nolan drove down the right, played the ball out to Willaims on the left edge of the box. He fired it in to the six yard box where the goalkeeper spilled it only to find our skipper Heaton on hand to tuck it away for 2-0. Trying to bounce back immediately Horsham had a good chance from the right that was blocked by Webb-Olley and then cleared before any of their players could follow up. Keeping up our pressure, Wilford positioned on the D controlled the ball on his chest, turned beautifully to shoot but sadly straight down the keeper’s throat instead of finding the top corner. It was time for a change as Williams had played enough minutes on his debut and was replaced by Richie Wetton on 61mins.

On 63mins Horsham had a free kick out on the left and the ball into the box was dealt with by Gates with a header behind. The corner was cleared out to the D and the follow up shot was blocked by Hodge deflecting behind for another corner on the other side. The ball was delivered right under the bar, Webb-Olley was bundled over into the net by a Horsham player and the referee blew for a foul. However, he blew his whistle for a goal!! Cue lots of baffled looks as to how that was not a foul on our keeper. Protestations were waved away and it was 2-1 with 64mins played. You are never more vulnerable than after scoring so the saying goes, and what better way to rebound than restoring your lead. So it was on 67mins that Heaton battled well to win possession in midfield and play the ball forward to Dickinson. He held off determined challenges and laid the ball off to Simpson so he could skip clear of the defence and slot home our third goal. A minute later Horsham were defending again as McArthur Nolan played a good cross field ball to find Wetton. His shot was closed down and the rebound fell to Simpson for a shot that went over. A good period for The Lingers and it was time for another change as Dickinson was carrying a shoulder injury from an earlier challenge.

Jason Stripp came on to join our midfield as we looked to close out the last twenty minutes. The third goal had knocked some of the wind out of Horsham and it was nearly worse for them when Wilford delivered an excellent ball into the box for Wetton to head at goal. There was not enough pace on the header to trouble the keeper though. With fifteen minutes to go, our defence was still holding firm as Tyrone Magala-Bryan produced an excellent block to keep Horsham at bay. Another change brought a debut for Chace Hanmer as he replaced McArthur Nolan on 81mins. Comfortably in control of the game and into the final two minutes of normal time, an alert Wilford spotted the keeper off his line and gave him a scare with a long range shot that drifted wide of the right post. That was his final contribution as Tom Green came on to replace him. Into added time and after having some good possession on the left, Gates delivered a lovely cross into the six yard box that Stripp could not get his head on. A couple of minutes later a nice shot from Stripp hit the right post. With four added minutes played, the ball ran through to Simpson to put him one on one with the keeper. The final gloss was put on the evening as Simpson put the ball past the keeper for his hattrick and seal a 4-1 win.

A good second half performance to give us a good win after the Steyning Town defeat and boost confidence ahead of our trip to the coast on Saturday to play Peacehaven & Telscombe. We are still sitting in tenth place in the table and, having played our game in hand, have closed the gap to Midhurst & Easebourne to six points. They face an in-form Haywards Heath at home on Saturday. Above them by two points are our next opponents Peacehaven who are not in the best of form so an opportunity to close in on those above us and show we can mix it with them. Looking down, our neighbours Crawley Down won midweek to be just two points behind us and with two games in hand. They face table toppers Newhaven on Saturday.

Man of the Match was Louis Gates who was a livewire down the left all match, defending well and providing good crosses in attack.