Dan Evans secures RUR Cup win for Horsham YM

Dave Brown (left) in action for YM. Photo by Clive Turner

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An injury time header from defender Dan Evans secured Horsham YMCA a place in the third round of the Sussex RUR Charity Cup on Tuesday evening, after they narrowly overcame Southwick 2-1 at Old Barn Way.

Wickers’ midfielder Richard Hudson’s deflected twenty-yard strike gave the Division 1 hosts the lead against the run of play midway through the first half, but YM levelled ten minutes before the break when winger Dave Brown marauded past two defenders and lashed home from inside the box.

Both sides then spurned good chances after the restart. Visitors’ striker Sam Schaaf saw a drilled effort desperately cleared off the goal line, whilst substitute Paul White’s glancing header was expertly tipped over the crossbar by impressive home goalkeeper James Hollis.

At the opposite end, Southwick goalscorer Hudson hit the upright, Andrew McDowell was smartly denied by YM stopper Simon Lockwood and his follow then thwarted on the line by defender Dean Carden, before Ross Myers also struck against the woodwork.

With the tie seemingly destined for extra time, YM full back Evans then saved his side’s blushes and delivered a cruel blow to a spirited Southwick, as he headed home an in-swinging Brown corner with the last kick of the game, five minutes into added time.

Assistant YM manager, Dean Potter, commented: “I thought that we looked lethargic. It’s difficult because at the moment we are chopping and changing the team because we need to give some players a run out, and I don’t think that has helped.

“They [Southwick] worked really hard. They pressed us, they had a nice shape and tried to counter attack and even though we had a lot of possession, we just didn’t have that cutting edge.

“We’re ticking over and we’re getting results, whereas this time last season we were probably playing better in games but not getting a result.

“We’ve had two poor games but got through them and good teams do that. And we are a good team and we have got good players, but we’re under no illusions. Tonight wasn’t good enough and we’ll need a big improvement for Saturday against Burgess Hill.”

YM (4-2-3-1): Lockwood, Doherty, Gathern, Burgess (Carden 54), Evans, Hunter (Dugdale 66), Gedling, D. Sullivan, Wright, D. Brown (c), Schaaf (White 73)

Unused subs: J. Brown, Cheesman

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