A 0-0 draw might not sound too enticing but this game – but a tussle between Horsham YM and Seaford Town, both seeking to move up the table, had plenty of incident.

There were two missed penalties, more outstanding keeping from Horsham YM’s Will Tillman and a red card in each half, reducing visiting Seaford Town to nine men for the final minutes. After early action at either end YM were awarded a harsh-looking penalty for a foul just inside the six-yard box, but the opportunity went begging.

The first half ended with honours even following the sending-off of Seaford’s Jack Nicholls and unrewarded endeavour from both sides. The resumption was marked by a YM corner smashed wide and a Seaford free-kick and corner of their own.

A strong YM build up ended off target before a corner was headed over by the seasiders, who then had a further free kick and corner, sandwiched between a YM attack finishing in the arms of visiting keeper Elias Bachke, just ahead of him rushing out to smother a threatening YM move.

Horsham YM in recent action against Haywards Heath Town | Picture: Tim Hewlett

placeholder image — Horsham YM in recent action against Haywards Heath Town | Picture: Tim Hewlett

Tillman’s excellent reaction save from a close-range blast was followed by him swooping to his left to keep out Josh Wright’s spot-kick before the centre forward was red carded in the 87th minute.

Despite being depleted Seaford kept pressing, only for Tillman to scramble the ball clear with the resulting corner coming to nothing just before the final whistle.

YM joint manager Alex Walsh told the County Times: “If we’d have converted our penalty it might have been a different game, but it was good to keep a clean sheet and the point moves us off the bottom of the table.

"We travel to Midhurst on Saturday for another game that we’re targeting as a must win to improve our position.”