Horsham YM edged out of FA Vase by Snodland Town - then lose at Haywards Heath after disputed penalty
After six straight wins in the league and cup, Horsham YM were edged out of the FA Vase by bustling visitors Snodland Town.
Fifteen minutes in YM’s Toby Nelson hit the post with a curling strike, ahead of a home corner being kicked over, only for the Kentish visitors – who play at the same tier Southern Counties East Premier Division – to take the lead midway through the opening half.
YM responded, but Wez Brown’s strong strike was repelled. With YM dominating, they earned seven corners – all to no avail – and they hit the bar, with Nelson also unleashing a blast just before the interval, but Snodland retained their narrow advantage at the break.
In the second half it needed a diving save from the visiting keeper to deny Leon Fisher.
Snodland then hit the woodwork from a free kick and had two corners before Charlie Martin latched on to a long ball clearance, inducing a full stretch save from the Kent keeper, ahead of a YM corner.
End to end play ensued, then, with quarter of an hour left, over-enthusiastic Snodland were reduced to ten men.
Fisher’s long range effort came to nothing, with Snodland’s raucous supporters continuously singing “We’re lucky everywhere we go”.
With corners following at either end, a last gasp YM attempt couldn’t quite take the game into penalties.
Manager Liam Giles said: “That was frustrating. Although we weren’t quite there up front at our very best today, I thought we were the better side. We’ve got some good momentum going in the league and will now be switching our attention to maintain that.”
In Tuesday’s top of the table clash, all-conquering Haywards Heath – who have the best goalscoring and defensive record in the league – won their eighth straight league game against visiting Horsham YM, who kept the league leaders at bay in the first half only to see good fortune desert them in the second.
After an early YM corner they had a let off when Heath’s Ryan Warwick failed to convert a certain looking goal before a YM counter attack was averted at close range. Heath tested YM’s defence with long throw ins and had three corners but the score remained goal-less at the break.
Immediately on resumption in a goalmouth melee, Heath were awarded a disputed penalty with skipper Jack Barnes giving the hosts the lead.
With Heath dominating possession Darius Goldsmith made it 2-0 with a well taken strike. Spirited YM then had two corners, but were reduced to ten men when Gideon Acheampong was red carded.
There was still time for Heath to pour salt on YM’s wounds when, after Alfie Jones had cleared, a wicked deflection reached Barnes to drive in Heath’s third.
YM boss Giles told the County Times: “We worked so hard to maintain parity in the first half to then see Heath awarded a penalty with our player writhing in agony on the pitch. That was disheartening, then they scored from a ricochet and a deflection. A very upsetting outcome.”
On Saturday YM host Lingfield from the lower reaches of the SCFL Premier, then, on Tuesday YM welcome Peacehaven & Telscombe in Round 3 of the Peter Bentley Cup.