Horsham YM labour to important SCFL win over Shoreham
Horsham YM maintained their push for an SCFL play-off place with a 2-0 win away to struggling Shoreham.
Having knocked the Musselmen out of the Sussex Senior Cup and beaten them at home 10-2 earlier in the season, high-flying Horsham YM perhaps expected too much from Saturday’s game at the coast – especially as leaders Haywards Heath had punished Shoreham 9-0 the week before.
YM had the lion’s share of possession and deservedly won, but it was a scrappy encounter, not one of their sparkling performances to which supporters had become accustomed.
Shoreham somehow cleared an early goalmouth scramble and then parried another shot, but YM were not to be denied, Kaiden Hummerston converting a corner in the 11th minute.
Soon Zion McLeod on his YM debut had the ball in the net again, only to be ruled offside. A wave of YM attacks followed, with YM peppering shots in to no avail and Shoreham defending desperately.
With half-time beckoning YM were awarded a penalty but it crashed against the bar and stayed out, then over-zealous Noel Fisher was sent off for a second yellow and YM still just led by the single goal and were reduced to 10 men.
Two late Shoreham corners came to nothing with the first half ending with a narrow advantage for YM despite having so many opportunities.
Immediately after the restart YM had a corner, followed by McCleod looking to have scored again, the linesman’s flag thwarting the visitors once more.
After a YM header was denied by the bar, three corners followed, the third being nodded on to the roof of the net. Then, from YM’s ninth set-piece Tricki Wilson doubled YM’s lead with seven minutes of normal time remaining, and with Shoreham looking unlikely to score, that proved sufficient.
YM manager Liam Giles told the County Times: “I’m happy we won, but that was a disappointing performance after I’d hoped that we might boost our goal difference – we were by far the better side and created so many chances.”
In a tight upper table YM stay 4th, a point behind Guernsey and one ahead of Peacehaven & Telscombe. On Saturday YM return home to play relegation threatened Lancing, whom they knocked out of the RUR Cup in September and beat 4-1 at the coast in November.