Horsham YMCA hurt Hassocks - Roffey win top-two clash at Midhurst

Horsham YMCA 1 Hassocks 0

SCFL premier

Having beaten struggling Hassocks earlier in the season, Horsham YMCA notched a double in a rearranged match at Gorings Mead, but it was a hard won victory that secured 13th spot for YM. Here is our gallery of 36 pictures from the match.

YM were fast out of the traps, scoring in only the second minute, when Dan Lombardo crisply fired in, latching on to a cross from the right.

YM enjoyed the majority of possession before the visitors played themselves in, the game becoming a more even contest, with keeper Aaron Jeal having to be at his best to keep Hassocks at bay. Jay Popham tested the opposition and YM corners followed, but the score remained 1-0 at the break.

Horsham FC players hailed as 50th game looms.

Popham was again in action early in the second half, when Luke Harrison also impressed for YM, but it was Hassocks who looked more likely to score, Jeal having to pull off a top class save in the upper right corner to maintain YM’s advantage.

Then, with YM pushing, busy in the box Jonathan Kusaka was off target from a free kick and Dean Lovegrove was unable to maximise another set piece opportunity from just outside the area.

Hassocks’ Lewis Westlake looked threatening but slotted wide, before his free kick was well saved by Jeal launching to his right. Then, with the visitors continuing to press for a share of the points, Arthur Rawlinson skewed adrift.

But,YM were keen to put the result beyond doubt, sub Mark Pritchard-Cave getting the ball in the net as the final whistle beckoned, only to be ruled offside.

YM manager Dean Carden said: “That was three good points for us, most welcome after last week’s defeat. We’re back at home on Saturday – against AFC Uckfield – and we’ll be looking for revenge after they overturned us at Framfield in November.”

MARTIN READ

Midhurst 1 Roffey 3

SCFL division one

Roffey won the battle of the top two at the Rotherfield.

The Midhurst surface was superb for this time of the season.

The home team started fast but Roffey started to push forward and Josh Neathey received a pass 40 yards out, and with virtually no backlift, chipped the ball over Josh Bird in the home goal to give the visitors the lead.

Three minutes later a diagonal ball from Harry Law released Josh Maher down the left and from just outside the box he let fly to make it 2-0.

The hosts started to deliver dangerous balls into the Roffey box and keeper Rhys Hughes had to deal with several. But it was from a Neathey corner at the other end that Law got between two taller defenders to head in Roffey’s third.

With Midhurst desperate to get back into it, a ball into the box saw a home forward tumble as he made contact with the ball and the referee pointed to the spot and Midhurst pulled one back.

For the second 45 minutes Midhurst threw everything at Roffey with countless crosses corners and free kicks. But they couldn’t breach the white wall in front of Hughes who showed some impeccable handling.

Every time Roffey cleared their lines they looked dangerous and halfway through the half Neathey was put clean in on Bird but couldn’t get the ball past the Midhurst stopper.

Next it was the tireless Jack Ryder bursting into the area and appearing to get a shove as he shot, with Bird again saving.

Josh Maher bore down on goal but instead of letting go with his lethal left foot he tried to pick out a team mate and the ball was cleared.

Then Ryder was put through and as Bird came to meet him the two collided on the edge of the box. Bird obviously showed dissent towards the referee and was sent to the sin bin with only a couple of minutes left. With an outfield player in goal and down to 10 men the game was up for the Stags.

The back line of Aaron Collins, Hayden Neathey, Ross Swaine and Josh Maher defended brilliantly. The midfield of Wanstall, James Pearse, Law and Neathey had pressed and covered and skipper Tiago Andrade and Ryder up front had shone.

The win leaves Roffey six points ahead of Midhurst having played a game more.

SAM CHAPMAN