Horsham YMCA win at Rye to go second

In-form Horsham YMCA went second in Division One with a battling 3-1 win away at Rye on Tuesday night.
YM celebrate a goal against Lancing on Saturday. Photo by Derek MartinYM celebrate a goal against Lancing on Saturday. Photo by Derek Martin
YM celebrate a goal against Lancing on Saturday. Photo by Derek Martin

A first-half goal from Dave Brown and two late strikes from Nick Sullivan secured the well-deserved three points.

A delighted YM boss Peter Buckland said: “We’ve been playing good football and been devastating at home but not quite as formidable away so Rye away on a Tuesday night was a big test for us.

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“It’s a very hostile place to go but after going ahead I always felt we were comfortable and it carries on this good run to put us second.”

After a strong start from the hosts Brown expertly put YM ahead on 14 minutes when he latched onto a ball over the top and chipped the keeper as he came out.

The rest of the first half was nip and tuck, and Buckland’s decision on the hour to change from a 4-1-3-1 formation to 4-4-2 paid dividends.

Martin Smith offered lone striker Nick Sullivan some much needed support and the assist for the second goal, ‘roasting’ the Rye right-back before picking out Sullivan for a close-range finish.

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Two offside decisions, more than dubious in Buckland’s eyes, denied Nick Sullivan and then Liam Hunter when one-on-one, and Rye pulled one back when Sam Cooper got ahead of YM keeper Sam Smith to nod in a long throw.

The visitors though scored a third straight from kick off, Brown this time with a mazy run before finding Nick Sullivan, who finished before being clattered by a defender.

It followed a 5-0 win over Lancing on Saturday and YM have now lost only one of their last 11 league games to move to their highest position of the season.

Buckland though cautioned: “We’re not getting carried away, it’s not even the halfway point of the season yet,” while praising centre back pairing Matt Crane and Kevin Burgess, who would “walk into any team in the Ryman League.”

YM (4-1-3-1): Smith; Wood, Burgess, Crane, Evans; O’Carroll (Smith 60); D Sullivan, Hunter (Curtis 70), Dugdale, Brown; N Sullivan (Lowe 88).

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