Pagham put top scorer in goal - and lose at Horsham YMCA

Pagham lost a strange SCFL premier game at their bogey ground ‘Gorings Mead’ on Saturday, home of Horsham YMCA, conceding a late winner having dragged themselves back into it ten minutes earlier.

The Lions, with a very understrength team, including top scorer Joe Clarke in goal, were overwhelmed for most of the first half but with Conor Geoghegan and Jack Williamson putting in sterling performances to keep the shots at Clarke to a minimum.

It looked like it would be 0-0 at half time. But with three minutes left, a YM free kick wide on the right flew into Pagham’s net via a deflection.

The Lions came out in the second period growling and spent most of it inside the Horsham half. Their efforts were rewarded, after 75 minutes, with a great goal direct from a curling free-kick by Ross Edwards and for several minutes after looked to press for a winner.

But as always seems to happen at this ground for Pagham, three minutes from the end YM full-back Tom Cousins blasted home from a corner to give the home side the points.

Pagham: Joe Clarke, Nathan da Costa, Ryan Hallett, Ross Edwards, Jack Williamson, Conor Geoghegan, Ryan Morey, Sam Connolly (Jake Heryet), Grant Radmore (Dylan Jelley), Jamie Carroll (George Bingham) and Jack Barnes.