Thrilling Horsham YMCA victory not one ‘for the purist’

Played amid torrential rain, Tony Nwachukwu’s first half hat-trick and Ben Connolly’s double saw YM 3-2 up at the break.

Dan Field levelled for the Lingers on the hour but Jack Ryder’s strike 20 minutes before time gave YMCA a valuable win after an enthralling game.

The victory sees Horsham move above Lingfield into 15th-place.

Buckland said: “I’d like to say we took part in a game of football but I would be somewhat lying.

“The grass was really long and it was torrential rain from start to finish.

“They really dug in, really pleased with them, turning point I feel, especially for confidence.

“There were seven goals scored and there were probably seven mistakes building up to every single goal.

“I thought the officials were brilliant but it wasn’t a game for the purist.

“I couldn’t say that we were back to fluent football or anything like that, it was just a case of digging in.

“They were like drowned rats at half-time and it wasn’t a great footballing day but very pleased to have come away with the points and I think, on reflection, we deserved to as well.”

Almost continuous rain on a very wet pitch made passing football extremely difficult and the slippery surface led to a number of misjudged tackles.

But YM went in front on 14 minutes. Nwachukwu turned his man on the edge of the area before picking his spot and firing home.

Connolly restored parity ten minutes before half-time but YMCA promptly retook the lead thanks to Nwachukwu.

Nwachukwu wrapped up his treble on 38 minutes but Connolly reduced the deficit three minutes later.

The resumption of the second half saw Lingfield press from the off and they were rewarded with the equaliser on the hour from Field.

But YMCA were not to be denied. A free-kick found Guy Harding at the back post and Ryder reacted quickest to flick the ball into the net.

Horsham YMCA visit near-neighbours Steyning Town on Saturday and Buckland predicted his side will ‘have their work cut out’.

He added: “It will be a totally different game this coming Saturday, we go from one extreme to the other.

“We really can get back to pass and move because you’re on 3G at Steyning and that’s going to be tough.

“They’re in a really good vein of form. We’re going to have our work cut out but we’ll have the same squad available.”

Horsham YMCA: Jeal, Daniel, Evans, Gilbert, Gedling (Hunt 65), Harding, Lovegrove, Mobsby, Nwachukwu, Pearce, Ryder.