YM get second bite at cherry – and knock Varndeanians out of RUR Cup
Horsham YM won 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with AFC Varndeanians to reach the next round of the Sussex RUR Charity Cup.
In the third encounter between the sides this season, YM hosted Varndeanians at their Gorings Mead Herbert Direct Stadium on Tuesday evening in a replay, when YM extracted revenge in a close-run game.
The replay was ordered by the league after the visitors had fielded an ineligible player with mitigating circumstances in the original away fixture on September 29 – which Varndeanians won 2-0, having beaten YM 2-3 in the Southern Combination Premier Division in the first game of the season.
In this latest tussle, after a lively start by YM the Vs had two corners, the second being cleared off the line. Shots at either end followed, culminating in a pair of disappointedly taken corners for YM.
Just past the quarter of an hour mark the Vs had the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed because of a foul on keeper Will Tillman, the frantic first half ending without score despite four more corners for Varndeanians and two for YM.
The restart began with three further corners – two for the Vs - and YM substitutions were followed by a close-range goal by Oscar Bailey, giving the visitors the lead in the 64th minute.
YM responded with an immediate attack, the ball ending up on the roof of the net from a free kick – before Vs keeper Louie Sullivan rushed out to smother another YM foray.
With just eight minutes of normal time remaining, YM equalised when Ash Mutongerwa headed home Tom Lyons’ pinpoint cross. A good effort from a subsequent YM corner went unrewarded, taking the game into a fluctuating penalty shoot out, which YM eventually won 3-2,
Joint Manager Will Hendon told the County Times: “That was a tight game with nothing really between the teams. We showed a lot of character to keep pushing to come back from a goal down and go on to win, giving us a welcome confidence boost as we strive for three points on Saturday.”
The two sides meet again in the return away league fixture on November 7. Meanwhile, on Saturday (Oct 24) YM travel to take on Midhurst & Easebourne, again in the league.