Mellor 3 Ward 4
Well-known member
Horsham YMCA 3 Saltdean 3
YM second bottom of the league v top of the league Saltdean.
First game in charge for Dean Carden - who has made 508 appearances for YMCA as a player.
On Tuesday’s frosty night at Gorings Mead Horsham YMCA stunned the runaway league leaders, all star Saltdean, by holding them to a richly entertaining draw after scoring early and late in the game.
Enduring nine consecutive league defeats, YM supporters have had little to cheer about, but their spirits were boosted by a determined, committed performance after new Manager Dean Carden had been busy signing new players during football lockdown. YM got off to the best possible start when Jack Ryder broke through casual Saltdean defending to score 25 seconds from the kick off. Saltdean, though, gradually came more into the game, moving forward with increased possession, but McCreadie failed to maximise a heading opportunity and Pamment blasted well wide.
Will Read headed just off target for YM in between two Saltdean corners, averted by brave home defending. The visitors kept pressing and were not to be denied – after corkscrewing into the top netting from a free kick just outside the area, they drew level on the half hour mark when Pamment hooked in from the left. A YM corner and forays resulting from ineffective Saltdean clearances came and went, until YM escaped when keeper Aaron Jeal pushed a shot onto the post and away. Then YM cleared off the line, before an impressive diving header by Harry Shooman gave Saltdean the lead, the score remaining 2-1 in their favour at the break following another Saltdean corner.
Resuming, YM had to be at their best to prevent the visitors from going further ahead, with Charlie Cooke thwarting a threatening attack and Jeal saving with his feet from close range. But, in the 57th minute, Ryan Warwick scrambled the ball home to give Saltdean a two goal advantage. However, to their great credit YM kept challenging and were rewarded when a free kick was parried out to the unmarked Ryder, who made no mistake.
Saltdean had come expecting to win and when a header grazed the YM upright to no effect, the ref had to quell overheating in the away dugout. YM were reduced to 10 men through sub Archie Cooke’s too robust tackle, but they still pushed for the equaliser, with the dying minutes resembling a hectic cup tie. And, YM got their just desserts three minutes into extra time when a header was palmed off for a corner, following which the ball landed at the feet of Callum Jeal, who celebrated his come back into a YM shirt by coolly banging in a dream long range strike to share the points.
A very late Saltdean corner rattled YM’s nerves amid two excellent saves by Aaron Jeal, but the 3-3 draw was a fair result, Manager Dean Carden telling us: “I said that Saltdean would have more of the possession, but I emphasised that I expected us to compete – and that’s what we did! We matched them and took our chances. Callum Jeal was brought in to mix it up in mid field, without anticipating a goal from him, so that really was the icing on the cake. I’m delighted with that performance – we fully deserved the point.”
Two more YM home games beckon – on Saturday they welcome Lingfield, then on Tuesday (15th) they have a stiff challenge when they host Haywards Heath in the second round of the Sussex Senior Cup.
YM second bottom of the league v top of the league Saltdean.
First game in charge for Dean Carden - who has made 508 appearances for YMCA as a player.
On Tuesday’s frosty night at Gorings Mead Horsham YMCA stunned the runaway league leaders, all star Saltdean, by holding them to a richly entertaining draw after scoring early and late in the game.
Enduring nine consecutive league defeats, YM supporters have had little to cheer about, but their spirits were boosted by a determined, committed performance after new Manager Dean Carden had been busy signing new players during football lockdown. YM got off to the best possible start when Jack Ryder broke through casual Saltdean defending to score 25 seconds from the kick off. Saltdean, though, gradually came more into the game, moving forward with increased possession, but McCreadie failed to maximise a heading opportunity and Pamment blasted well wide.
Will Read headed just off target for YM in between two Saltdean corners, averted by brave home defending. The visitors kept pressing and were not to be denied – after corkscrewing into the top netting from a free kick just outside the area, they drew level on the half hour mark when Pamment hooked in from the left. A YM corner and forays resulting from ineffective Saltdean clearances came and went, until YM escaped when keeper Aaron Jeal pushed a shot onto the post and away. Then YM cleared off the line, before an impressive diving header by Harry Shooman gave Saltdean the lead, the score remaining 2-1 in their favour at the break following another Saltdean corner.
Resuming, YM had to be at their best to prevent the visitors from going further ahead, with Charlie Cooke thwarting a threatening attack and Jeal saving with his feet from close range. But, in the 57th minute, Ryan Warwick scrambled the ball home to give Saltdean a two goal advantage. However, to their great credit YM kept challenging and were rewarded when a free kick was parried out to the unmarked Ryder, who made no mistake.
Saltdean had come expecting to win and when a header grazed the YM upright to no effect, the ref had to quell overheating in the away dugout. YM were reduced to 10 men through sub Archie Cooke’s too robust tackle, but they still pushed for the equaliser, with the dying minutes resembling a hectic cup tie. And, YM got their just desserts three minutes into extra time when a header was palmed off for a corner, following which the ball landed at the feet of Callum Jeal, who celebrated his come back into a YM shirt by coolly banging in a dream long range strike to share the points.
A very late Saltdean corner rattled YM’s nerves amid two excellent saves by Aaron Jeal, but the 3-3 draw was a fair result, Manager Dean Carden telling us: “I said that Saltdean would have more of the possession, but I emphasised that I expected us to compete – and that’s what we did! We matched them and took our chances. Callum Jeal was brought in to mix it up in mid field, without anticipating a goal from him, so that really was the icing on the cake. I’m delighted with that performance – we fully deserved the point.”
Two more YM home games beckon – on Saturday they welcome Lingfield, then on Tuesday (15th) they have a stiff challenge when they host Haywards Heath in the second round of the Sussex Senior Cup.
