It was ‘sticky’ but it’s another day unbeaten
In a highly entertaining game that included two red cards, a botched penalty and a hatful of near misses, battling Horsham YMCA held visiting Ling field toad raw at Go rings Me ad after clawing their way back from being a goal down at half-time.
YM coach Lee Maguire was pleased with the outcome, telling the County Times: “It was a bit sticky out there, but we created chances – and so did they.
“It could have gone either way, but it was good to be unbeaten again and earn another point .”
The opening minutes belonged to Ling field and when a dangerous- looking YM back pass was not cleared, a game of pinball followed, enabling visiting centre forward James Allen to slot home in the fifth minute.
In between two Lingfield corners, YM’s Alex Barbary could only get a weak shot away. YM were coming more into the game but Ben Bacon saw two strikes blocked and Callum Jeal found the side netting, before his brother Aaron had to rush out to save.
Shortly ahead of the midpoint of the first half, came a turning point when Allen was floored in the box and managed to blast the penalty high and wide. A Lingfield free kick just outside the area came to nothing before four corners were awarded – two for eachside- withAllenfailing to make contact with a threatening cross, and Sami Bakhit hoofing attempts off target.
Twelve minutes before the break, Ling field were reduced to ten men when keeper Daniel Nairne scythed down Brannon O’Neil, newly signed from Three Bridges. The stand-in keeper was soon in action, as was Aaron Jeal, tipping the ball over for Lingfield’s fifth corner.
The second half began with a YM corner and subs were i ntroduced. With around half an hour still on the clock, YM pressure allowed Barbary to break through to equalise.
Barbary’ sc lose range effort was stopped by the keeper’s lunging feet. The two YM subs caught the eye, with Kyle Sim being sent off with quarter of an hour remaining, and Adrian Todd unleashing a powerful shot just wide.
A frantic ending followed, the ball some how being kept out with four saves from Jeal and defenders. Lingfield spurned a golden chance at the death.
YM travel to Eastbourne Town on Saturday.