'˜One of the worst' to '˜probably the best' - the difference a week makes for Horsham YMCA

What a difference a week makes for Horsham YMCA.

Manager Peter Buckland pulled no punches in some scathing criticisms as YM crashed out of the FA Vase to division-lower Kensington Borough last Saturday.

And his words seemed to have hit the right note as they bounced back with a 2-1 win over Arundel in the Peter Bentley Cup midweek and then an even-more important 4-1 success at home to Eastbourne Town in the Premier Division on Saturday.

Braces from Tony Nwachukwu and Dean Bown along with an Alex Barbary goal kept YM second in the division, just a point behind leaders Chichester City, although with a game in hand.

They led 3-0 at half-time with Town, who themselves inflicted Chi with their first league defeat last Saturday, having conceded two penalties and had Sam Cole sent off.

Buckland said: “Everyone is capable of having a bad day and we certainly had a bad day a week ago Saturday. There were a few words and few home truths of what my expectations were from the squad.

“They were a few facts and they really responded well. Tuesday at Arundel was a really, really decent show against a good young side.

“Saturday we were expecting an even tougher challenge, who had a brilliant win against Chichester the week before.

“I can honestly say though that we took them apart in the first half. If after the Vase game I commented it was the worst performance in my time at the club... then this was probably the best.”

“I know there were two penalties, but they were one-on-ones and we would have scored anyway and they went down to ten, but I don’t think it had much of an effect.”

Nwachukwu headed YM ahead on the 13-minute mark as he nodded home a back-post cross after a 13-pass move.

Bown then picked himself up to fire home from the penalty spot after he had been brought down on 28 minutes.

The striker did the same nine minutes later with Cole also being sent off for the last-man tackle to leave Town with a mountain to climb in the second half.

They were given a helping hand in the 55th minute when Aaron Jeal had what Buckland described as a ‘Jordan Pickford howler’ when caught in possession and Zac Attwood pulled a goal back.

The visitors enjoyed a good spell of pressure for the next 15 minutes, before substitute Tony Garrod teed-up Barbary on 78 minutes. Nwachukwu then headed home the fifth with five minutes left to play.

On the red card incident, Buckland had some sympathy and said: “I’m not really sure of the rules now! I thought if it was a penalty now it would only be a yellow card? He was the last man, so maybe that kicked in?”

YM travel to Pagham on Saturday.

Horsham YMCA: Jeal, Carden, Gilbert (Gill 50), Harding, Evans, Hartley (Garrod 60), Mobsby (Hunt 75), Dugdale, Nwachukwu, Bown, Barbary.