Brown on target as YMCA roar past Lions into the FA Vase first round

A solitary Dave Brown goal 12 minutes from time was enough to see YM through after a brilliant display against a strong Pagham side.

Their rewards for a well-disciplined display will be a home tie against Wessex League Premier Division side Horndean.

YM boss Peter Buckland said: “It was a very good game and again a credit to the league really. For the main part, it was two very good sides cancelling each other out.

“We had quite a few out still and went down there with a game plan of containment and try and nick something on the break and that is exactly what we did.

“The defence and midfield coped really, really well and in the last 25 minutes we decided to go for it and I think we fully deserved the win.

“It’s great to stay in the competition and it’s seven games from Wembley and a bit of cash for the club.”

Early action saw the visitors play a slick passing game that cut into the Pagham defence, Dan Swain heading away a chance from a free-kick within three minutes.

The Lions attacked with gusto, chances falling to Scott Murfin, Ryan Morey and Joe Shelley. When YMCA did attack, it was Phil Johnson on the end of it, and he was denied by James Binfield more than once.

A mistake by YMCA’s midfield let Liam Humphreys in on the half-hour as he fed the ball to Morey, but the attack broke down.

A fumble by Lewis Blaney on 35 minutes could have seen the Lions roar into the lead, but Murfin’s shot was cleared. Before half-time, Binfield pulled off a fine save from an incoming header.

In the second half, both sides had shots across goal, while Shelley sent the ball flying just past the post.

Blaney pulled off a superb save to deny Kieron Pamment and blocked the ball from a move involving Morey and Murfin.

On 74 minutes, a quick one-two from a corner saw the ball fired in from the right by Brown as he saw the keeper off his line and it nudged the post and went past a stranded Binfield into the net.

Dan Kempson’s long-range shot sailed over as he tried to get his team back into the match and Pamment shot across goal, while a YMCA free-kick was well held by Binfield.

On the stroke of full-time, Pagham did have the ball in the YM net, but the linesman flag was up for a push and it was ruled out, much to the relief of the travelling contingent.

Horsaham YMCA: Blaney, Carden, Gilbert, Gathern, Harding, Brown, Curtis, Simpson (Buchanan), Dugdale, Howell (Hole), Johnson. Unused: Burgess, Fox, Crane.

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