Division One title is ‘East Preston’s to lose,” YM boss Buckland says.

Buckland’s YM found themselves 2-0 down after 36 minutes, but Liam Hunter’s goal on the stroke of half-time proved crucial.

Goals from Craig Grantham and the excellent Dave Brown put YM ahead, and although Clinton Moore equalised for the visitors, Grantham marked his first game back from a long injury lay-off with a cool winner.

The hard-fought victory was even more impressive given they were forced into a late reshuffle after two key players dropped out and the win keeps YM third in the table.

“I know we’ve played a couple more than some but I’d rather have the points on the board then games in hand in the run in with the weather being how it is,” Buckland said. “We’re on 40 points and that’s half-way to my target of 80. If we get that amount of points, where that takes us, who knows.”

YM go to St Francis Rangers on Saturday before their big Sussex Senior Cup game at home to Ryman Premier Lewes next Tuesday night.

Speaking about the run in Buckland said: “We’ve still got to play Littlehampton, Hassocks and East Preston. We drew down at East Preston when we should have won and they’re still in the Vase, but it’s their league to lose.”

Praising his two-goal striker Grantham, he said: “It was really a game too early for his comeback, I’d have liked to have given him 45 minutes but I know what he’s got in his locker and he showed us tonight. Two good goals and he lead the line really well.”

Buckland was also full of praise for ‘talisman’ Dave Brown, who scored a fine solo goal to make it 3-2 and had a big hand in both Grantham’s goals.

“It wasn’t a classic performance on a sticky old pitch, but we showed a lot of desire and we showed we can win ugly,” he asserted.