Buckland sets sights on next season after Horsham YMCA falter again

YM, who are without a win in six Premier Division games, travelled to Hanbury Park knowing they needed to win their remaining four games to stand a realistic chance of promotion.

But a brace by Heath’s Melford Simpson was enough to see off the now fifth-placed visitors.

Buckland believes his side were yet again let down by missed chances. He said: “The quality of the game was a credit to the league.

“Haywards Heath just edged the first half and they scored a predictable headed goal from their big lad up top.

“I changed the formation at half-time, and I honestly feel we were the better side in the second half. There were missed chances again. In the space of five minutes, we should have been 2-1 up.

“We had to chase the game so we left the back door open and they scored a second late on. We missed two clear cut opportunities which is a bit disappointing but that’s how football goes for you sometimes.”

Simpson headed Heath into a 17th-minute lead from a counter-attack and then made the game safe a minute from time with a strong finish after a ball through the middle.

Buckland accepts that their promotion bid is all but over, with YM sitting six points short off third placed Pagham, and he is already planning for next season.

He added: “One or two players have lost a bit of form at the wrong time but there’s nothing you can do about it as a manager. Sometimes tactical changes can influence a game but it’s up to the players to make it happen.

“I was more interested in the continuity of performance as we’re already focusing on next season now.

“On the bigger picture, the performance was more important than the result. The whole group just can’t wait to get cracking again next year. We won’t make the same mistakes again.”

Some silver lining to the season could be earned through cup glory, with a 3-1 win over Crawley Down Gatwick last week seeing YM progress to the final of the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup where they will once again face Haywards Heath on May 7.

“After the disastrous start we had, if we can finish in the top six and win the league cup, it isn’t bad,” Buckland said. “Most managers would want a top-six finish at the start of the season.”

Horsham YMCA: A.Jeal, Carden, Donaghey, Harding, Evans (Schaaf 65), Dugdale, Gedling, Johnson, Cave (Moore 60) , Brown, Garrod.