Horsham YM so close to lowering Haywards Heath Town’s colours

YM held them off in the first half, took an early lead in the second and kept them at bay until Heath finally managed to score well into added time.

The opening quarter of an hour saw maximum Heath possession with YM defending heroically with excellent reaction saves from keeper Will Tillman.

Heath corners came and went with goalmouth clearances scrambled away. Then they hit the bar and blazed one over – but YM were determined to keep them out, only coming really close themselves when Will O’Brien got a boot to a free kick, to no avail.

To their great credit YM neutralised Heath’s dominance with the score remaining goalless at the break.

The second half began with another Heath corner, but a handball incident at the other end gave YM a penalty which Theo Aiguobasimwin gleefully converted.

A courageous diving save by Tillman thwarted Heath before, following two further Heath corners, he rushed out to smother another incursion.

Heath were too aerial and failed to make the best of a free kick from a threatening position, before a YM build-up covered the length of pitch, finishing just wide.

But Heath kept pressing earning another corner, then with the ref looking at his watch, finally got the ball in the net, Harry Shooman equalising from close range in the dying minutes.

YM joint manager Will Hendon told the County Times: “Our boys haven’t played much together yet and I’m very pleased with them – they put their bodies on the line, and having led for so long I was disappointed that we didn’t win.

"But, that was a huge confidence boost and we’ve got players to come back. After visiting Peacehaven to take on AFC Varndeanians in the RUR Cup on Tuesday we fly to Guernsey on Saturday.”