Bexhill United 1 v 4 Loxwood

Monday 5th May 2014
Sussex League Division Two Cup Final
Hanbury Park, Haywards Heath
Admission and programme: £5.00
Attendance: 201
Match Rating: 4

At the conclusion of my earlier game at Shoreham watching the Sussex League Cup Final, I headed north to catch the Division Two cup final at Haywards Heath.

Hanbury Park is a delightful old stadium, that has seen some additions and general sprucing up since my last visit just over a year ago, following the club's promotion to senior football from the Sussex League Division Three at the start of this season. A wooden roof has been added to a small standing area towards the corner flag behind one of the goals, and the main stand, surely the grandest and most imposing in the Sussex League, has had its capacity halved, with the rear half of the stand now fenced off. Wooden gates are now in place to guide players from the changing rooms to the pitch, and although the length opposite the main stand was marked out of bounds with gates, this didn't prevent a number of people climbing through or squeezing past the fences marked "no entry" to gain access to this grassed area with a bank. As mentioned in my previous report, an excellent programme covered both this and this morning's games.

Loxwood finished their league season in third place to earn them promotion to the highest level the club has ever played at. They chalked up 70 points and 98 goals in their 32 league games, and have been impressive in reaching today's final, yet to concede a goal, having won 0-4 at Rustington, 2-0 at home to Broadbridge Heath and an eye catching 4-0 win against FA Vase semi-finalists and division champions Eastbourne United. Bexhill finished eighth in the division, par for the course compared with recent seasons although hopes were high for a promotion challenge this season. They racked up 45 points from their 32 games. To reach today's final, Bexhill have beaten Seaford Town 3-2 after extra time, local rivals Little Common 6-0, before beating Oakwood 1-0 with a goal deep into added on time in the semi-final to secure the club's first appearance in a county league cup final for 40 years. When the two teams met in the league, Loxwood won 5-4 at home in September and 1-5 away in November.

Having left the chilly breeze on the coast, this game was played in warm, sunny conditions, and the match started very much against the run of play, with Bexhill making the early running. They deservedly went into the lead on 15 minutes, when a free kick was played to the right of the area, and Jamie Salvidge swivelled and curled a low shot into the far corner. Loxwood's first real chance didn't come until the 32nd minutes when a header from a corner flashed just wide, but within three minutes, they were level. A long low ball was played through and Dean Wright tapped the ball past the onrushing keeper and it rolled into the empty net. Within a minute, Bexhill almost went back into the lead when a fierce shot was deflected wide with the keeper beaten. All square was how it remained at half time though, with little indication which way the game might go.

Loxwood were a team completely transformed in the second half, dominating play and creating plenty of chances, as Bexhill struggled to get out of their own half. However, as time ticked by, one wondered if this might be a game where Loxwood would be made to pay for not converting their superiority into goals, but finally on 78 minutes they did take the lead. The ball was played through the defence and Wright knocked the ball past the keeper for his second of the game. The floodgates had opened now, as two minutes later Loxwood had a ricocheted shot cleared off the line, but on 86 minutes they did score a third. The ball was played low across the goal and although the first shot was saved, the rebound was tucked away by Mark Cave. Two minutes from time and Loxwood scored their fourth. The ball was dribbled along the touchline before being pulled back for Wright to claim his hat-trick, smashing the ball home. So although the scoreline was perhaps slightly harsh on Bexhill, Loxwood thoroughly deserved to lift the cup, and credit to their manager for doing the necessary to waken his side up from a poor first half display.

Crowborough Athletic 0 v 1 East Preston

Monday 5th May 2014
John O'Hara Cup Final
Middle Road, Shoreham-by-Sea
Admission and programme: £6.00
Attendance: 215
Match Rating: 2

Having been to almost all of Crowborough's midweek games this season, I was never going to miss watching them in a league cup final today. This would also be the first of a rare footballing treble today in West Sussex.

This year's Sussex League cup final was hosted at Shoreham home ground, which is about a twenty minute walk from Shoreham by Sea train station. It is not particularly easy on the eye, with stone slatted fencing around the perimeter, a corrugated iron all-seater stand which has seen better days straddling the half way line, with a small covered area of terracing behind one of the goals. The clubhouse is situated in one corner, with tables and chairs placed on wrecking area between the clubhouse and the seated stand. The programme was a very reasonable effort, covering both this and the Division Two cup final being played later today, and the 44 pages divided between the two games. It contained introductions to both teams, who they got to the final, and plenty of other interesting background information for the game.

East Preston would certainly start the game as red hot favourites to complete a league and cup double, having won the title by 17 points, with 96 points from 38 games, having lost just two league games all season. To reach today's final, East Preston had a bye in the first round before Midhurst and Eastbourne failed to raise a team in round two. They then dispatched Selsey on penalties after a 1-1 draw and St Francis Rangers 3-0, both at home, before coming from behind to beat Littlehampton Town 2-1 in the semi-final on neutral territory. Crowborough finished their league season in fifth place, with 70 points from their 38 games, after a second placed finish looking a possibility before a disappointing last month of the season, losing three of their last four games, which included throwing away a three goal lead to lose 3-4 on Saturday to mid table St Francis Rangers. To reach today's final, Crowborough beat Chichester City on penalties after a 3-3 draw and then Arundel 4-3, both games at home, before receiving a bye thanks to their intended opponents, Pagham, being thrown out of the competition after fielding an ineligible player in the previous round. They then beat Ringmer in the semi-final. When today's teams met previously this season, East Preston triumphed 0-3 in Crowborough in the first game of the season, with a 1-1 draw the result in the return fixture in January. They also met in the FA Cup, East Preston eventually proceeding after extra time in a replay at Crowborough.

On a sunny morning that had a cool breeze cutting through humid air, this was a typical cup final - full of commitment, but with few goalscoring chances, although those that did tended to fall to East Preston. On 17 minutes, a corner was headed powerfully into the net, but the referee decided that the keeper had been fouled in the process. Crowborough's best chance came on 38 minutes, when a defender got in a tangle trying to pass the ball back to the keeper and although Crowborough's Chris Ransome got to the ball first, he could only lift the ball over the keeper but just wide of the far post.

Into the second half and chances were still at a premium, until East Preston took the lead on 55 minutes, Joe Shelley powering a header into the roof of the net from a corner, despite the keeper getting faint hands behind the ball. One had the feeling that that might be game over as Crowborough rarely threatened, their task becoming all the harder on 72 minutes when Paul Butler was sent off for a tackle from behind. They did manage to attack the East Preston goal a couple of times in the last few minutes, and although East Preston having a player themselves sent off on 87 minutes, Shaheen Sadough for a second yellow card, East Preston comfortably secured the win to see them lift the trophy after the final whistle. It was a fair result on the day, but Crowborough's young team will take great heart from a cup final appearance to go with a fifth placed league finish. East Preston still have another cup final to contest, the Sussex RUR charity cup to potentially claim a clean sweep of Sussex League trophies.

Sidlesham 1 v 2 Hurstpierpoint

Saturday 3rd May 2014
Sussex League Division Three
Memorial Ground, Sidlesham
Admission and programme: None
Attendance: 47
Match Rating: 2

Today I decided to tick off my final ground in the three divisions of the Sussex County League, something I had planned to do several times previously only to be tempted elsewhere late on. Unfortunately my landmark occasion would turn out to be a rather unremarkable event, both on and off the pitch.

The Memorial Ground is about a 20 minute bus ride south from Chichester train station, with the entrance visible with attractive club signs and a fixture board on the main Selsey road. At the end of a short gravel track, one notices a peaceful, rural ground, surrounded by trees. A small corrugated iron stand covers a couple of terrace steps straddling the half way line. The pitch is fully railed off, and with hard standing along three sides, the length opposite the stand being the odd one out, and there is quite an expanse of grass behind this length. Floodlights are present, however they have not been in operation for several seasons. A large low clubhouse is situated behind one of the goals, with a tea bar hatch out of the front, but apart from a couple of bright club signs outside the entrance, is a pretty dreary and uninviting building, inside and out. Surprisingly, no admission was taken nor programmes produced for today's game.

On this, the last day of the Sussex County League season, Sidlesham went into this game in fifth place in the league, but with the two teams above them three points ahead but having completed their fixtures. With fourth placed Uckfield Town having the same goal difference, any win for Sidlesham today would see them move into fourth, whilst a three goal victory would be sufficient to overhaul Roffey into third and a possible promotion berth. Hurstpierpoint have absolutely nothing to play for but pride, in seventh place with 25 points from 19 games, four points adrift of sixth placed Ifield and all teams below them having completed their fixtures. They have had a successful season though, having won the Sussex Intermediate Cup. When today's teams met earlier in the season, Sidlesham ran out 1-3 winners.

On a warm, sunny afternoon, Sidlesham started with the expected urgency to score, and on 16 minutes, they had a goal disallowed. A cross was missed by the keeper, but the striker handled the ball in taking control before tapping it into the empty net. On 19 minutes, Hurstpierpoint took a surprise lead with a great goal. There didn't seem to be a lot on when James Sharp took possession of the ball 25 yards out, so he took aim and hit a powerful low drive into the bottom left corner which the keeper really should have got something behind. On 28 minutes, Sidlesham got back on level terms with a strange goal. A corner was poorly struck low to the near post, the Hurstpierpoint defenders didn't clear the ball away, and Paul Grantham stabbed the ball in off the post from a couple of yards. That didn't really seem to kick Sidlesham on, as the game meandered to a 1-1 half time scoreline, with third place looking a very distant prospect for the home team.

Not much changed during the second half, as Sidlesham never looked likely to rack up the comprehensive win they needed, and it looked nigh on impossible when they had a player sent off on 57 minutes for an ugly late challenge. On 70 minutes, Hurstpierpoint went back into the lead. Again, the home players seemed uninterested in closing attacking players down, and Sean Trend had all the time in the world to place his shot into the right hand side of the net. Only in the last ten minutes did Sidlesham seriously threaten to score, on 80 minutes a free kick into the box led to some desperate attempts to poke the ball home but it was eventually scrambled away, and in added on time, a ball over the top into the penalty area resulted in a shot on goal which the keeper acrobatically parried away. But it was Hurstpierpoint who claimed a thoroughly deserved victory, whilst Sidlesham had to settle for fifth place after an extremely disappointing and lethargic performance which sees the club consigned to intermediate football again next season.

Hawkhurst United 0 v 1 Wadhurst United

Wednesday 30th April 2014
East Sussex League Division One
The Moor, Hawkhurst
Admission and programme: None
Attendance: 43 (head count)
Match Rating: 2

Of all my silly season games this spring, this is the one I most looked forward to, at a venue in my local major village when I was growing up, with the visiting team from the village I lived in, off and on, for almost 25 years until recently.

The Moor is located about a mile south of the village centre and is another example of a venue that makes silly season groundhopping so pleasurable in the early evening sunshine. There are no spectator facilities here, but there is a really pleasant rural look and feel to the place. One passes a moderately attractive brick building housing the changing rooms as one enters the playing fields, and then after a short distance the pitch is surrounded on three sides by trees of varying shapes, sizes and colours. Several park benches are placed behind one of the goals. Although Hawkhurst did issue programmes whilst they played in the Kent County League, and showed some ambition to progress up the pyramid, they do not anymore.

This evening's game would be between two clubs very much in the mix to claim the second promotion spot behind champions-elect Little Chelsea. Wadhurst went into this game in second place with 38 points from 18 games and a point tonight in their penultimate game should be sufficient to stay there. They have been in great form, losing just once - to Little Chelsea - in twelve league matches, a run which started in November with a 2-0 home victory against this evening's opponents. This run was abruptly ended last time out though when they lost 4-1 at JC Tackleway, which at the time appeared to have been a fatal blow to their promotion chances, only for JC Tackleway to then surprisingly lose to lowly Crowhurst, to put Wadhurst back in pole position for the promotion spot. Hawkhurst were in fourth place in the division, six points behind Wadhurst but with a game in hand, however they have an inferior goal difference of 11 compared with Wadhurst. They have also been in very good form, unbeaten in their last eight games, winning six of them, a win including a win and a draw in a double-header against Little Chelsea.

On another pleasant evening of blue skies and warm sunshine, Hawkhurst started very strongly, doing most of the attacking without creating any real chances to score. Indeed, it was Wadhurst who had the first real chance, a terrific strike from the outer corner of the penalty area hit the crossbar, and although the rebound was tucked away into the net, the goal was ruled out for offside. On 32 minutes, a perfectly judged curling cross into the box was headed narrowly over the bar for Hawkhurst, and two minutes later, they forced an excellent point blank save from the Wadhurst keeper. On 36 minutes the visitors took the lead, definitely against the run of play when free kick was floated into the box from the half way line, and Lee Bates headed the ball past the keeper and into the net from about 8 yards. On the stroke of half time, Hawkhurst almost got an equaliser, when a cross from wide sailed over the keeper and hit the bar, and the rebound couldn't be forced home.

Wadhurst dominated the second half and always looked much more likely to double their lead than Hawkhurst to get an equaliser, although in truth it was a very competitive half that produced few goalscoring chances. In the last five minutes, Hawkhurst did manage to put some sustained pressure on the Wadhurst goal, the stand out chance a minute into added on time when an aerial diagonal ball was headed across goal, beating the keeper but just going wide of the far post. But it was not to be, and Wadhurst held on for a narrow win which guaranteed them a promotion berth, whilst Hawkhurst can still claim third place if they beat third placed JC Tackleway on Saturday.