Sids bounce back with vital win at Barnham

Both teams were keen to get the upper hand and Barnham started the brighter. Twice they went through on goal but their forwards wasted their chances.

The Sids suffered a setback when Dean Platt went off with a injury to be replaced by Jimmy Brown.

On 25 minutes Sids wasted a glorious chance to go one up.

The second half began as the first had ended, with neither side getting the upper hand.

But slowly the Sids began to play some flowing football and on 55 minutes a ball was played through to John Phillips, who turned his marker and coolly placed the ball past the home keeper to put the Sids 1-0 up.

Within two minutes, a defensive error allowed a Barnham forward to equalise.

Kieran Hartley was brought down in the area in the 70th minute and a penalty was awarded, but it was blasted against the crossbar.

Steve Whitehead replaced Howard Low. The game the was end-to-end but chances were few and far between.

It looked like it would be a draw but on 88 minutes Phillips collected the ball and with the home keeper off his line he chipped him to secure all three points for the Sids to open up a three-point lead over Barnham with three games in hand.

On Saturday the Sids visit Haywards Heath - another of their main challengers.

SIDS: Arnell, Carrigher, Low, Grantham, Chatfield, Hounsome, Hartley, Platt, Barnes, Newman, Phillips, Brown, Whitehead, Jones.

TONY ROWLAND