Harris inspires cup win for the Blues

With Mickey O'Callaghan, Clay Lamont and Darren Tidey all missing through suspension, Ringmer welcomed back Justin Harris, newly-signed from Wealden, and Matt Beeston back from injury.

Beeston and Gareth Green combined to create an early chance for Andrew Ducille but his shot was blocked by goalkeeper Gary Elliott.

Ex-Blue Matt Geard was prominent in attack for the Hornets and created a wasted chance for Tom Graves before missing out himself when Harris blocked his shot. Harris then turned provider when his header put Green in with a shot on goal which was well saved. Moments later a neat turn by Gavin Jones saw him lose his marker but his shot was just wide.

Then an effort from Ducille rebounded off a defender for Jones to stroke home from close range to give the Blues the lead.

Ducille and Mark Probert set up another chance for Jones but his shot was well saved. Then a momentary lapse of concentration in the Blues defence allowed Florian Mateos to score for the Hornets from close range on the stroke of half-time.

Right from the start of the second half a through ball from Green saw Jones fail to beat the goalkeeper with an attempted chip. This stung the visitors into action and the Blues defence was soon under siege.

Against the run of play Jones set Danny Bird free on the left and his cross enabled Ducille to restore Ringmer's lead.

The game became much more open with chances at both ends. Ross Standen was called upon to punch clear to deny Mateos a shooting chance before Elliott made a flying save to deny Green.

With 20 minutes remaining Harris latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the Hornets's penalty area to drive it through a ruck of players for Ringmer's third goal.

The final action saw a shot from Mateos cannon off the Blues's crossbar.

Harris celebrated his return to the Caburn by collecting the Ringmer man of the Match award for his customary mix of midfield flair and bite.

Ringmer: Standen, Bird, Beeston, Curnow, Harris, Stacey, Dicker, Ducille (Clark), Jones, Green, Probert. Unused subs: Hunt, Shepherd, Ford, Adams.

County League One

Hailsham 3 Rye & Iden Utd 2

THE Stringers pulled off their first home win in 11 league games at The Beaconsfield when they beat lowly United.

However, the victory was overshadowed by an incident involving United midfielder Matt Sellick and Hailsham goalkeeper Russell Tanner.

Moving towards half-time Sellick upended Tanner with a late challenge which sparked a mass brawl. Referee Robert Wilkins produced a red card for Sellick, who emerged with a badly gashed cheekbone after the melee, and a yellow for Tanner.

Manager Kenny McCreadie said: 'It wasn't dirty but for that incident. We're close knit at Hailsham and I don't mind my pushing others out of the way to defend themselves, but I won't accept punches being thrown.

'It's not the place to throw punches and if any of mine did I'll take them to the gym and show them what a punch is all about.'

At that stage the Stringers were 3-1 ahead, the goals all being of high quality although Tanner was extremely lucky early on when his sliced clearance smacked against a post and bounced back into his arms.

The opening goal on the half-hour went to Steve Hunt, who was playing at full back following his long layoff through injury. Hunt broke forward and from 25 yards smashed the ball past United goalkeeper Will Toal.

The lead lasted two minutes as Steve Early was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area and Tom Cusden fired home the spotkick.

Edy Koboah got the second Hailsham goal three minutes later when he latched onto a through ball and scored comfortably.

The small Koboah had wisely avoided the fisticuffs and got on the scoresheet five minutes before the interval when he stayed cool to crack the ball home from 25 yards.

Hailsham did not reproduce their first-half form after the break and United hauled the score back to 3-2 with ten minutes left when Joe Cornwall netted.

The Stringers then gained some urgency and should have increased their lead had Nick Barden and Scott French taken good chances.

Hailsham: Tanner, Hunt (Williams), Early (Satchwell), M Richardson, Jarvis, P Richardson, Lewis, Stevens, Cooper (French), Koboah, Barden.

County League Two

Wealden 3 Bexhill 1

In a scrappy game neither team was able to retain possession although Wealden had the ball in the net on seven minutes but it was ruled out as the Bexhill goalkeeper had been unfairly charged over the goalline.

On 23 minutes a free-kick flicked on by Reece Head found Richard Piper, who put Tobi Hutchinson in on goal, but his first-time shot struck the crossbar and follow-ups by both Andy Johnson and Craig Ottley were scrambled away.

A quick throw-in on the half-hour led to the opening goal as Piper turned his defender and fed in Hutchinson to fire past the stranded goalkeeper. Three minutes later a long clearance from former Bexhill player Anderson put Piper in on goal but a bad bobble on the bumpy pitch saw his shot go wide.

On 36 minutes Wealden increased their lead. Garrod on the right rounded one defender only to be brought down by a second which left Ottley to convert the penalty.

Into the second half Bexhill were back in the match on 49 minutes when Hemp's free-kick was bent around the defensive wall but was pushed onto the post by Skates. Seymour reacted the quickest to put the ball home.

Wealden had chances to increase the lead as Piper, Hutchinson and Ottley all went close, but the killer goal came on 70 minutes when Hutchinson put Piper through and he turned a defender before feeding a pass to Garrod, who made no mistake.

Wealden: Skates, Head, Anderson, Gearing, Brownell, Garrod, A Johnson, Ward, Piper, Hutchinson, Ottley. Subs: Gilbert, Poulton.

Vernon Wentworth Cup

Rustington 4 Newhaven 0

NEWHAVEN suffered their third defeat in four games this season against bogy side Rustington and will now concentrate on winning promotion.

Manager Jason Tighe said: 'We were a bit unfortunate but Rustington are a good side who play good football and I'm just glad we haven't got to face them again this season!

'Now we'll focus on the league and I want eight wins from eight games from my team. It's a tough ask but I hope to strengthen my squad, which has been hit by injury, before the transfer window closes.

'We didn't play badly but we were against the wind in the first half and that told.

'We were attacking for their first goal when their goalkeeper got to Simon Halsey's shot, the ball was whacked up the other end and they were 1-0 up.

'The second was a free-kick from 50 yards that swerved in the wind and went in over Mark Hildersley's head. We were chasing the game after that.

'I'd like to put in a good word for the referee Paul John, he was great.'

Newhaven: Hildersley, Edwards, M Leiper, Tighe, Bartholomew (N Leiper), Georgiou, Holmes, Shappveld, Marchesi (Foote), Newman, Halsey.

County League Two

East Grinstead Town 1 Saltdean 3

Saltdean 2 Seaford 2

Saltdean manager Mark Smeaton was delighted with three points from the trip to EG but disappointed with only one point against Seaford.

The four points have lifted the Tigers three points clear of the Sidlesham in the second relegation slot but Smeaton must face the coming matches without striker Craig Bunch, who has a 21-day suspension but has hopes that will be reduced.

Smeaton said: 'Craig is a big loss but at least I've had Carl Southwell back on the bench for the last two games and that's a big plus.

'I'm looking to push our position on with virtually a full squad against Westfield on Saturday although they are a big, direct team.'

Bunch missed the Seaford game but was on the scoresheet against EG which Smeaton rated an excellent win.

He said: 'We were battered in the first half playing again the wind but my son Carl in goal made three or four excellent saves and was unlucky with their goal which he saved but saw it bounce in off the crossbar.

'Kicking with the wind we did well. Our last two goals came way into added time, I reckon the referee played 12 to 14 minutes extra!'

Roy Pook equalised for the Tigers in the 64th minute from the penalty spot after Ian Costello had been fouled.

The second came after Bunch slotted in from ten yards after an excellent move involving Costello and Pook.

Smeaton rated Costello's goal the best of the match as he swerved the ball around the goalkeeper after good work by Southwell and Pook.

Smeaton was not happy with the Seaford tactics on Tuesday. He said: 'They broke up the game and we weren't allowed to play.

'I was disappointed with the referee and I reckon the scoreline should really have been about 6-2.

Pook scored the Saltdean goals in the 19th and 31st minutes with Mark Doherty (28) and Adam Kneller (34) grabbing equalisers for Seaford.

The first Pook goal came after Ben Sweatman broke away and slipped the ball in for the goalscorer to smash it home.

And his second came as he slipped it home after Mark Saxby had raced away and squared the ball which bounced off the goalkeeper to Pook.

Saltdean (v East Grinstead): C Smeaton, Cheverest, Newman, Slade, Taylor (Stevens), Clarke, Ogoe, Costello, Saxby (Southwell), Bunch, Pook.

Saltdean (v Seaford): C Smeaton, Cheverest, Newman (Taylor), Slade, Stevens, Clarke, Costello, Ogoe (Coyne), Sweatman, Saxby (Southwell), Pook.

County League Two

Storrington 2 Seaford 2

TEENAGER Jamie Wingate came off the bench for his first senior game and earned Town a point as he set up Tom Callaghan's 80th minute equaliser.

Wingate came on for Ben Dartnall and joined Callaghan up front, with another impressive youngster, Liam Keith, dropped back into midfield. Wingate showed both pace and strength and he chased down a loose ball, outmuscled a Storrington defender and crossed for Callaghan to head home.

Town had started without the suspended Chris Stanyard and Scott Allison with Keith and Sam Hamblin stepping up. Sam McFadden returned to goal.

Keith troubled Storrington early on and in the 25th minute a through ball gave him a one-on-one with the Storrington goalkeeper and he chipped the ball home.

Town then missed several chances before the hosts equalised near half-time when Long sent a free-kick past McFadden and into the top corner.

Storrington were rejuvenated and on the hour a throw-in was flicked on for the unmarked Neil Richardson to score at the near post. Wingate then set up Callaghan's equaliser and then might have won the game. He outpaced the Storrington defence but his attempted lob just cleared the crossbar.

Seaford: McFadden, Moore, Mayo, A Kneller, L Wingate (Hammond), L Plastow, Scarfield, Dartnell (J Wingate), Keith, Callaghan, Hamblin (Smith).