East Sussex Football League: Easter victory double puts Rye Town three points clear at top of table

The Premier Division leaders firstly ran out 2-0 winners at home to Bexhill Town on Saturday thanks to a goal in either half from Sammy Foulkes and William Brown.

Rye then prevailed 1-0 away to Westfield II on Monday, with Sam Hesmer grabbing the winner shortly before half time.

Westfield started the weekend second, but ended it fourth having also been narrowly beaten on Saturday, when they conceded a last-gasp goal to lose 3-2 at Sandhurst.

Harry Morrell's double, including a stoppage-time clincher, and one from James Hsuan earned Sandhurst a second successive win.

Punnetts Town are now Rye's nearest pursuers, albeit having played two more matches, after they banged in 16 goals in two emphatic victories.

They were 9-1 victors away to Hawkhurst United (whose scorer was George Lawrence) on Saturday and followed that up with a 7-1 success at St Leonards Social on Monday.

Connor Townsend plundered a hat-trick against the Hawks, Josh Albert bagged a brace, and Patrick Johnson, Nick Moore, Craig Norman and Mark Phillips chipped in with one each.

Townsend, Tristan Jarvis and Connor Middleton all netted twice against Social, with Albert also getting in on the act after coming off the bench.

Third-placed Crowhurst appear the team best positioned to challenge Rye and they kept their hopes very much alive by triumphing 4-1 at home to Sidley United on Monday.

The Crows netted twice in either half to end Sidley's seven-match unbeaten league run and leave themselves five points behind Rye having played the same number of fixtures.

Henry Barnes, Reece Johnson, Alex Mulumba and Harry Spice were on the scoresheet for Crowhurst.

Two days earlier, Sidley conceded with the very last kick of the game to draw 3-3 at home to The JC Tackleway.

Andy Atkin, Archie Ball and Gary Hempe scored for a Sidley side which trailed 1-0 at the break and later led 3-1. Harry Cawkill, Nathan Smith and Josh Eaton were Tackleway's marksmen.

Fifth-placed Bexhill AAC had a mixed weekend, winning 5-0 away to St Leonards Social on Saturday before losing 3-1 at in-form Hollington United on Monday.

Kelvin Lowes, Rosh Wells and Adam Hickey were among the scorers against Social, while Leo Oliver's strike was the highlight for AAC against Hollington.

The goals of Aaron Cochrane, Casey Ham and debutant Sali Sadakov secured a third consecutive league and cup win for seventh-placed Hollington.

In Monday's other game, Hawkhurst's goalless draw in the Kent derby at home to Sandhurst was enough to move them out of the bottom two on goal difference.

Bexhill Rovers went from fourth to first in Division Two after picking up six points in just over 48 hours.

Rovers firstly won 3-1 at home to Crowhurst II on Saturday, with Kieran Dighton, Anton Neil and Jay Tomlin getting the goals.

They then saw off Robertsbridge United 7-1 on Monday via David Ammoun's double, and one each from Shane Friend, Bobby Bowles, Charlie Sellens, Luke Newbury and Daniel Allen.

Robertsbridge's visit from Rye Town II on Saturday was abandoned.

Second-bottom Sovereign Saints II closed to within a point of Wadhurst United with two games in hand after beating them 4-0 at Shinewater Lane.

Philip Broom, Jack Griffin and Abdelmonim Yahya were among the scorers for Saints, who have lost just one of their last four outings.

In Division Three, second-placed Bexhill AAC II continued their red-hot form by winning 5-0 at home to Sedlescombe Rangers Development.

Strikes by Leo Oliver (2), River-Jay Gray, Charlie Morgan and Luke Cave made it 30 goals in five league and cup games for AAC, who trail leaders Parkfield by a dozen points having played a match fewer.

Catsfield moved back up to third after recovering from 1-0 down at half time to draw 2-2 at Ticehurst on Monday. George Brown grabbed both of Ticehurst's goals.

Welcroft Park Rangers II edged their way out of the bottom two on goal difference following a 2-2 away draw against Westfield III.

Alfie Clark's double for Westfield was cancelled out by the finishing of James Burnett and Steven Cherryman for Welcroft.

Mountfield United slipped below Welcroft, albeit having played two fewer fixtures, after going down 5-1 at home to Orington.

Mason Mockridge and Brandon Easley were among the scorers for Orington as they got back on track after successive defeats without scoring.

The JC Tackleway II returned to the summit of Division Four after ending their season in style with a 7-3 triumph at home to Icklesham Casuals.

Dale Matthews (2), Steve Payne (2), Harley Millward, Luke Gasson and Ryan Harffey struck for Tackleway, while Freddie Novis (2) and Thomas Cumber notched for Icklesham.

Tackleway will now have to hope that second-placed Burwash fail to beat Icklesham in their one remaining encounter this Saturday if they are to be crowned champions.

Third-placed Crowhurst III aren't totally out of it, although they need to win their last match by a 10-goal margin and hope Burwash slip up against Icklesham.

The Crows kept in touch by winning 4-2 against Hastings Comets via the finishing of Nathan Dolby (2), Eden White and Joe Millar. Danny Croft and Samuel Robinson-Gundry retaliated.

Fourth-placed Battle Town Development ended their campaign on a high courtesy of a 5-0 home win over Hawkhurst United II.

Giorgio Wingrove's double, and one apiece from Oliver Norris, Lewis Ransom and Rufus Ross ensured Battle finished their league programme with eight wins and eight losses.

Hollington United reached their second cup final of the season via a come-from-behind 3-1 victory at home to Sedlescombe Rangers II in the Macron Store Hastings Cup.

Archie Baker, Danny Woodley and Casey Ham scored in the second half for Premier Division side Hollington against Division Two team Sedlescombe, who hit the post with a first-half penalty.

Hollington, who have already won the ESFL Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup, will face Rye Town in the final.

Ninfield are also through to their second final of the campaign, again on the back of a 3-1 semi-final success against Little Common II at Bexhill College.

Ninfield saw off their Division One rivals in the last four of the ESFL Wisdens Sports Challenge Cup on March 9 and they repeated the feat in the Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup.

Jordan Uttley's brace and one from Andy Hales ensured Ninfield prevailed, while Rhys Jones netted for Common as lightning struck twice.

In the other half of the draw, Division Two promotion hopefuls Northiam 75 beat Catsfield by a goal to nil at the quarter-final stage.

Northiam will take on Division One pacesetters Jesters Town in the semi-finals on Saturday April 13.

Crowhurst lost 2-1 away to Mid-Sussex League Premier Division side Westfield in a long-delayed Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup first-round tie. Jay Edwards got the Crows' goal.

Standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Rye Town 15-40 (+29 goal difference), Punnetts Town* 17-37 (+40), Crowhurst 15-35 (+31), Westfield II 16-33 (+17), Bexhill AAC 16-28 (+9), Sandhurst 18-26 (+1), Hollington United 16-25 (+3), The JC Tackleway 16-22 (-8), Sidley United 15-16 (-12), Hawkhurst United 16-8 (-37), St Leonards Social 15-8 (-38), Bexhill Town* 17-(-)1 (-35). * = points adjusted

Division 1: Jesters Town 12-30 (+31), Peche Hill Select 10-21 (+5), Ninfield 9-21 (+5), SC Pass+Move Arrows 10-12 (-4), Herstmonceux* 11-10 (-10), Battle Town II 11-7 (-13), Little Common II 9-6 (-14). * = points adjusted. Rock-a-Nore, Hollington United II withdrawn.

Division 2: Bexhill Rovers 13-30 (+25), Northiam 75 13-29 (+21), Hooe 14-26 (+8), Crowhurst II 14-25 (+14), Rye Town II 12-23 (+16), Victoria Baptists 13-16 (-7), Sedlescombe Rangers II 13-15 (-2), Wadhurst United* 15-11 (-16), Sovereign Saints II 13-10 (-29), Robertsbridge United 12-3 (-30). * = points adjusted

Division 3: Parkfield* 13-33 (+21), Bexhill AAC II 12-21 (+23), Catsfield 11-19 (+4), Westfield III 14-19 (+2), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 15-18 (-14), Orington 15-17 (-15), Welcroft Park Rangers II 15-12 (-4), Mountfield United 13-12 (-17), Ticehurst* 10-11 (0). * = points adjusted

Division 4: The JC Tackleway II* 16-37 (+42), Burwash 15-36 (+27), Crowhurst III* 15-34 (+33), Battle Town Development 16-24 (+8), Hastings Comets 13-16 (-9), Robertsbridge United II 15-16 (-16), Icklesham Casuals 13-11 (-20), Hastings Athletic 16-11 (-29), Hawkhurst United II 13-4 (-36). * = points adjusted

Fixtures - Friday April 5 (7.45pm)

ESFL Wisdens Sports Challenge Cup final: Bexhill Rovers v Ninfield (at The Pilot Field).

Saturday April 6 (2pm unless stated)

Premier Division: Bexhill Town v Crowhurst, Hawkhurst United v Hollington United, Punnetts Town v Sandhurst, Rye Town v St Leonards Social, The JC Tackleway v Sidley United, Westfield II v Bexhill AAC.

Division 1: Herstmonceux v Little Common II, SC Pass+Move Arrows v Peche Hill Select.

Division 2: Robertsbridge United v Sedlescombe Rangers II, Sovereign Saints II v Rye Town (4pm), Victoria Baptists v Northiam 75.

Division 3: Bexhill AAC II v Mountfield United, Orington v Ticehurst, Sedlescombe Rangers Development v Catsfield.

Division 4: Hastings Comets v Hawkhurst United II, Icklesham Casuals v Burwash.

Tuesday April 9 (6.15pm)

Division 1: Battle Town II v Ninfield.

Division 3: Bexhill AAC II v Catsfield, Mountfield United v Ticehurst.

Wednesday April 10 (7.45pm)

Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup final: Bexhill Rovers v Sedlescombe Rangers II (at The Pilot Field).