Leaders march on with fifth straight league win

Hollington United went marching on at the top of the Macron East Sussex Football League with another convincing victory on Saturday.
Action from the Macron East Sussex Football League Division Three match between Catsfield and Magham Down. Pictures by Simon NewsteadAction from the Macron East Sussex Football League Division Three match between Catsfield and Magham Down. Pictures by Simon Newstead
Action from the Macron East Sussex Football League Division Three match between Catsfield and Magham Down. Pictures by Simon Newstead

Table-topping Hollington made it five Premier Division wins out of five by dint of a 4-0 success at home to St Leonards Social. Grant Payne, Luke Woodley, Ade Olorunda and Doni Dovla were the scorers.

In the other top flight game played last weekend, Battle Baptists moved up to second - three points behind Hollington - courtesy of a come-from-behind 2-1 victory away to Sedlescombe Rangers. Dean Boyd and Tom Saunders scored for Battle in the final 10 minutes after Ryan Edwards had put Sedlescombe ahead.

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Two matches were played in Division One and in one of them Wadhurst United romped to a 13-1 win away to bottom-of-the-table Herstmonceux.

A Magham Down player clears the ball under pressure from a Catsfield opponent.A Magham Down player clears the ball under pressure from a Catsfield opponent.
A Magham Down player clears the ball under pressure from a Catsfield opponent.

In the other, Rock-a-Nore prevailed 4-0 away to Little Common II to move into the top half. Jack Franklin, Harry Cawkill, Graeme Mulhall and Rikki White scored in a game where both teams had two players sent-off.

The top two heading into the weekend in Division Two went head-to-head and produced a 12-goal thriller, with Icklesham Casuals and Sovereign Saints sharing the points from a remarkable 6-6 draw.

David Pugh (2), Sam Norman, Adam Sully, Steffan Davies and Solomon Cooke struck for Icklesham. Philip Broom scored five goals for Saints, but it still wasn’t enough to earn his team the victory. Thomas Wilding was the other man on target for the visitors.

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Icklesham remain top and unbeaten Saints are two points behind them with a game in hand.

Catsfield full-back Ben Newman keeps a close eye on the Magham Down man in possession.Catsfield full-back Ben Newman keeps a close eye on the Magham Down man in possession.
Catsfield full-back Ben Newman keeps a close eye on the Magham Down man in possession.

Bexhill United II nipped above Saints into second place - a point behind Icklesham having played one match fewer - via a 2-0 victory away to a Wittersham side which had drawn all of its previous three league fixtures. Ben Barton and Jacob Shelton scored the goals.

Second-bottom Battle Baptists II joined a queue of four teams on four points in the bottom half of the table following a 0-0 draw at home to fifth-placed Bexhill Rovers.

The top two in Division Three locked horns and Punnetts Town moved to the head of affairs on the back of a 4-1 win at home to Sedlescombe Rangers II.

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George Coleman, Tim Johnson, Patrick Johnson and Tom Goodey scored for Punnetts, who have won their opening five league matches, scoring a remarkable 35 goals in the process. Sedlescombe’s first defeat leaves them two points behind Punnetts having played an extra match. Their scorer was Ashley Russell.

Catsfield and Magham Down battle it out in midfield.Catsfield and Magham Down battle it out in midfield.
Catsfield and Magham Down battle it out in midfield.

Third-placed Sandhurst are just a point adrift of Sedlescombe with a game in hand following their 3-2 win at home to Victoria Baptists. Goals from James Found, Craig Walsh and Jason Baldock gave Sandhurst their fourth league victory out of five.

Catsfield moved above Victoria Baptists to fourth on the back of a 4-2 success at home to Magham Down, whose scorers were Jamie Bundy and Jamie Cherryman.

The JC Tackleway II earned their second league win of the campaign with a 2-1 triumph away to bottom side Hawkhurst United II. Harry Blunden and Terry Robinson netted for Tackleway, while Joshua Macnab scored for the Hawks.

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A 3-1 win away to Sovereign Saints II put Bexhill AAC II top of Division Four. Goals from Vinny Heron, Liam Richards and Dominic Sinden took AAC up to 16 points from a possible 18. Aaron Brindley replied.

Two Catsfield players converge on a Magham Down opponent.Two Catsfield players converge on a Magham Down opponent.
Two Catsfield players converge on a Magham Down opponent.

Third-placed Bexhill Broncos returned to winning ways with a 4-1 success at home to Burwash. Strikes by Spencer Cornelious, Luke Cull, Matthew Stephens and Jack Hickman won it for the Broncos, with James Rose on target for Burwash.

Fourth-placed South Coast Athletico drew 5-5 in a 10-goal thriller away to West Hill United, with whom they share use of the Ark William Parker Academy pitch.

Tyler Smith and Matthew Wheeler scored two apiece for West Hill, whose other goal came from Daniel Wilkes. Connor Easton bagged a brace for Athletico, and there was one each for Connor Smith, Jack Bloomfield and Luke Darvill.

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New club Ninfield VFC celebrated their first win in the league via a 4-2 success at home to Parkfield. Goals from Robert Pierce (2), Callum Holt Burgess and Jack Walker moved Ninfield up three places having started the day bottom.

The leading two teams in Division Five both maintained their unbeaten records with seven-goal victories.

Current leaders Hampden Park made it 16 points from a possible 18 with a 7-0 triumph at home to Icklesham Casuals II. Craig Crowther and William Coles netted hat-tricks, and Chris Puttick got the other.

A Magham Down player tries to bring the ball under control with two Catsfield opponents in close attendance.A Magham Down player tries to bring the ball under control with two Catsfield opponents in close attendance.
A Magham Down player tries to bring the ball under control with two Catsfield opponents in close attendance.

Sedlescombe Rangers III recorded their fifth league win out of five via a 7-1 success at home to West Hill United II. Jake Thomas scored a hat-trick, and Sedlescombe’s tally was completed by one each from Ryan Caister, Edward Manford Keen, Aidan Aspinall and Luke Phillips. Josh Bolt bagged West Hill’s consolation.

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Robertsbridge United II won 4-0 at home to Herstmonceux II to jump above their victims to third. Jason Marsh claimed two of the goals, and Justin Mewitt and Adam Hardy got one apiece.

Northiam 75 II achieved their first victory of the season and moved up to seventh as a result. Two goals apiece from Hayden Reed and Ryan Kayne helped Northiam to a 4-1 success away to AFC Hollington, whose scorer was Michael Taylor.

Beckley Rangers claimed their first point since joining the league for this season courtesy of a 4-4 draw away to Battle Baptists III. Joe Maylam (2), Rhys Piggott and Adam Carey were on the scoresheet for Beckley, and their efforts were matched by Adam Robinson, Lee Costen, Jamie Crouch and Anthony Hickman for Battle.

As well as the league action, the Hastings & District FA knockout competitions got underway.

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There were three first round ties in the Hastings & District FA Intermediate Cup, two of them all-Premier Division affairs.

Rye Town, who have won three out of three in the league, prevailed 4-1 at home to Ore Athletic. Richard Weller and Charlie Stevens bagged two goals each for Rye, while Andrew Dalhouse scored Ore’s consolation.

Sidley United won 2-1 at home to Robertsbridge United via the finishing of Sean Baldwin and Gary Hempe. Philip Green retaliated.

In the other game, Hawkhurst United went down 4-1 away to Southern Combination League Division Two team Westfield. Paul Channer notched for the Hawks.

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Five games were played in round one of the Hastings & District FA Junior Cup and the standout result was a 12-0 win for Division Two side St Leonards Social II away to Division One outfit Mountfield United.

Mark Larkin and Kieran Martin scored four goals each, and Robert Mitchell, Damien March, George Richardson and Will Spice chipped in with the others.

Division Two again got the better of Division One as Hollington United II pulled off a very good 3-1 win away to The JC Tackleway. John Steele, Graham Stovell and Emile Tambeh were the men on the mark for Hollington, and Toby Payne scored Tackleway’s consolation.

Dave Carey (2), Jake Stiles, Daniel Goergen, Aaron Tudor and Darren Witham found the net as Division One high-flyers Bexhill AAC triumphed 6-0 at home to Ticehurst, from Division Three.

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Northiam 75 won 2-1 at home to Westfield II in an all-Division One affair. Strikes by Oscar Garcia Cruz and Scott Embery put Northiam through, despite a Dean Hilton Huish goal for Westfield.

Ryan Rankin’s double gave Division Two club Peche Hill Select a 2-1 victory at home to Division Three outfit Pebsham Sibex, for whom Jason Tilbury netted.