Raining goals in glorious sunshine

Nine-man Rye United suffered their first defeat of the Sussex County League Division One season when they went down 3-2 at home to Hassocks.

Despite falling behind early on, Rye went 2-1 up through Scott Ramsay and Duncan McArthur before a Nathan Russell own goal made it 2-2. Rye then had Sam Adams and Luke Woodley sent-off, and Hassocks nabbed a winner.

Sidley United ended a run of five successive defeats in all competitions by winning 4-3 away to Shoreham in the same division with all the goals coming during the second half.

Lewis Hole scored Sidley’s first and Jason Taylor bagged the next two. Carl Morris and Scott McDonald are both claiming the 96th minute winner, although if has officially been credited to Morris.

Division Two side Little Common enjoyed a thumping 5-1 victory at home to Division One team Chichester City in round one of the Sussex Senior Cup. Jordan Wood (2), Callum Wooller (2) and Dom Bristow scored the goals.

Two apiece from Peter Baker and Joe Barham gave Westfield a 4-2 win at Steyning Town in the same competition, but Bexhill United lost 3-2 at home to higher grade Worthing United in another Sussex Senior Cup tie.

Full reports on each of these matches will appear in Friday’s Observers.

Standings (played-points) - Division 1: 1 Pagham 9-27, 2 RYE UNITED 12-27, 3 Peacehaven & Telscombe 10-20, 4 AFC Uckfield 10-17, 5 East Grinstead Town 11-17, 6 Lancing 8-15, 7 Three Bridges 9-15, 8 SIDLEY UNITED 8-15, 9 Redhill 7-13, 10 Hassocks 9-13, 11 Lingfield 7-11, 12 Crowborough Athletic 9-10, 13 Horsham YMCA 10-9, 14 Ringmer 9-7, 15 Selsey 6-6, 16 Worthing United 7-5, 17 St Francis Rangers 8-4, 18 Chichester City 5-3, 19 Shoreham 5-1, 20 Arundel 5-0.

Division 2: 1 East Preston 9-24, 2 Hailsham 9-22, 3 Dorking Wanderers 9-21, 4 Southwick 12-18, 5 Storrington 11-17, 6 Rustington 10-16, 7 Wick 9-15, 8 Littlehampton Town 8-14, 9 Mile Oak 10-13, 10 WESTFIELD 8-11, 11 BEXHILL UNITED 9-10, 12 Eastbourne United AFC 10-10, 13 Seaford Town 6-9, 14 LITTLE COMMON 8-9, 15 Oakwood 10-8, 16 Loxwood 7-5, 17 Midhurst & Easebourne 10-4, 18 Steyning Town 9-3.