Ringmer AFC finish with flourish to beat Holland Sports

The Blues had a tougher contest than they might have been expecting at the Mid Sussex premier division’s 11th-placed side, and things were largely even up until the last five minutes.

From there, though, Tommy Haddon’s side finished with a flourish as two late goals saw them secure a highly impressive fourth straight league win.

Arriving at Hurst Green in high spirits after reaching seven league matches unbeaten the previous week, Ringmer only had one change to make as the unavailable Rhys Taylor was replaced by Luke Colwell.

The Blues took to the field at Holland Sports’ Mill Lane home in peculiar conditions, with bright Easter weekend sunshine overhead while the ground remained slippery and soft underfoot.

This made things tough early on, with both teams making plenty of running without truly threatening in front of goal.

Nonetheless, there was plenty of enthusiasm from both teams, with the brilliant sunshine encouraging some energetic play as Ringmer put concerted pressure on home goalkeeper Tom Sells and almost profited from some errant kicking.

It was notable that the hosts came into the game on a seven-match losing run, and they never looked on the same level of confidence as they spurned the chances they got on the break.

Their striker Joe Hill was constantly targeted whenever Sports got on the ball, and while it was a tough task for him to get his teammates involved, whether it was shooting or assisting, the hosts simply lacked quality.

While the first half seemed to be destined for a deadlock, when a slice of real quality did arrive, it came not a moment too soon.

In the 30th minute, Dan Fox broke away on the right for Ringmer, and after beating a home defender, he worked the ball inside to Jamie Blackford.

Blackford, fresh off goal involvements in both his previous matches, had no second thoughts about shooting from 20 yards and was richly rewarded as the ball crashed past Sells to spark the game into life.

Not only did the goal bolster Ringmer’s confidence, but it also inspired Holland Sports to force the effort again, with Xhemal Bako the busier ‘keeper in the half’s closing stages.

Indeed, Ringmer’s number one was responsible for at least a couple of huge saves to keep the score at 1-0 as he got down low to one effort and then kept his wrists very strong to tip a separate point-blank shot over the bar.

Fox was also responsible for a great recovering tackle in the box as Hill broke away again, and Ringmer were thankful for the half-time whistle.

After a half where they never had as much control as they would have liked, Ringmer had much to reflect on during the interval.

One of their thoughts was to switch to playing three at the back, and after fifteen minutes of continuing impasse, that switch was engaged.

Captain Charlie Northeast came on in place of Colwell and width was provided as Fox and Jacob Ashwood moved to wing-back roles, where both thrived.

Ashwood, just a day after his 21st birthday, showed no hangover from the celebrations as he continued to scurry up and down the flank, seizing on any loose Sports passing.

The hosts seized upon the tactical change by applying more pressure, however, and Ringmer were forced to go more direct for much of the final 30 minutes.

Ultimately, Ringmer’s extensive options on the bench were a decisive factor.

While the hosts had to replace a couple of injured players across the afternoon and were forced to constantly change their defence, the Blues had the luxury of rotating fresh legs in key areas.

An important change was to introduce Sam Strutt for his first appearance in the first team this season – a 15-minute cameo that saw the striker, top goalscorer for the IIs, right in the thick of it.

Strutt used his physicality to put Sports on the back foot after they had been winning most challenges, and the Blues were immediately back to threatening.

Ashwood was unfortunate to see an effort drift wide of the right post as he got into a good position, while Strutt himself was presented with a chance but could only poke at goal as the ball came at him quickly.

Finally, with only a couple of minutes of normal time remaining, Ringmer struck a decisive blow just when it was needed most.

Unsurprisingly, it was Blackford who provided the inspiration, progressing through midfield with the ball and taking on a shot which sizzled through a gap in the Sports defence to beat Sells with ease.

Shockingly, it was only the midfielder’s fifth goal of the season, but with three coming in March, he has certainly peaked at the right moment.

It was not all about Blackford though, as a final cherry on the top was added in the 92nd minute.

Marauding forward on the right, substitute Owen Brown stood up a cross which bamboozled Sells and seemed destined for Strutt’s foot, but ended up sailing right through to find the bottom left corner of the net.

Thus, it was 3-0 at full-time, and Ringmer were overjoyed with the late onslaught to make sure of the three points.

The result keeps them five points from leaders Reigate Priory, and still with a game in hand, after just four MSFL Premier Division games were played on the weekend.

With Eastbourne United Association Reserves and Barcombe both progressing to the Mid Sussex Senior Charity Cup Final too, Ringmer know both title rivals will now have their schedules extended.

All the Blues can do in their late-season push, however, is to focus on their own affairs.

They will be delighted with another fine result in Surrey, particularly as it maintains their record of averaging exactly three goals per game, and also included just a fifth clean sheet of the season.

The free-scoring Blues head to 12th-placed Rotherfield for the first of their last four matches of 2023-24 this Saturday, with a 2pm kick-off at the Rotherfield Sports Club (TN6 3LX).

Ringmer AFC: Bako, Fox, Ashwood, Wilton, Maybury, Webster (C), Colwell, Blackford, Easton, Barber, Coleman. Subs used: Northeast, Grimes, Brown, Strutt, Johnson