Ten-man Rye miss out on title

The Quarterboys needed to win a last game title decider away to Three Bridges today (Saturday), but lost 1-0 and ended the match with 10 men.

In fact, Rye didn’t even manage a fifth ever second place finish because their defeat, coupled with Lancing’s 6-0 win away to AFC Uckfield, meant Rye actually came third.

Neither goalkeeper had a shot to save during a fairly uneventful first half before Bridges grabbed what proved to be the winner eight minutes into the second half through a deflected effort by Williams Peauroux.

Rye had Paul Watson sent-off for picking up two yellow cards in quick succession just after the 70-minute mark and never really looked like turning the game around in a bad tempered finish.

Elsewhere, Sidley United ended their campaign in the same division with a 3-0 defeat away to Pagham. The Blues finish 11th. Full reports on both matches will appear in Friday’s Observers.

Final Sussex County Football League Division One standings (all played 38 matches): 1 Three Bridges 89pts, 2 Lancing 86, 3 RYE UNITED 84, 4 Hassocks 72, 5 Peacehaven & Telscombe 71, 6 Pagham 71, 7 Lingfield 65, 8 AFC Uckfield 65, 9 East Grinstead Town 65, 10 Redhill 54, 11 SIDLEY UNITED 50, 12 Selsey 44, 13 Crowborough Athletic 43, 14 Worthing United 42, 15 Ringmer 40, 16 Horsham YMCA 39, 17 Arundel 38, 18 Shoreham 36, 19 St Francis Rangers 19, 20 Chichester City 15.