Westfield and Little Common suffer big home defeats but Sidley win at Hollington

Westfield suffered their third loss on the bounce, butcan count themselves unfortunate.

Westfield started brightly, taking the lead through Dan Tewksbury who capitalised after a mistake from the Balcombe keeper.

Balcombe didn’t take long to equalise from an excellent strike from just inside the box. Balcombe took the lead early into the second half before the game descended into a farce.

Westfield believed they had equalised through George Landais. The ball was played back to him and he finished from just inside the six yard box.

However to everyone’s bewilderment, Balcombe’s linesman raised his flag for offside well after the ball went in. This changed the course of the game and was very difficult for Westfield to accept. Balcombe were then denied a goal by another questionable decision.

Westfield missed three very clear cut chances and it was ultimately this that cost them the game. Balcombe finished near enough every one of their chances and added two further goals.

Balcombe’s No9 was the best player on the pitch. Balcombe’s fourth came courtesy of a own goal from Ian May.

Westfield look to get their season back on track next week away to Eastbourne Rangers.

Hollington 1 Sidley 4

MSFL Premier Division

A brace from Sean Baldwin helped Sidley United to a commanding win in this top of the table clash.

The opening exchanges indicated this would be a full blooded affair with some firm challenges going in.

Sidley took the lead on 20 minutes when a free kick from the left led to a scramble in the six-yard box with Alan Foster poking home from close range against his former side.

Sidley doubled the lead on 25 minutes when a great cross from Lee Carey found Baldwin, who finished confidently.

Hollington pulled a goal back when a neat move played Ricky Martin in and he finished on 35 minutes.

Hollington had a spell of pressure and could have levelled but Sidley restored their two-goal lead with a terrific goal as full-back Louis Walker dipped his shoulder to beat his man and curled the ball into the top corner.

In the second half Hollington had a couple of opportunities from set pieces but couldn’t find the target although Sidley were grateful to Josh Elliott-Noye for a goal-line clearance after a striker had lifted the ball over Michael Platt.

As Hollington pushed, Sidley hit them on the counter to wrap up the game on 79 minutes as MoM Baldwin was played clean through on goal and despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to his shot, the ball trickled over the line.

Hollington finished the game with 10 men as Callum Smith was sin-binned for dissent as Sidley saw out the game to take a firm grip on the title race.

Manager John Carey said: “It was a great result for us, the boys worked their socks off. It wasn’t the prettiest of games but sometimes it’s about rolling up your sleeves and grinding out a result which we did.

“I’mover the moon for them. Sometimes it pays to have a settled side rather than trying to bring players in for one game to try and get a result as was proven today.

“We move on to another tough game at home to Ringmer AFC. Thank you to all the supporters who came over, it means a lot to us and we hope to have another good crowd next week because it makes such a difference.”

Little Common 1 Saltdean 5

SCFL premier

Little Common slumped to their heaviest defeat of the season when league leaders Saltdean United left the Oval with a 5-1 victory on Saturday.

Freddie Warren dropped to the bench as Ryan Paul and Adam Smith returned to the starting line-up.

The Commoners enjoyed good spells of possession but it was the clinical finishing of the visitors that was the difference in the opening period.

United took the lead after 11 minutes when a well struck effort from the edge of the area took a deflection and although Phil Hawkins clawed the effort to safety, Trevor McCreadie was on hand to slot in.

McCreadie doubled his tally nine minutes later when a fierce 25-yard strike found the top corner.

The Commoners came closest to reducing the deficit when an effort just drifted over the bar following a corner. At the other end Hawkins did well to palm an effort to safety.

Common got themselves back into the game on the stroke of half-time when Lewis Parsons acrobatically kept the ball alive following a free-kick into the box and Paul Feakins headed home.

Common’s hard work was undone moments into the second period when United grabbed their third as Harry Shooman found time in the area to slot the ball past Hawkins.

Common again enjoyed a good spell and Kian Moynes had a chance headed off the line.

The game was effectively sealed with two quick United goals and Shooman completing his hat-trick – the first an effort from the edge of the area, the second a cross-shot which eluded Hawkins.