Bexhill leapfrog Rye as East Sussex Football League title race takes shape

Bexhill ran out narrow 3-2 winners in the Premier Division summit meeting at Bexhill College and went three points clear of their victims as a result, albeit having played an extra game.

Olwethu Peterson's double and one Liam Richards gave Bexhill revenge for a 2-0 cup loss to the same opponents seven days previously - and a sixth win in seven league outings.

Strikes by Dan Kearley and Sam Hesmer couldn't prevent Rye's seven-match winning start to the season across all competitions coming to an end.

Elsewhere on a day when 17 league and cup fixtures were played despite all the wet weather, Punnetts Town went third in the top flight thanks to a 9-0 victory away to St Leonards Social.

Craig Norman plundered a hat-trick, Alexander Burton bagged a brace, and Liam Beckett, Tristan Jarvis, Nicholas Moore and Casey Ham also got in on the act as Punnetts closed to within two points of Rye, albeit having played once more.

Crowhurst climbed a position to fourth after ending a run of three straight defeats by a single-goal margin with a 4-3 success away to sixth-placed Hawkhurst United.

Two goals from substitute Anton Neil and a Dominic Clarke strike helped the Crows pick up three very welcome points, while Billy Fordham's double and one from Mohammad Salih weren't quite enough for the Hawks.

Little Common II claimed their first points of the season - and in emphatic style too as they triumphed 6-2 at home to Battle Town II in Division One.

The result lifted Common above their victims and off the bottom of a division which is down to just seven teams following the withdrawal of South Coast Athletico.

Nick Kavanagh banged in a hat-trick, Attilio Field netted twice and Rhys Jones got the other as Common halted a sequence of seven straight losses in all competitions.

Daniel Turner and Giorgio Wingrove found the net for a Battle side which was only 2-1 adrift at half time before Common pulled away in the second period.

Northiam 75 moved up a spot to fifth in Division Two on the back of a 4-1 win at home to Sedlescombe Rangers II.

Two Adam Page goals, and one each from Casper Floyd and Dean Hilton-Huish earned Northiam a second successive victory by a three-goal margin.

Herstmonceux have opened up a four-point lead at the summit of Division Three following their 6-5 success in an 11-goal thriller away to Ticehurst.

Robbie Hodgson's hat-trick, two from Liam Johnson and one by Charlie Shearing extended Herstmonceux's advantage over second-placed Crowhurst II, although they have played three more matches.

Joe Kennard and Darren Nicol struck twice each, and George Brown also found the net for a Ticehurst team which, rather unusually, had no points to show for its five goals.

Catsfield also hit the target five times, yet they picked up three points from a 5-2 triumph away to Bexhill AAC II.

Jacob Jones (2), Tom Andrew, Adam Barham and Greg Potter were the scorers for Catsfield as they leapfrogged Ticehurst into the top eight.

Welcroft Park Rangers now enjoy a seven-point cushion at the top of Division Four after they won and second-placed Battle Town III lost.

George Jones, Daniel Welch, James Burnett, Benjamin Akehurst and Aaron Wright were on the mark as Welcroft won 5-0 at home to Burwash to make it 22 points from a possible 24.

Battle, meanwhile, were beaten 4-2 at home to a third-placed Sedlescombe Rangers Development outfit which is now level on points with them having played two fewer games.

Ben Linklater's brace, and one apiece from Chris Ford and Ben Sebbage gave Sedlescombe a league double over Battle and a fifth consecutive Division Four victory.

Jamie Pelling scored all five goals for The JC Tackleway II as they prevailed 5-3 in an entertaining eight-goal affair away to Hastings Athletic.

Joel Hennessy, Dudley Prosser and Dion Hall notched for Athletic against a Tackleway side which advanced two positions to seventh in the table.

Six East Sussex League clubs were in Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup first-round action and they experienced mixed fortunes.

The JC Tackleway began their defence of the county competition with a slender 2-1 win away to Ferring Saturday II.

Toby Shaw and Kale Hakos were on target as the Division One leaders edged through to the last 32.

Icklesham Casuals ran out 5-2 victors at home to Beaumont Park, setting up a visit from Eastbourne Athletic in round two.

Phil Badrock's hat-trick and two from Thomas Cumber did the damage for the Division Two outfit.

Third-tier leaders Ninfield prevailed 4-2 on penalties away to Billingshurst III after the game itself had finished in a 1-1 draw.

Jason Taylor scored in normal time for Ninfield, who will again be on their travels in the next stage, this time against Ringmer AFC II.

Ninfield's Division Two title rivals Hollington United II, however, lost 7-6 on penalties at home to Rudgwick II following a 1-1 draw.

Wadhurst United, of Division One, lost 3-1 away to AFC Varndeanians II and Division Three side Mountfield United went down 6-0 at The View Saturday.

There was also one game in round two of the Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup and it proved a rather one-sided affair, with Rye Town II running out 8-1 winners at home to SC Pass+Move Arrows III.

Alex Sarkies and Liam Sayer netted twice each, and Ryan Dowdeswell, Ben Banfield, Ben Reader and Craig Pierce also scored as Division Three team Rye eased past their Division Four opponents. Austyn Hayman got the Arrows' consolation.

Rye's reward is a home quarter-final against Sedlescombe Rangers Development or Crowhurst II.

Standings - Premier Division (played-points): Bexhill Town 7-18 (+9 goal difference), Rye Town 6-15 (+9), Punnetts Town 7-13 (+9), Crowhurst 8-12 (+7), Westfield II 5-10 (+3), Hawkhurst United 7-8 (-3), Bexhill AAC 6-6 (-1), St Leonards Social 5-6 (-14), Sidley United* 6-5 (-1), Rock-a-Nore* 7-4 (-1), Robertsbridge United 6-0 (-19). * = points adjusted

Division 1 (played-points): The JC Tackleway 5-13 (+22), SC Pass+Move Arrows 5-10 (+6), Sandhurst 4-9 (+5), AFC Jesters 6-9 (-1), Wadhurst United 5-7 (+3), Little Common II 6-3 (-16), Battle Town II 5-1 (-17). South Coast Athletico withdrawn

Division 2 (played-points): Ninfield 5-11 (+6), Hollington United II 5-11 (+6), Peche Hill Select 6-11 (+1), Victoria Baptists 5-10 (+9), Northiam 75 6-9 (+7), SC Pass+Move Arrows II 7-9 (-4), Bexhill Rovers 6-6 (-2), Hooe 4-6 (-4), Icklesham Casuals 6-4 (-13), Sedlescombe Rangers II 6-3 (-6).

Division 3 (played-points): Herstmonceux 8-19 (+16), Crowhurst II 5-15 (+12), Parkfield 6-13 (+2), Rye Town II* 7-11 (0), Sovereign Saints II 7-11 (-1), Bexhill AAC II 7-10 (-2), Orington 5-9 (+3), Catsfield 6-7 (-6), Ticehurst* 6-6 (+6), Mountfield United 5-3 (-2), Hastings Comets 6-2 (-11), Westfield III 6-0 (-17). * = points adjusted

Division 4 (played-points): Welcroft Park Rangers II 8-22 (+26), Battle Town III 8-15 (+10), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 6-15 (+7), Westfield IV 5-9 (+4), Robertsbridge United II 6-9 (-1), Burwash 7-9 (-1), The JC Tackleway II 7-7 (-1), Hawkhurst United II 6-7 (-10), SC Pass+Move Arrows III* 7-5 (-14), Hastings Athletic 8-1 (-20).

Saturday November 12 fixtures (kick-off 2pm unless stated) - Premier Division: Hawkhurst United v Bexhill Town, Robertsbridge United v St Leonards Social, Rock-a-Nore v Westfield II.

Division 1: Little Common II v The JC Tackleway, SC Pass+Move Arrows v Battle Town II, Wadhurst United v Sandhurst.

Division 2: Bexhill Rovers v Hooe, Hollington United II v SC Pass+Move Arrows II, Icklesham Casuals v Northiam 75, Ninfield v Victoria Baptists.

Division 3: Herstmonceux v Sovereign Saints II, Mountfield United v Orington, Parkfield v Rye Town II.

Division 4: Hastings Athletic v Westfield IV.

Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup, 1st round (1.30pm unless stated): Midhurst & Easebourne II v Bexhill AAC, Rye Town v Punnetts Town (12.30pm), Sidley United v Petworth.

Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): Battle Town III v Bexhill AAC II, Burwash v Ticehurst, Catsfield v Robertsbridge United II, Sedlescombe Rangers Development v Crowhurst II, The JC Tackleway II v Hawkhurst United II, Westfield III v Hastings Comets.