Comeback against Crowhurst boosts Bexhill Town’s East Sussex League title tilt

The long-time Premier Division leaders overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit to win 4-3 at home to fourth-placed Crowhurst on Saturday.

Goals from Henry Barnes, Jack Cooper, Jay Edwards and Olwethu Peterson masterminded the Town turnaround after Reece Johnson's first-half double. Wes Tate got the Crows' other goal.

The result moved Bexhill five points clear of second-placed Rye Town, whose trip to Hawkhurst United was postponed, having played four more matches.

Third-placed Punnetts Town suffered their first league loss since mid-January as they went down 5-0 against Bexhill AAC on the 3G pitch at Eastbourne Sports Park.

It left Punnetts eight points behind Bexhill Town with two games in hand and three adrift of Rye having played twice more.

Eighth-placed AAC, for whom Ben Barton and Rosh Wells scored twice each and Luke Ottley got the other, still have a very realistic chance of a top-four finish given that this match only brought them to the midway point in their league programme.

St Leonards Social were in action for the first time since March 4 and a 3-2 success against fifth-placed Westfield II kept them seventh.

Antony Atkin, Brett Patton and Adam Reilly scored for Social as they moved within four points of their opponents, albeit having played twice more.

Sixth-placed Sidley United came from behind to triumph 2-1 against Rock-a-Nore in another match where the venue was changed in order for it to go ahead.

Logan Copley had Sidley level by half time and Lewis Wade netted an 87th-minute winner. Harry Cawkill was on the scoresheet for a Rocks team which lost by a one-goal margin for the fourth time in just over two months.

Ninfield remain a point clear of Peche Hill Select - with a game in hand - at the summit of Division Two after both sides recorded 2-1 wins.

Strikes by Chris Agutter and Jo Trigwell ensured Ninfield narrowly came out on top at home to Northiam 75, who dropped a position to seventh.

Peche prevailed by the same score in an away fixture against fourth-placed Victoria Baptists which was played at Bexhill College.

Sedlescombe Rangers II jumped up two spots to fifth courtesy of a 3-2 victory away to Bexhill Rovers in their final fixture of the season.

Division Three top dogs Herstmonceux went marching on with a 3-1 success at home to Bexhill AAC II.

Herstmonceux are now 14 points clear and seemingly in a very strong position, although there's still so much football to be played in the fourth tier. Dan Morgan struck for AAC.

The second-versus-fifth clash between Parkfield and Crowhurst II was postponed, as was the third-against-fourth encounter involving Rye Town II and Sovereign Saints II.

It meant Crowhurst, who can't be discounted from catching Herstmonceux, were still only at the midway point in their league programme heading into the second half of April.

Sixth-placed Orington conceded twice in either half as they went down 4-0 away to a Ticehurst side which is up to eighth. Darren Nicol got both first-half goals.

Hastings Comets celebrated just their second league triumph of the campaign as two Brandon Smith goals and one from Ben Tudor sealed a 3-0 win over Mountfield United.

The result put the Comets just a point behind their victims and five ahead of Westfield III, whose match at home to Catsfield was another casualty of the weather.

Sedlescombe Rangers Development secured the runners-up spot in Division Four thanks to a 2-1 victory against Hawkhurst United II.

Ben Cowell and Jake Warner were on the mark as Sedlescombe moved five points clear of third-placed Westfield IV, with both sides having one game remaining. Marco Palumbo replied.

Robertsbridge United II climbed from sixth to fourth on the back of a 5-2 success at home to seventh-placed Burwash.

James Muir and Drew Clifton netted for a Burwash outfit which finished its penultimate encounter of the campaign with 10 men.

As well as a host of league fixtures, three cup finals are scheduled to take place over the coming days.

Crowhurst will take on Mid-Sussex League Premier Division side Westfield in the Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup decider at The Pilot Field this Friday night.

Catsfield and Crowhurst II will battle it out for Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup glory at the same venue next Tuesday night, while Sandhurst and Orington will meet in the Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup final at Little Common FC next Wednesday night.

Standings (as at April 15)

Premier Division (played-points): Bexhill Town 17-39 (+20 goal difference), Rye Town 13-34 (+18), Punnetts Town 15-31 (+24), Crowhurst 17-28 (+30), Westfield II 14-23 (-1), Sidley United* 17-21 (-8), St Leonards Social 16-19 (-20), Bexhill AAC 10-18 (+9), Hawkhurst United 17-13 (-27), Rock-a-Nore* 16-7 (-11), Robertsbridge United 14-4 (-34). * = points adjusted

Division 1 (played-points): The JC Tackleway 14-33 (+38), Sandhurst 13-32 (+19), SC Pass+Move Arrows 11-20 (+13), Little Common II 12-10 (-16), Wadhurst United* 14-8 (-16), Battle Town II 14-5 (-38). * = points adjusted. South Coast Athletico, AFC Jesters withdrawn

Division 2 (played-points): Ninfield 14-34 (+21), Peche Hill Select 15-33 (+10), Hollington United II 14-29 (+21), Victoria Baptists 16-23 (+7), Sedlescombe Rangers II 18-22 (-2), Hooe 17-21 (-6), Northiam 75 17-19 (0), SC Pass+Move Arrows II 16-19 (-5), Icklesham Casuals 16-13 (-31), Bexhill Rovers 15-12 (-15).

Division 3 (played-points): Herstmonceux 18-47 (+48), Parkfield 20-33 (0), Rye Town II* 14-30 (+21), Sovereign Saints II 15-29 (+9), Crowhurst II 11-27 (+27), Orington 17-27 (+3), Catsfield 13-23 (+4), Ticehurst* 12-14 (+9), Bexhill AAC II 15-13 (-15), Mountfield United 16-10 (-25), Hastings Comets 17-9 (-29), Westfield III 16-4 (-52). * = points adjusted

Division 4 (played-points): Welcroft Park Rangers II 17-42 (+40), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 17-36 (+16), Westfield IV 17-31 (+12), Robertsbridge United II 15-24 (+4), Battle Town III 16-22 (+5), The JC Tackleway II 18-21 (+7), Burwash 17-21 (-11), Hastings Athletic 18-15 (-24), Hawkhurst United II 14-14 (-19), SC Pass+Move Arrows III* 15-12 (-30). * = points adjusted

Fixtures

Friday April 21

Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup final (7.45pm): Crowhurst v Westfield (at Hastings United FC).

Saturday April 22

Premier Division (4pm unless stated): Robertsbridge United v Rye Town, St Leonards Social v Bexhill AAC (double header - 2pm and 3.30pm), Sidley United v Punnetts Town (3pm), Westfield II v Rock-a-Nore (4pm).

Division 1 (3pm): Little Common II v Sandhurst, The JC Tackleway v SC Pass+Move Arrows.

Division 2 (3pm): Hollington United II v Victoria Baptists, Ninfield v Icklesham Casuals, Peche Hill Select v Bexhill Rovers.

Division 3 (3pm unless stated): Bexhill AAC II v Orington (double header - 2pm and 3.15pm), Crowhurst II v Sovereign Saints II (double header - 2pm and 3.15pm), Hastings Comets v Catsfield, Rye Town II v Herstmonceux, Ticehurst v Mountfield United (double header - 2pm and 3.15pm).

Division 4 (2pm unless stated): Robertsbridge United II v Sedlescombe Rangers Development, SC Pass+Move Arrows III v Welcroft Park Rangers II (3pm), Westfield IV v Hawkhurst United II.

Tuesday April 25

Premier Division (6.30pm): Westfield II v Bexhill Town.

Division 4 (6.30pm): Hawkhurst United II v Burwash.

Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup final (7.45pm): Catsfield v Crowhurst II (at Hastings United FC).

Wednesday April 26

Premier Division (6.30pm): Bexhill AAC v Hawkhurst United, Robertsbridge United v Punnetts Town, Rye Town v Rock-a-Nore.

Division 3 (6.30pm): Westfield III v Ticehurst.

Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup final (7.15pm): Sandhurst v Orington (at Little Common FC).