East Sussex League: St Leonards Social and Crowhurst can't be separated

The clash of the top two in the East Sussex Football League Premier Division on Saturday finished all square.
The ESFL takes its festive break after this weekendThe ESFL takes its festive break after this weekend
The ESFL takes its festive break after this weekend

Second-placed St Leonards Social and leaders Crowhurst played out a 2-2 draw at Tilekiln, meaning the gap between the two teams remains at two points.

Ashley Kidman scored both of Crowhurst's goals to join Rock-a-Nore hot shot Reece Johnson at the top of the division's scoring charts with nine strikes.

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Third-placed Northiam 75 missed the chance to go above Social after having to settle for a 3-3 draw at home to Robertsbridge United.

Oscar Garcia-Cruz bagged a brace and Charlie Stevens also netted for Northiam, who stay a point behind Social and three back of Crowhurst. A Curtis Coombes double and Phil Green's strike earned second-bottom Robertsbridge their fifth point of the season.

Elsewhere on a day when 14 matches beat the weather and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Rye Town made it back-to-back wins since the season's restart with a 2-1 victory away to Victoria Baptists in Division One.

A late Alex Sarkies winner strengthened Rye's grip on fourth place after Milton Miltiadou's second-half opener had been cancelled out by James Bellett for the still-winless Baptists.

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Little Common II extended their lead at the summit of Division Two to 12 points courtesy of a 3-0 win away to Peche Hill Select II.

The goals of Leo Field, Rhys Jones and Nick Kavanagh fired the Commoners to an eighth league victory out of eight this season.

St Leonards Social II jumped up two places to seventh on the back of a 5-1 success away to Mountfield United.

AFC Hollington opened up a three-point advantage in Division Three in light of a 5-0 win at home to The JC Tackleway II - their fifth league victory out of six.

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Second-placed Bexhill AAC II lost ground following a 1-0 defeat away to Old Town Lions in which they had a man sent-off.

Ben Mersh scored the only goal for the Lions, who are up to fourth and within two points of AAC having played a game fewer.

All five scheduled games in Division Four went ahead - and they were all closely-contested affairs with no shortage of goals.

Table-topping Hooe were ahead twice but in the end were held to a 2-2 draw at home to 10-man Battle Town III.

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The goals of Aidan Pierce - the division's leading scorer with 16 goals - and Kion Cornelius for Hooe were cancelled out by a Daniel Turner double for sixth-placed Battle.

Second-placed Icklesham Casuals moved level on points with Hooe, having played a match fewer, on the back of a 4-2 win away to Sovereign Saints II.

Sam Norman's brace, and one apiece from Valdison Newman and Joe Fraser ensured Icklesham came out on top. Jordon Funnell claimed both goals for Saints, who have dropped a place to fourth but are only four points behind the leaders.

Welcroft Park Rangers climbed above Saints after two more goals from the prolific Jamie Bundy earned them a 2-1 victory away to seventh-placed Parkfield. Timothy Tockas replied.

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The clash between fifth-placed Orington and eighth-placed Magham Down ended in an entertaining 4-4 draw.

Tristan Hinz (2) and Ashley Jamieson were among the scorers for Orington, while Jamie Cherryman, Matthew Sedgwick, Shay Stolton and Kevin Roberts netted for Magham.

West Hill United celebrated their first points of the campaign by winning 2-1 in the battle of the bottom two away to Sedlescombe Rangers development.

Strikes by James Walker and Will Thwaites lifted West Hill within three points of their victims having played three fewer fixtures. Both teams had a player sent-off.

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Hastings Comets rose to second in Division Five by dint of a 2-0 success away to Hampden Park U23.

Luke Darvill's brace secured the Comets a fourth league win out of five and put them within a point of leaders AFC Hollington II, whose match away to Wadhurst United II was postponed.

Herstmonceux II moved up two positions to fourth following a 2-1 triumph away to Welcroft Park Rangers II.

The goals of Henry Richards and Nathan Hartney for Herstmonceux narrowly eclipsed a George Jones effort for Welcroft Park.

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* The final round of matches before the festive break will be played this Saturday, although already there are a few Covid-related postponements and fixture changes.

League standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Crowhurst 9-17, St Leonards Social 9-15, Northiam 75 9-14, Wadhurst United 7-11, Battle Town 5-10, Punnetts Town 6-10, Rock-a-Nore 7-10, Hawkhurst United 5-7, Robertsbridge United 7-5, Bexhill Town 8-1.

Division 1: South Coast Athletico 7-16, The JC Tackleway 7-16, Bexhill AAC 5-13, Rye Town 8-12, Sedlescombe Rangers II 7-8, Battle Town II 6-5, Sidley United II 8-5, Peche Hill Select 4-4, Victoria Baptists 6-2.

Division 2: Little Common II 8-24, SC Pass + Move Arrows 5-12, Bexhill Rovers 6-12, Catsfield 4-10, Herstmonceux 9-10, Westfield II* 7-9, St Leonards Social II 5-6, Northiam 75 II* 6-6, Peche Hill Select II 8-6, Mountfield United 6-0.

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Division 3: AFC Hollington 6-15, Bexhill AAC II 6-12, Sandhurst 4-10, Old Town Lions 5-10, Hastings United Youth 6-9, Hawkhurst United II 6-6, Hampden Park 7-6, The JC Tackleway II 4-3, Robertsbridge United II 4-0.

Division 4: Hooe 9-18, Icklesham Casuals 8-18, Welcroft Park Rangers 7-15, Sovereign Saints II 8-14, Orington 9-9, Battle Town III 7-8, Parkfield 7-7, Magham Down 6-7, Sedlescombe Rangers development 8-6, West Hill United 5-3.

Division 5: AFC Hollington II 5-13, Hastings Comets 5-12, Wadhurst United II 5-10, Herstmonceux II 7-9, Ticehurst 5-6, Welcroft Park Rangers II 7-6, Hampden Park U23* 8-3. West Hill United II withdrawn. * = points adjusted

Saturday December 19 fixtures (2pm kick-off unless stated) - Premier Division: Battle Town v St Leonards Social, Bexhill Town v Northiam 75, Robertsbridge United v Crowhurst, Rock-a-Nore v Punnetts Town.

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Division 1: South Coast Athletico P-P Rye Town (1.30), Peche Hill Select v Battle Town II, Sedlescombe Rangers II v Bexhill AAC, Sidley United II v Victoria Baptists.

Division 2: Catsfield v Herstmonceux, Little Common II v Mountfield United, Northiam 75 II P-P Westfield II, SC Pass + Move Arrows v Bexhill Rovers, St Leonards Social II v Peche Hill Select II.

Division 3: AFC Hollington v Old Town Lions, Hampden Park v Robertsbridge United II, The JC Tackleway II v Bexhill AAC II.

Division 4: Battle Town III v Sedlescombe Rangers development, Magham Down v Sovereign Saints II, Parfield v Hooe, Welcroft Park Rangers v Orington, West Hill United v Icklesham Casuals.

Division 5: Hastings Comets v AFC Hollington II, Herstmonceux II v Hampden Park U23, Wadhurst United II P-P Welcroft Park Rangers II.