Kent's Covid shutdown hits East Sussex Football League

But just 10 matches were completed last weekend as a combination of coronavirus and bad weather led to well over half of the scheduled programme being postponed.

Since last week's report, the league have received confirmation that clubs, players and referees based in Kent are not permitted to attend matches across the county border in Sussex - and vice-versa.

This is because Kent currently falls under tier three government restrictions as opposed to the tier two status of East Sussex.

The league have two clubs and three teams based in Kent. Hawkhurst United have teams in the Premier Division and Division Three, while Sandhurst field a side in Division Three.

They cannot therefore play teams from East Sussex all the while Kent remains in tier three, which is likely to be for some time yet given the high Covid infection rates in parts of the county.

Sandhurst and Hawkhurst's reserves will at least play each other in Division Three this weekend, with a Kent-based referee taking charge. But their fixtures are already stacking up. Hawkhurst's first team has 13 league games remaining, their seconds have 10 and Sandhurst have 12.

What's more, Division Five side Ticehurst aren't playing at the moment as their squad contains several players who live in Kent, while Wadhurst United - who are also situated near the county border - managed to field teams for their Premier Division and Division Five contests last weekend but were affected by the restrictions.

Fixture secretary Kevin Bray said: "If it goes on until February it's going to have a lasting effect because three or four teams can't play any games until then. There's not a lot we can do about it. I'm sure this is happening across county borders all over the country.

"We'll try to play as many games as we can - as long as teams are Covid-clear - and have a look at it after Christmas."

In addition to the restrictions facing the Kent-based teams, two matches were postponed last weekend because clubs reported players had shown Covid symptoms. One game is already off this weekend and another the following weekend, both involving Westfield reserves, for the same reason.

Bray added: "We'll take the safety approach. If it means less games at the moment, it means less games - that's how it goes.

"The Covid situation is a lot more important than football at the moment as far as I'm concerned."

If all that wasn't enough, the weather did its bit to disrupt things further. After a fairly dry November - when no games were played because of the lockdown - the heavens opened last Thursday to leave many pitches unplayable. In fact, the home of Premier Division leaders Crowhurst was completely under water.

Of the limited action which did take place on Saturday, three fixtures went ahead in the Premier Division and St Leonards Social are now Crowhurst's nearest pursuers.

Social replaced Northiam 75 in second place after beating them 3-1 away from home. Musa Camara was among their scorers, while Joe Millar netted for a Northiam outfit which is now a point behind Social and three adrift of Crowhurst. Social and Crowhurst are due to meet this weekend.

Fourth-placed Wadhurst United missed the chance to climb into the top three after losing 4-2 at home to Punnetts Town.

Dominic Cole's brace, and one apiece from Louis Walder and Patrick Johnson lifted Punnetts up to sixth and within a point of their victims having played a match less.

Bexhill Town picked up their first point at the eighth attempt courtesy of a 1-1 draw away to fifth-placed Battle Town.

Jesse Dorling-Parkes gave Bexhill a half-time lead, but Mike Booth levelled for a Battle side which is now six points off the top with three games in hand.

The sole Division One match played resulted in a 4-0 win for Rye Town at home to Battle Town II.

Alex Sarkies bagged a brace, and Liam Sayer and Rob Levett also hit the target as Rye climbed into the top four. Battle are now four points behind them in sixth.

Division Two leaders Little Common II picked up where they left off before the lockdown with a 5-1 win at home to fifth-placed Herstmonceux.

Rhys Jones and Chris Adams struck twice each, and Kit Harris-Macrae got the other as Common made it seven league wins out of seven. They are now nine points clear at the top of the table.

SC Pass + Move Arrows surged up from sixth to second after Jonjo Wright plundered a five-goal salvo in an 8-2 victory away to Peche Hill Select II.

Luke Davies and Brandon Kovacs also netted for Pass + Move, who now have 12 points from a possible 15. Kieren Martin and Danny Oak responded for eighth-placed Peche Hill.

The only Division Three match to start didn't actually finish because AFC Hollington's visit from Robertsbridge United II was abandoned after 24 minutes.

Table-topping Hollington led through a Shane Friend goal to nil at the time.

Three encounters were completed in Division Four - and they produced 20 goals between them.

With the match involving previous leaders Icklesham Casuals postponed, Hooe went top of the standings on the back of a 7-0 success at home to Sedlescombe Rangers development.

Aidan Pierce blasted four goals, while Gio Bacor, Callum Holt-Burgess and Noah White also got on the scoresheet as Hooe went two points clear of Icklesham having played an extra game. Sedlescombe, however, dropped into the bottom two.

Sovereign Saints II remain a point behind Icklesham in third after their unbeaten league record was ended by a 4-3 defeat away to Battle Town III.

Jack Austen, Ryan Jinks and Ben Thorpe were among the scorers for Battle, who moved up three places to sixth. Travis Anderson (2) and David Wisdom struck for a Saints side which had a man sent-off.

Orington also advanced three positions - in their case into the top five - via a 6-0 triumph away to West Hill United.

Ashley Jamieson's double, and one apiece from Tristan Hinz, Daniel Stephens, Andrew Swindles and Aaron Lillycrop did the damage.

The biggest winners of the day were Welcroft Park Rangers II, who prevailed 11-1 at home to previously undefeated Wadhurst United II in Division Five.

Jamie Bundy blasted four of the goals, Kieran Apps claimed a hat-trick, while Bill Coles, Dan Ransom, Ricky Hedger and George Jones chipped in with one each as Welcroft Park moved up a place to fifth. Second-placed Wadhurst remain three points adrift of leaders AFC Hollington II and one above third-placed Hastings Comets, having now played once more than the latter.

League standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Crowhurst 8-16, St Leonards Social 8-14, Northiam 75 8-13, Wadhurst United 7-11, Battle Town 5-10, Punnetts Town 6-10, Rock-a-Nore 7-10, Hawkhurst United 5-7, Robertsbridge United 6-4, Bexhill Town 8-1.

Division 1: South Coast Athletico 7-16, The JC Tackleway 7-16, Bexhill AAC 5-13, Rye Town 7-9, Sedlescombe Rangers II 7-8, Battle Town II 6-5, Sidley United II 8-5, Peche Hill Select 4-4, Victoria Baptists 5-2.

Division 2: Little Common II 7-21, SC Pass + Move Arrows 5-12, Bexhill Rovers 6-12, Catsfield 4-10, Herstmonceux 9-10, Westfield II* 7-9, Northiam 75 II* 6-6, Peche Hill Select II 7-6, St Leonards Social II 4-3, Mountfield United 5-0.

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

Division 4: Hooe 8-17, Icklesham Casuals 7-15, Sovereign Saints II 7-14, Welcroft Park Rangers 6-12, Orington 8-8, Battle Town III 6-7, Parkfield 6-7, Magham Down 5-6, Sedlescombe Rangers development 7-6, West Hill United 4-0.

Division 5: AFC Hollington II 5-13, Wadhurst United II 5-10, Hastings Comets 4-9, Ticehurst 5-6, Welcroft Park Rangers II 6-6, Herstmonceux II 6-6, Hampden Park U23* 7-3. West Hill United II withdrawn. * = points adjusted

Saturday December 12 fixtures (2pm kick-off unless stated) - Premier Division: Bexhill Town v Wadhurst United, Northiam 75 v Robertsbridge United, Punnetts Town v Battle Town, St Leonards Social v Crowhurst.

Division 1: Battle Town v Sidley United II, Bexhill AAC v Peche Hill Select, The JC Tackleway v South Coast Athletico, Victoria Baptists v Rye Town.

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

Division 3: Old Town Lions v Bexhill AAC II (1.30pm), AFC Hollington v The JC Tackleway II, Hastings United Youth v Hampden Park, Sandhurst v Hawkhurst United II.

Division 4: Hooe v Battle Town III, Parkfield v Welcroft Park Rangers, Sedlescombe Rangers development v West Hill United, Sovereign Saints II v Icklesham Casuals, Orington v Magham Down (3.30pm).

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