League trio go through in county cup

Sedlescombe Rangers and Sidley United won their first round ties by a one-goal margin, while Battle Baptists received a walkover after scheduled visitors Lavant, from Chichester, failed to raise a side.

A Philip Hatch double gave Sedlescombe a 2-1 victory at home to Polegate Town and a first half strike by Ashley Elphick earned Sidley a 1-0 success at home to TD Shipley.

Sedlescombe will host Horsham YMCA reserves and Sidley will entertain West Chiltington in the last 32. Battle will travel to Worthing Borough or Sovereign Saints.

There was also plenty of local cup action, which included a 4-0 win for Division Two leaders St Leonards Social II at home to Division Four side West Hill United in round one of the Hastings & District FA Junior Cup.

Both of the Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup first round ties which were actually contested ended in 4-1 home wins.

Rye Town got the better of St Leonards Social in an all-Premier Division affair via the finishing of Tom Barlow (2), Charlie Stevens and Rob Levett.

A Toby Payne hat-trick helped fire The JC Tackleway to victory at home to fellow Division One side Mountfield United. Kale Williams scored the other Tackleway goal.

Bexhill Town received a walkover after Premier Division rivals Bexhill AAC couldn’t field a team.

The three Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup first round matches produced a total of 19 goals.

Nine of them came at Northiam Rec where Northiam 75 II, from Division Four, produced something of an upset by winning 6-3 at home to Division Three leaders Bexhill Broncos.

Hayden Reed scored a hat-trick for Northiam, whose other scorers for Joe Millar, Luke Townsend and Adam Page.

Sandhurst, from Division Three, prevailed 6-0 away to Division Five club Burwash courtesy of strikes by Jamie Young (2), Jason Baldock, James Found, Craig Walsh and Harry Young.

Division Two got the better of Division Five as Catsfield won 4-0 away to AFC Hollington. Ben Newman, Brad Pearse and Jacob Jones were among the scorers.

There were also league matches in all six divisions.

Robertsbridge United moved up to third in the Premier Division on the back of a 2-1 success away to Hawkhurst United.

Charlie Burns gave Robertsbridge a half time lead and although Hawkhurst levelled through Marco Palumbo, Guy Ballard headed a late winner to move Robertsbridge within a point of the top two, albeit having more games than both.

The three Division One fixtures all produced home wins, including the clash of the top two as Wadhurst United prevailed 4-3 at home to Punnetts Town.

Two Ryan Bateman goals, and one apiece from Matt Harman and Oliver Vidler, put second-placed Wadhurst level on points with leaders Punnetts having played a game less.

Third-placed Icklesham Casuals are level on points with the top, albeit having played more games than both, following a 4-2 win at home to Hollington United II.

A Liam Sayer hat-trick was key to victory for Icklesham, whose other goal was netted by Shane Fox. Danny Turner scored both of Hollington’s goals.

Crowhurst celebrated their first league victory of the season with a 3-2 success at home to bottom-of-the-table Herstmonceux.

Gary Croft, Stephen Greenfield and Tom Andrew were on the scoresheet for the Crows, while Thomas Budd and Daniel Gregory replied for Herstmonceux.

The four Division Two encounters, by contract, all ended in away victories.

An Adam Higgins-Gooch hat-trick and one from Mark Dowling propelled second-placed Battle Baptists II to a 4-0 success against Wittersham. Battle are now four points off the pace with a game in hand.

Third-placed Peche Hill Select are level on points with Battle, albeit having played an extra match, following a 3-2 triumph against Rock-a-Nore. Reece Johnson and Harry Cawkill scored for the Rocks.

Fourth-placed Sedlescombe Rangers II overcame Little Common II by a Jake Thomas goal to nil.

The JC Tackleway II achieved their second league win of the season with a 5-0 victory over still pointless Robertsbridge United II.

Daniel Banfield, Danyal Aldous, James Glavin, Adam Hull and Ollie Edmunds found the net for a Tackleway side which was four-up by half time.

The three Division Three contests ended with one home won, one away win and a draw.

With none of the top three in league action, fourth-placed Victoria Baptists could have gone second with a victory at home to Hawkhurst United II but they had to make do with a 2-2 draw.

James Bellett was among the scorers for Victoria, while Theo Rimmer and Conrad Woodgate were on target for the Hawks.

Bexhill AAC II are fifth on the back of a 4-2 success at home to Magham Down. A Matt Simmons brace, and one apiece for Craig Peters and James Bailey earned AAC their second league win of the term.

Orington chalked up their first victory by winning 4-3 away to Pebsham Sibex. The goals of Benjamin Britt, Ashley Jamieson, Gary McGrath and Scott Brunton for Orington just eclipsed a Lee Smart brace and one from Nick Gamble for Sibex.

Sovereign Saints II went four points clear at the summit of Division Four by dint of a 5-0 win at home to Battle Baptists III.

A Philip Broom hat-trick, and one each from Jordon Funnell and Todd Seavers gave Saints their fifth league victory out of six.

Second-placed Hampden Park contested a 3-3 draw away to third-placed Parkfield, whose scorers were Lawrance Odulawa, Charlie Chambers and Timotey Tockas.

Sedlescombe Rangers III are up to fourth - with a game in hand on the teams above them - after winning 4-2 away to Ticehurst.

Edward Manford Keen struck twice, and Gary Underhill and Benjamin Seal once each for a Sedlescombe side which won 3-2 at the same ground in a cup match seven days previously. Jack Savage and Ed Harwood replied for Ticehurst.

Icklesham Casuals II gained their first points with a very good 2-0 triumph away to fifth-placed Cranbrook Town. Jonathan Fitton and Christopher Osunsami were the scorers.

In Division Five, Welcroft Park Rangers chalked up comfortably the biggest win achieved by anybody in the league this season with a 19-0 success away to Hampden Park II.

Patrick James scored five of the goals, Jamie Bundy and Darren Weller each netted hat-tricks, Lee Swithenbank and Alan Pope got two apiece, and Glen Goodey, Cameron Offord, Dean Smith and Stephen Gillett all chipped in with one.

Hooe moved up to second courtesy of a 3-1 triumph away to Herstmonceux II. Aiden Pierce and Darren Griffiths were among the scorers for Hooe, while Leonard Fuller hit the net for Herstmonceux.

A full league programme is scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday).