Rye beaten in top two clash

The Quarterboys went down 2-1 at home to a Pagham side which is now six points ahead of them at the Sussex County Football League Division One summit with two games in hand.

Ross Wolfe gave Pagham a 15th minute lead and Paul Jones headed their second against the run of play from a 59th minute corner. Duncan McArthur pulled one back with a delightful 81st minute free kick but it wasn’t enough.

The early sending-off of Marc Munday was a key factor as Sidley United went down 2-0 at home to Horsham YMCA in the same division. It was Sidley’s seventh loss in eight games in all competitions.

Bexhill United achieved their first Division Two victory since September 10 via a crushing 6-3 success at home to Oakwood. Dominic Clarke (2), Dan Hill (2), Paul Rogers and an own goal did the damage.

Sam Willett scored Westfield’s consolation in a 4-1 loss away to high-flying East Preston, while Little Common went down 4-3 at previously winless Steyning Town despite goals from Callum Wooller (2) and Jamie Crone.

Full reports on each of these games will appear in Friday’s Observers. The only midweek action sees Sidley entertain Mile Oak in a John O’Hara League Challenge Cup second round tie on Tuesday night. Kick-off is 7.45pm.

Standings (played-points) - Division 1: 1 Pagham 11-33, 2 RYE UNITED 13-27, 3 Peacehaven & Telscombe 12-24, 4 AFC Uckfield 12-20, 5 Three Bridges 10-18, 6 Lingfield 9-17, 7 Redhill 9-17, 8 East Grinstead Town 12-17, 9 Lancing 9-15, 10 SIDLEY UNITED 9-15, 11 Hassocks 10-13, 12 Horsham YMCA 12-12, 13 Crowborough Athletic 11-11, 14 Ringmer 10-10, 15 Selsey 7-9, 16 Worthing United 9-6, 17 Shoreham 7-5, 18 St Francis Rangers 9-4, 19 Chichester City 6-3, 20 Arundel 7-1.

Division 2: 1 Hailsham Town 11-28, 2 East Preston 10-27, 3 Dorking Wanderers 10-24, 4 Southwick 12-18, 5 Littlehampton Town 9-17, 6 Storrington 12-17, 7 Rustington 10-16, 8 Wick 10-15, 9 BEXHILL UNITED 10-13, 10 Mile Oak 11-13, 11 Seaford Town 8-12, 12 WESTFIELD 10-11, 13 Eastbourne United AFC 10-10, 14 LITTLE COMMON 10-9, 15 Oakwood 11-8, 16 Midhurst & Easebourne 11-7, 17 Steyning Town 10-6, 18 Loxwood 7-5.