Second beats first as East Sussex League title race takes twist

Bexhill Town suffered only their second defeat in 12 Premier Division matches this season as they lost 4-1 away to second-placed Punnetts Town.

Strikes by Michael Keefe, Casey Ham, Alex Burton and Ashley Chatfield secured a brilliant result for Punnetts, who were beaten by the same score in the reverse fixture just a fortnight previously.

It means that Punnetts are now 11 points behind Bexhill, whose scorer was Ivan Flanagan, with two games in hand.

Fourth-placed Rye Town, whose visit from Robertsbridge United was postponed, are 15 points adrift of the leaders having played six fewer fixtures.

Crowhurst remain a point back of Punnetts in third after a Reece Johnson hat-trick and one from Wes Tate earned them a 4-1 win away to St Leonards Social. Billy Rumble replied.

And Bexhill AAC's victory away to Rock-a-Nore meant that all three of the day's completed top-flight encounters ended in the same scoreline.

Oscar Hammond (2), Ben Barton and Rosh Wells notched for AAC, who are up to eighth in the standings with games in hand on most of the teams above them.

In Division One, AFC Jesters strengthened their hold on third place with a 4-0 success at home to Battle Town II.

All of the goals came after the break, with Joel Shannon, Daniel Bennett, Charlie Chambers and Sam Crabb the scorers.

Wadhurst United and Little Common II stay level on points in fifth and sixth respectively after contesting a 3-3 draw with each other.

Attilio Field, Connor Jackson and Rhys Jones found the net for Common, who still trail their Wadhurst on goal difference, but have played a match fewer.

SC Pass+Move Arrows II missed the chance to go third in Division Two after drawing 3-3 away to Sedlescombe Rangers II.

Jordan Uba (2) and Callum Brand were on target for the Arrows, who stay fifth, while Zak Boutwood's brace and one from Riesse Stewart kept Sedlescombe seventh.

Icklesham Casuals climbed off the bottom by virtue of a 2-1 triumph away to a Hooe side which replaces them at the foot of the table.

The goals of Thomas Cumber and Michael Amar won it for Icklesham, despite Grant Wright finding the target for Hooe.

Parkfield's title hopes in Division Three suffered a setback with a 3-2 loss away to Catsfield - only their second league defeat of the campaign.

Oliver Truman's brace wasn't enough for Parkfield against a Catsfield team which is up two positions to fourth having won five and drawn one of its last six league contests.

Orington advanced a place to sixth after Scott Higgs and Sam Saunders scored twice each, and Tom Benford and Tristan Hinz also hit the net in a 6-0 win at home to Mountfield United.

Hastings Comets celebrated their first league victory of the term as they prevailed 2-1 in a battle of the bottom two at home to Westfield III.

The goals of Kurt Foster and Luke Darvill proved just enough for Comets, despite Lewis Barrett netting for Westfield, in a game where all the goals came during the first half.

Comets are now four points better off than Westfield having played two fewer matches and they possess a superior goal difference.

The teams stationed second, third and fourth in Division Four are all locked together on 18 points.

That's after second-placed Westfield IV went down 3-1 at home to Sedlescombe Rangers Development, who moved up a spot from fifth at kick-off.

Jake Warner, Chris Ford and Tom Ackerley hit the back of the net for Sedlescombe, while Bobby Baldock scored the Westfield goal.

Burwash are nestled in between Westfield and Sedlescombe following their 5-0 success away to SC Pass+Move Arrows III.

Anthony Coulson's double, and one apiece from Max Taylor, Alex Underdown and Archie Jupp saw Burwash match their biggest win of the season.

Battle Town III are two points further back in fifth following a 1-1 draw at home to The JC Tackleway II, for whom this was a third stalemate of the campaign.

Rhys Smith's goal for Battle was matched by Danny Croft for seventh-placed Tackleway.

Honours also ended even at Bexhill Road as Hawkhurst United II and Hastings Athletic played out a 3-3 draw.

Mathew Todd, Joe Walsh and Daniel Lawrence struck for the Hawks, while Murphy Mitchell (2) and Joel Hennessy were on the scoresheet for Athletic.

Athletic have now picked up seven points from the last nine available and are just a point adrift at the foot of the standings.

There was also action in all three of the league's knockout competitions, including a 3-2 triumph for Sidley United away to Westfield II in the outstanding Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup quarter-final.

The goals of Logan Copley, Gary Hempe and Darrell Shaw won it for Sidley, who will visit Punnetts Town in the last four of the Premier Division competition. Alagie Touray and Aydin Janes responded for Westfield.

The four quarter-finals in the Wisden Sports Challenge Cup - for teams in Division One and Division Two - were played and two clubs from either division progressed.

The meeting of the top two in Division One ended in a 3-1 win for The JC Tackleway at home to Sandhurst.

Karl Manning's brace and one from Kale Hakos swung the game in Tackleway's favour after James Hsuan had put Sandhurst ahead.

SC Pass+Move Arrows, who are fourth in Division One, edged past Division Two high-flyers Ninfield 3-2 after extra-time, setting up a last-four trip to Tackleway.

The finishing of Danny Austin and Jason Taylor wasn't quite enough for Ninfield.

Hollington United II ran out 4-0 victors away to Division Two leaders Peche Hill Select thanks to Sonny Dullaway's double, and one each from Jordan Ray and Joshua Gray.

They will next visit Bexhill Rovers, who pulled off a 3-1 success at home to Northiam 75 in the other all-Division Two affair.

Dean Hilton-Huish was on the mark for a Northiam outfit which finished with 10 men.

Division Three trio Crowhurst II, Herstmonceux and Ticehurst all went through to the semi-finals of the Division Three/Four Challenge Cup.

Rory Collins (2), Robbie Hodgson and Liam Johnson were on the scoresheet as league leaders Herstmonceux triumphed 4-0 away to Division Four outfit Robertsbridge United II.

Their reward is a home last-four tie against Ticehurst, who prevailed 4-1 at home to runaway Division Four pacesetters Welcroft Park Rangers II.

George Brown's hat-trick was largely responsible for inflicting a first loss all season on Welcroft, whose scorer was Matthew Williams.

Crowhurst set up a trip to Sovereign Saints II or Mountfield United courtesy of a 4-2 win away to Bexhill AAC II.

James McGrath, Ryan Jinks and Harley Millward were among the Crowhurst scorers, while Leo Oliver claimed both AAC goals in a match which finished 10-a-side.

Sovereign Saints II squeezed through 5-4 on penalties at home to Barnham Trojans II in a Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup second-round tie which was finally completed after several postponements.

The game itself had finished in a 2-2 draw, with Nick Barden and Luke Maglennon finding the back of the net for Saints.

The Division Three outfit will entertain The View in the last 16 this coming Saturday.

Ninfield and SC Pass+Move Arrows will be in action in the same competition this Saturday, while Bexhill AAC and Punnetts Town have home ties in the last 16 of the Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup.

Standings - Premier Division (played-points): Bexhill Town 12-30 (+19 goal difference), Punnetts Town 10-19 (+14), Crowhurst 10-18 (+19), Rye Town 6-15 (+9), Sidley United* 9-11 (-7), Westfield II 6-10 (+2), St Leonards Social 10-10 (-19), Bexhill AAC 7-9 (+2), Hawkhurst United 11-9 (-12), Rock-a-Nore* 10-7 (-1), Robertsbridge United 9-3 (-26). * = points adjusted

Division 1 (played-points): The JC Tackleway 8-22 (+29), Sandhurst 7-18 (+6), AFC Jesters 8-15 (+3), SC Pass+Move Arrows 5-10 (+6), Wadhurst United* 11-7 (-5), Little Common II 10-7 (-15), Battle Town II 7-1 (-24). * = points adjusted. South Coast Athletico withdrawn

Division 2 (played-points): Peche Hill Select 10-23 (+8), Ninfield 8-20 (+12), Hollington United II 8-14 (+6), Victoria Baptists 8-13 (+6), SC Pass+Move Arrows II 10-13 (-3), Northiam 75 8-10 (+4), Sedlescombe Rangers II 10-10 (-2), Bexhill Rovers 8-9 (-4), Icklesham Casuals 11-9 (-19), Hooe 9-7 (-8).

Division 3 (played-points): Herstmonceux 11-28 (+24), Parkfield 11-23 (+9), Rye Town II* 9-17 (+10), Catsfield 10-17 (+1), Crowhurst II 6-15 (+9), Orington 10-15 (+4), Sovereign Saints II 9-14 (0), Bexhill AAC II 9-10 (-9), Mountfield United 10-9 (-9), Ticehurst* 7-7 (+6), Hastings Comets 9-5 (-15), Westfield III 11-1 (-32). * = points adjusted

Division 4 (played-points): Welcroft Park Rangers II 10-28 (+29), Westfield IV 10-18 (+10), Burwash 11-18 (+4), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 10-18 (-2), Battle Town III 11-16 (+8), Robertsbridge United II 8-12 (+1), The JC Tackleway II 12-12 (-2), Hawkhurst United II 9-11 (-9), SC Pass+Move Arrows III* 11-9 (-20), Hastings Athletic 12-8 (-19).

Saturday February 4 fixtures - Premier Division (2pm): Crowhurst v Hawkhurst United, Robertsbridge United v St Leonards Social, Rye Town v Bexhill Town, Sidley United v Westfield II.

Division 1 (2pm): Little Common II v AFC Jesters, The JC Tackleway v Sandhurst, Wadhurst United v Battle Town II.

Division 2 (2pm): Hollington United II v Northiam 75, Icklesham Casuals v Peche Hill Select, Sedlescombe Rangers II v Bexhill Rovers, Victoria Baptists v Hooe.

Division 3 (2pm): Herstmonceux v Hastings Comets, Parkfield v Rye Town II, Westfield III v Crowhurst II.

Division 4 (2pm): Battle Town III v Westfield IV, Burwash v Welcroft Park Rangers II, Hastings Athletic v Robertsbridge United II.

Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup, 3rd round (1.30pm): Bexhill AAC v Rottingdean Village, Punnetts Town v Sedlescombe Rangers.

Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup quarter-final (1.30pm): Ninfield v Polegate Town. 3rd round (1.30pm): AFC Varndeanians II v SC Pass+Move Arrows, Sovereign Saints II v The View.

Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup quarter-final (1.30pm): Catsfield v Mountfield United, Hawkhurst United II v Orington, Ticehurst v Sedlescombe Rangers Development.