Sidley pay penalty in season opener

A penalty nine minutes from time sealed the fate of the visitors in the rain at The Lashmar.

"I'm bitterly disappointed," admitted Sidley manager Liam Barham. "I felt for 55 to 60 minutes, without playing particularly well, we did not look like losing. But for some reason we backed off and let them win the game."

The Blues began quite brightly and Kevin Rose should have done better from an Adam Day corner. Steve Morris also went close with a back header.

East Preston had offered next to no threat so it was something of a shock when they took the lead on 18 minutes, the gifted Matt Axell finishing off a quick break with a rising drive into the top corner which gave Peter Newstead no chance.

Sidley levelled in the 56th minute through a cheeky piece of play from Peter Baker who executed a quickly-taken free kick as goalkeeper Paul Best was still organising his defensive wall. Soon after Dominic Clarke forced a smart save.

Clarke's effort was Sidley's last genuine threat in the match as East Preston were allowed to dominate territorially by a retreating back-line.

Axell hit the top of the crossbar and James Bennett saw a goal-bound effort diverted wide by the outstretched boot of Chris Stewart before Paul Henty, who just moments earlier had replaced Keith Miles, was adjudged to have fouled a forward in the box and Josh Biggs dispatched the spot-kick.