First Team Match Abandoned; Reserves beaten
(October 02, 2021)
Sidley United A- A Ringmer AFC - MSFL Premier Division
Sidley United's match against Ringmer was abandoned at half time owing to a waterlogged pitch.
In atrocious conditions, the Blues were leading 2 - 0 at the break but a large pool of standing water that refused to be cleared in the end put paid to the game.
The Blues began well and aided by the strong wind and heavy rain, had Ringmer penned back in their own half for most of the half. They took the lead on 23 minutes when a nice one-two ended with Chris Cumming-Bart squaring across goal for Nathan Crabb to control his finish into the net.
Sidley grabbed the second goal with practically the final action of the half as a corner from the left was headed home by Steve Hickman-Smith.
However, the worsening pitch and constant poor conditions meant that despite the Sidley staff and players' efforts, the referee was left with no other choice but to abandon the game.
Sidley Team: Masters, S Crabb, Walker, McEniry, Hickman-Smith, Foster, Ellis, Carey, Cumming-Bart, N Crabb, Rogers.
Sidley United II 1 - 2 Rye Town - ESFL Challenge Cup
Sidley United II's bowed out of the ESFL Challenge Cup as two first half goals from Sam Hesmer helped Rye Town to victory.
Despite much of the county succumbing to the foul conditions, Hooe Rec showed why it’s one of the best pitches in East Sussex as it withheld a torrential downpour all day as Blues welcomed an unbeaten Rye Town.
The game got off to a slow start which was expected given the horrendous conditions with Sidley controlling most of the possession going close on a couple of occasions. They finally breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute as Ash Elphick linked up with Sean Baldwin who slipped him in down the right hand side for Elphick to fizz the ball across the Rye box to find Toby Clifford to slide it in to put the Blues ahead. The lead however was short lived as Rye found an equaliser through Hesmer to take the sides into the break at 1-1.
The second half saw Rye take the lead after their high press led to Sidley making a mistake at the back and saw Hesmer get his second goal. Rye looked threatening on the counter with some good hold up play. As the game went into the last 20 minutes Sidley started to create more chances with Clifford, Williams and Carey all going close really testing the Rye keeper.
Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be and the final whistle went to see the Blues dumped out of the cup at the first hurdle.
The Dynamic Scaffolding man of the match was Rosh Wells who put in a big shift in the middle of the park.
Sidley Team: Crittenden, Opaye-Tetteh, Davies, Carey, Hempe, Wells, Dangerfield, Clifford, Elphick, Baldwin, Williams. Subs: Chasumba, Tomlinson, Vincent, Hardy.
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