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Clean sheet wins for both Blues sides

(October 09, 2021)

Rotherfield 0 - 4 Sidley United - MSFL Premier Division

Sidley United returned to the top of the MSFL with a comfortable victory over Rotherfield.

After the frustration of the weather denying them a victory over Ringmer last weekend when the game was abandoned at half time with the Blues 2 - 0 up, they were determined to put this game to bed as early as possible.

The game started somewhat controversially as Sidley thought they scored after 2 minutes when Paul Rogers ran onto a cross from the right to finish neatly past the keeper. However, the Rotherfield assistant referee raised his flag for offside; much to the surprise and annoyance of the Sidley players. The Referee went over to the assistant and, after a brief discussion, the goal was disallowed and a free kick awarded to Rotherfield.

Rogers, clearly incensed by what he saw as a wrong and unfair decision, carried his protests to the referee too far and was sin-binned as a result.

However, his absence did not stop Sidley from continuing to attack and in the eighth minute they were rewarded with the opening goal. Chris Cumming-Bart found himself unmarked in the Rotherfield half, when the ball ran through to him and he calmly slotted it home. Although clearly in an offside position, the ball had come off a Rotherfield player which meant he was free to play it. Again, the Rotherfield assistant referee raised his flag, and again the Referee went over to speak to him. This time however, the goal was given, as the Referee had clearly seen the sequence of events.

Once back on the pitch, Paul Rogers wasted no time in getting amongst the goals as he scored his first goal on 16 minutes which was then followed by his second from the penalty spot just 3 minutes later, following a rash kick out from a Rotherfield defender inside the area.

Rotherfield offered very little in the way of attack, and when they did, the Sidley defence dealt confidently with any threat, leaving debutant Sidley goalkeeper Dan Hutchins little to do.

The second half continued in the same vein, with Sidley on the front foot and dominating the game. However, despite creating chance after chance, they had to wait until the 77^th minute to score their fourth goal. Charlie Cornford, held off 2 defenders and suppllied the perfect cross for substitute Lee Carey to head across the keeper and into the net for his first goal of the season.

A dominant display this from Sidley who went top after rivals Ringmer were held to a draw. The Man of the Match was Chris Cumming-Bart. Next week the Blues are at home to Balcombe.

Sidley Team: Hutchins, McEniry, Featherstone, Elliott-Noye, Hickman Smith, McCue, Ellis, N Crabb, Cumming-Bart, Cornford, Rogers. Subs: Carey. Walker, Trickett, Thompson.

Sidley United II 3 - 0 South Coast Athletico - ESFL Division One

Sidley United II's got back to winning ways on Saturday, making it 4 wins from 4 as they saw off a previously unbeaten South Coast Athletico.

The Blues were looking to make up for their cup exit the previous week and knew they needed to start strong which they did, putting the high pressure on the South Coast back line pinning them in and eventually causing them to make a mistake in the 3rd minute.

A sloppy back pass was easily read by Graham Stovell who found himself one on one with the keeper and he clinically finished into the far corner to give the Blues an early lead.

Looking to not sit on a one goal cushion the Blues went close to a second with Simon Tomlinson going very close for Sidley. A second goal eventually came when a ball clipped down the line which looked like a lost cause was rescued by Toby Clifford who passed the ball into Alex Williams who used his acceleration to cut back across his defender to calmly finish past the goalkeeper.

Two became three when some good hold up play by Sean Baldwin saw him skip past two players to drill the ball across the six yard box with Williams coming in to tap home for his second. Blues remained on top for the rest of the half with a Gary Hempe free kick forcing the keeper into a good low save.

The game started to settle down in the second half until South Coast were temporarily reduced to 10 men when it appeared that a player had thrown the ball at the ref for overturning a decision and was duly sin-binned. 5 minutes later the visiting goalkeeper was also sin-binned as South Coast went down to 9 men briefly in a chaotic spell for the visitors.

Sidley failed to capitalise on the advantage though as the game started to wear out. The visitors found themselves in some good positions in the late stages of the game but the Sidley defence stood firm to secure the three points and the clean sheet.

A commanding performance by the Blues who will hope to carry it over to next weekend as they make the short journey to Barley Lane to take on J.C Tackleway.

The Dynamic scaffolding man of the match was Simon Tomlinson for driving the team forward from the back and playing his part in the solid Sidley defence.

Sidley Team: Crittenden, Tomlinson, Davies, Carey, Hempe, Wells, Clifford, Stovell, Elphick, Baldwin, Williams. Subs: Chasumba, Dangerfield, Gilbert, Vincent, Corke.

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