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Blues battle back to win; Reserves edge goal-fest

(November 20, 2021)

Sidley United 4 - 3 Rotherfield - MSFL Premier Division

Sidley United recovered from going 2 - 0 down to take all three points and maintain their unbeaten league record.

In a match played at The Oval, home of Eastbourne United FC, Sidley started positively and set the pattern for the match as they set up camp in the Rotherfield half, winning a succession of free kicks and corners. It seemed a matter of time before the Blues opened the scoring but some wayward shooting and some dogged defending denited them.

To compound their frustration, Rotherfield scored with a rare counter-attack on the cusp of half time through Alan Haugh to leave Sidley shaking their heads as they went into the break.

The second half started in much the same way, with Sidley pushing hard. However on 55 minutes they found themselves 2 goals down when the referee adjudged a tackle by Peter Featherstone to be a foul inside the penalty area and Luke Beaton stepped up to convert the resulting spot kick.

Sidley didn't give up though and were rewarded with a goal in the 63^rd. minute when, following a goal-mouth scramble, Zac McEniry turned the ball into the net. And just 2 minutes later, Sidley equalised when Tyler Capon, in his first appearance for Sidley, knocked in the equaliser.

Well on top now, Sidley hit the front as Captain and Man of the Match, Josh Elliott-Noye scored the third on 80 minutes before Charlie Cornford added a fourth on 85 minutes, holding off 2 defenders, wriggling free to send his shot into the corner of the Rotherfield net.

There was a late scare as a mix-up between goalkeeper and defender allowed Rotherfield to pull one back just before the final whistle but the Blues held on to claim a welcome three points.

Next week it is a local derby as the Blues travel to old rivals Hollington United.

Sidley Team: Hutchins, Walker, McEniry, Featherstone, McCue, Elliott-Noye, Clifford, Capon, Cumming-Bart, Cornford, Rogers. Subs: S Crabb, Carey.

Sedlescombe Rangers II 4 - 5 Sidley United II - ESFL Division One

The Sidley United II's got back to winning ways in the league as they come out on top in a goal-fest against bottom side Sedlescombe Rangers II.

After last weeks cup win the blues turned their attention to bottom of the league Sedlescombe, a side Blues hit nine past earlier on in the campaign.

Sidley found themselves a goal down instantly though as a quick move by the home side in the first minute shocked the sleeping Blues. Sidley settled down and started to find some rhythm stretching Sedlescombe all over the pitch.

The equaliser came when Alex Williams receibed the ball and with a pinpoint pass between the two centre halves found Ash Elphick who rounded the keeper and slottied into the empty net. Starting to create more and more chances the Sedlescombe goalkeeper made some cracking saves to stop the Blues taking the lead with Marc Ransom going closest.

Sidley eventually took the lead with Elphick beating his man and fizzing a cross into the box to Williams who steered it into the net. Blues found their third goal of the game before the end of the first half; a driven corner by Sean Baldwin found Elphick unmarked at the back post to head home giving the Blues a 2 goal lead going into the second half.

Sedlescombe immediately got back into the game in the second half as their pacy winger found himself 1 on 1 with Ritchie Gray to score and they pulled lebel when a clever back heel across the 6 yard box found an unmarked player at the back post to tap into the empty net.

Looking to regroup the Blues went ahead again when Elphick hit a first time volley to play in Williams who steamed into the box smashing it into the bottom right corner. Blues hit five with a carbon copy of the 3rd goal as another pinpoint corner from Baldwin found Elphick once again who headed home for his hat-trick to seemly seal the game.

Sedlescombe made it a nervy end to the game by finding another goal late on. But the Blues held on for the points despite substitute Nick Hardy missing a 1 on 1 chance with the goalkeeper with the final kick of the game.

The Dynamic Scaffolding Man of the Match was hat-trick hero Ashley Elphick.

Sidley Team: Gray, Opaye-Tetteh, Corke, Davies, Carey, Ransom, Gilbert, Stovell, Elphick, Williams, Baldwin. Subs: Dangerfield, Hardy, Crittenden.

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