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Brilliant Blues shoot down Crows

Sidley United 3 - 1 Crowhurst - ESFL Premier Division

Sidley United put in arguably a performance of the season as they inflicted revenge on Crowhurst to claim a huge three points in the ESFL Premier Division.

When the two sides last met, Crowhurst hit ten past the Blues - but these are two sides who are very different from that day. Although a Crowhurst side featuring a number of former Sidley players began on the front foot, they created little against a resolute and determined Sidley defence.

The Blues' opening goal was rather route one. A long kick upfield from goalkeeper Ritchie Gray evaded everyone and Logan Copley burst past the covering defender and beat the onrushing goalkeeper to the ball to poke it into the back of the net on 9 minutes. One became two in similar fashion as Sidley countered and after good work by Andy Atkin, he laid the ball off to Copley to curl a lovely outside of the foot finish into the bottom corner on 29 minutes.

The visitors seemed stunned that Sidley had sucker punched them and Sean Lennard was sin-binned for arguing against an award of a free kick by the referee as Sidley got into the interval with a two-goal lead.

The fear was that if Crowhurst got the next goal that Sidley nerves may begin to show but it was the Blues who grabbed the killer next goal in spectacular fashion. The ball bounced up to be hit on the volley by Ash Carey some 30 yards out and his thunderous strike arrowed into the corner of the net on 56 minutes.

Crowhurst did get a route back into the game when a penalty was awarded for a handball by Ben Atkin which was duly converted by Reece Johnson on 61 minutes. But Sidley's dogged and organised defending meant that, despite the pressure, Crowhurst were unable to fashion any clear opportunities and Sidley took the three points.

A terrific performance from the Blues with some quality football to boot. Next week Sidley travel to Rye Town.

Sidley Team: Gray, Bradbury, Hempe, Mote, B. Atkin, Shaw (Wade), Carey, S. Atkin, Witham, A. Atkin, Copley.

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