Agony for the blues

RINGMER'S dream of reaching their first RUR Cup final for ten long years is over. A bizarre 95th minute own goal credited to the unfortunate substitute keeper Sam Figg was a sickening blow to the Blues' hopes of trophy glory in Tuesday night's semi.

Teenager Figg only entered the fray eight minutes from time but sadly played a cataclysmic role in Ringmer's downfall. A hopeful free kick from Mulletts captain Jon Tucker looked to be clear of danger but the youngster entirely misjudged the flight of the ball, leaving Blue ambitions in tatters.

Ringmer had confidence abound prior to kick off despite a host of players unavailable. Then, an injury to Liam O'Brien and Kevin Townsend's illness meant a late change of plan for Glen Geard with Stuart Garrod returning to his old stomping ground to join the recalled Graham Martin and Stuart Corlett.

Despite the quality of the West Sussex playing surface, there was no accounting for the storm force winds that proved hugely obtrusive to both camps.

Yet, with the gales benefiting them in the first half, the Blues started with some verve. Matt Geard's free kick struck a rooted Andy McCarthy and Tony Holden's follow up hit the frame of the keeper's goal. On eight minutes, a milestone in the match went against a livid Ringmer team. A ricochet off Darren Longley in midfield fell kindly for Holden, before the 30 goal marksman was blatantly tripped whilst bearing down on goal. The linesman signalled a penalty but, after lengthy consultations, nothing was given, enraging the disgusted Blues dugout.

Even so, Ringmer set about their out of form opponents as expected. Arundel, with six straight losses behind them and without so much as a win in 2002, looked flat in comparison and unlikely to repeat their 3-2 upset of Ringmer way back in August.

After further near misses from Damion Dobbyn, a 25 yarder, and Shaun Grice, a venomously curling drive from the edge of the box, the half seemed destined to end goal-less. Jon Rees caused rife panic when two unchallenged headers almost broke through but 0-0 it was at the break.

With the resumption came the drizzle to accompany the unforgiving winds and it was soon the Mulletts turn to hit the woodwork. A speculative Tucker header drifted over Darren Prior but the bar came to the rescue.

As the game progressed, so Arundel's optimism grew and Ringmer's luck faltered. Linchpin Lee Cox, doubtful even to start due to 'flu, had to depart with hamstring trouble before Prior became the second Ringmer keeper to suffer a worrying injury against the Mulletts this season and he, too, was forced to leave the scene.

The warning came on 83 minutes when a Jim Hasler lob dropped unnervingly over the newly installed Figg's goal before the fifth minute of added time signalled apocalypse Ringmer! The Mulletts hadn't really looked like scoring, especially without top scorer Miles Scerri, who has recently absconded to Storrington, and indeed it took something crazy to bring joy to the club from Mill Road.

A disconsolate chairman Richard Soan remained resolute as to the explanation for defeat, 'the penalty decision early on cost us the game pure and simple. It would have been given 999 times out of 1000. We're all devastated.'

RINGMER: Prior (Figg 82), Longley, Dobbyn, Davies, Cox (Randell 74), Corlett, M. Geard, Martin, Grice, Holden, Garod. Subs (not used): P. Preece, I. Preece, Wood. MOM: Glen Davies