Blues go out

THE setting was breathtaking. Crawley s 5m Broadfield Stadium clearly the county s foremost footballing arena has the unerring power to inspire or inhibit those who venture across its boundaries.

Sadly, the visiting Blues became snared by the ground s hypnotic aura and eventually fell to The Reds superior quality.

Despite teetering on the verge of the Nationwide Conference, the Floodlight Cup still remains high on Crawley s agenda as their four previous tournament wins testify. This quarter-final clash, with either Horsham YMCA or Eastbourne Borough awaiting in the semis, was an opportunity never likely to be passed up by the mighty West Sussex outfit.

For Ringmer, on the other hand, it was a big night that promised much. Assistant boss Adam Brown was always confident of creating an upset, citing the classy surface as ideally compatible with Ringmer s passing game.

Yet there was no chance to commence any such game-plan as Blues dreams turned to nightmares after just four minutes. Stuart Corlett s misplaced pass was intercepted by Jimmy Dack although his subsequent cross appeared harmless. However, Darren Prior produced one of those hide your head in the sand moments by dropping the ball into his own net.

It was the worst of all possible starts and the Reds spent the next half hour ripping the visitors limb from limb. Dack, recently back from cartilage trouble, hit the post, ex-Palace schoolboy Danny Carroll had a header saved and a shot that crackled an inch wide before the much scouted Rob Collins saw two efforts go close.

Even the basics began to desert Ringmer but they somehow managed to survive yet more onslaught via Ian Payne, Steve Sargent and the familiar face of one Warren Bagnall.

At only 1-0, some early signs of annoyance befell the players, fans and management of the non-league giants. As a result, Ringmer enjoyed a decent second half spell although Reds keeper Andy Little remained largely redundant.

It didn t last long and with 57 minutes showing on the Broadfield s mammoth digital clock, Collins, who counts Spurs, West Ham and Charlton amongst his admirers, breached the Ringmer defences to roll home number two.

Unlike the previous Senior Cup meeting between these two in November, Crawley went looking for the kill with subs Warren Waugh and Steve Restarick leading the hunt. Prior redeemed his earlier howler by pulling off a string of corking saves allowing The Blues to create an opening or two of their own.

Tony Holden, without a goal in what must seem an age in his eyes, couldn t quite get a good enough connection with only Little to beat and Kevin Townsend also missed out in giving the 256 strong crowd a jittery last few moments.

The Blues emerged from a fraught 90 minutes with their pride in tact with chairman Richard Soan left to muse over what might have been, 'we conceded two soft goals but we couldn t complain at the result tonight.

Ringmer face another quarter-final on Saturday as East Preston arrive for a second attempt to stage the John O Hara Cup match-up at The Caburn.

RINGMER: Prior, Longley, Dobbyn, Davies, Corlett, Garrod, M Geard (Preece 65), Martin, Holden, Randell (Howarth 46), Townsend. Unused: Allison, Figg. MOM: Graham Martin.