Blues hit back

TRAUMATISED Ringmer took the first step towards putting their John O'Hara woes behind them by becoming the only side to complete the double over outgoing league champions Sidley United.

Although two cup calamities at Crabtree Park have book-ended an eight match unbeaten streak, the Blues' Division One form continues unchecked, now yielding 25 points from the last 27 available.

The Bank Holiday clash had been the source of some concern in the build-up following the unsavoury 'butting' incident which occurred in the reverse fixture under five weeks ago. But, in the event, the game passed off peacefully with a paltry three bookings and hardly a crossed word. This was partly due to the omission of the Sidley player in question against whom no police charges have been made in the skirmish that left Ringmer boss Glen Geard with 16 stitches in a head wound.

The Ringmer team-sheet for the match made interesting reading with the inclusion of bursting midfielder Spencer Mears, back from Oz and making his first start since November 13. Back too, was fledgling keeper Sam Figg who filled the vacuum caused by Keith Cheal's absence and Darren Prior's stout refusal to represent the club after missing out on Good Friday's final.

Ringmer's breakthrough came on 25 minutes when Matt Geard's beauty of a ball into the box homed in on skipper Glenn Davies' head for the opener. The goal ended both the home side's two game barren run and a personal draught from Davies stretching back four months. The half came to a close with neither Tony Holden or Geard able to increase the profit margin but the Blue shirts had the multifaceted Grant Bean to thank for his goal-line clearance which prevented a Sidley leveller.

By the time an hour had ticked over, Figg had still to be tested with opposite number Danny Poole possessing by far the sweatier brow. Geard was turned down for a pretty convincing penalty appeal and Holden was off target again before Ringmer's second arrived on the scene. The homecoming Mears was allowed to nip on to a loose ball as a statuesque defence looked on. It was then child's play for Mears to notch his forth of the season nearly twenty weeks after the third. Unusually for a Ringmer side running rampant, Shaun Grice and Holden failed to bulge the net so it was left to perky substitute Chris Howarth to finish a box-to-box move for 3-0.

Sidley did orchestrate a reply of some calibre by means of youth teamer Shae Spreafico who, as Blues second-in-command Adam Brown commented, caught the eye in defeat, 'I was impressed with the kiddie at the end, he was worth the goal, but we were much better today and, in truth, we murdered them.'

Ringmer: Figg, Bean, Dobbyn, Davies, Cox, Corlett, M Geard, Martin, Grice, Holden, Mears (Howarth 74). Subs not used: Longley, Purser. MoM: Glenn Davies.