East Sussex Football League: Ninfield jump off foot of top-flight table with Sandhurst win

Last season's Division One champions were 3-0 victors over Sandhurst on Saturday, meaning they moved above Sidley United and their victims having played two fewer matches than both.

Mark Franks, Dom Wilson and Toby Pearce were on target as Ninfield made it back-to-back league wins and clean sheets.

Elsewhere in the top flight, third-placed The JC Tackleway came from 2-1 down at half time to draw 3-3 with fifth-placed Jesters Town at Bexhill Road.

A brace of Adam Reilly goals and Ashley Kingshott's finish for Tackleway were matched by Elliot Poole, Jack Dalton and Braden Tilbury for Jesters.

In Division One, Victoria Baptists put the previous weekend's narrow Sussex Junior Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat swiftly behind them by seeing off Hawkhurst United 6-0.

Alex Costello's hat-trick, two from Kyle Daines and an Ashley Weeks strike did the damage for Victoria, who are unbeaten in the league since October.

Sixth-placed Herstmonceux went level on points with fifth-placed Crowhurst II following a 3-1 away success against St Leonards Social, whose scorer was Matt Syrett.

Two of Saturday's three fixtures in Division Two ended in 1-1 draws, leaving Catsfield as the only winners.

The clash between third and fourth proved just as tight as the table suggested it might be, with Robertsbridge United and Parkfield sharing two goals at The Clappers.

With David Ramos on target for the Bridge and Stuart Lewis for Parkfield, the former remain just ahead of the latter on goal difference with three games in hand.

Fifth-placed Northiam II are still three points behind Robertsbridge and Parkfield, albeit having played fewer matches than both, after being held by Battle Town II.

Alex Neville's goal for Northiam wasn't enough to prevent Battle from picking up their fifth point of the campaign.

Catsfield moved level on points with Northiam following a 3-1 home triumph over Mountfield United in a meeting of two sides who were level on points at kick-off.

Kian Lacey and Jacob Jones were among the scorers for the Cats, while Dylan Harley found the back of the net for Mountfield.

Division Three leaders Pevensey & Westham suffered a setback in their penultimate league encounter of the season, drawing 1-1 away to Sedlescombe Rangers.

Spencer Sharkey's goal for Sedlescombe means that Pevensey are now 13 points clear of second-placed Bexhill AAC II having played five more matches.

Third-placed Burwash missed the chance to jump above AAC as they lost 3-0 on their travels against Icklesham Casuals.

Icklesham's fourth consecutive league and cup win (including penalty shoot-outs), secured by the goals of Sean Baker, Sean Melvin and Blake Henderson, has lifted them into the top five.

A solitary first-half strike was enough to give Hollington United II three points away to Ticehurst and move them up to seventh, one position behind their victims.

Bexhill AAC III stretched their advantage at the summit of Division Four to five points thanks to a 4-1 win at home to Northiam 75 III.

Kenny Hutchinson came off the bench to net all four goals for AAC, who were 5-3 winners in September's reverse fixture. Callum Beattie was on the mark for Northiam.

Moving on to the cup action and Battle Town received a walkover in their ESFL Challenge Cup (Premier Division) semi-final against Sidley United.

Battle will take on undefeated top-flight leaders Westfield II in the final on a date to be announced.

Division Three title-hopefuls Bexhill AAC II needed penalties to edge out Division Four high-flyers Ninfield II and reach the ESFL Challenge Cup (Divisions 3/4) final.

AAC scraped through 4-3 on spot-kicks after a 0-0 draw to set up a showdown against one of Northiam 75 III, St Leonards Social II, Little Common III or Icklesham Casuals.

Division Two title-chasers The JC Tackleway II became the third team through to the Macron Store Hastings Cup semi-finals.

Two second-half goals without reply earned Tackleway a 3-1 victory over Division One outfit Westfield III at Bexhill Road.

Lewis Finch, Wes Peoples and Luke Gasson were on the scoresheet as Tackleway teed up a semi-final with SC Pass+Move or Little Common II.

The last two quarter-finals in the Macron Store Hastings Vase produced wins for Division Four duo Herstmonceux II and Little Common III.

Benjamin Akehurst's hat-trick, a Max Rider double and one from Declan Ottley ensured Herstmonceux overcame Wittersham, of Division Three, 6-3 at Lime Cross.

Common outgunned Division Four rivals Robertsbridge United II 2-0 at Bexhill Road via the finishing of Tommy Whelan and Matthew Gosden.

SC Pass+Move narrowly got the better of fellow Division One side Crowhurst II 2-1 in a Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup first-round tie.

The goals of Joseph Elliott and Charlie Honey put Pass+Move through to an away quarter-final against The JC Tackleway II. Aston Sweetman was on target for the Crows.

The previous Tuesday, The JC Tackleway were beaten 3-1 by Mid-Sussex League high-flyers Crowhurst in a Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup quarter-final.

A bumper Easter weekend lies in store, with matches scheduled for Saturday and Monday as teams play catch-up with their fixtures following a weather-ravaged January and February.

Standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Westfield II 10-30 (+24 goal difference), Rye Town 13-26 (+16), The JC Tackleway 13-17 (-3), Battle Town 9-15 (+6), Jesters Town 13-13 (-10), Ninfield 10-11 (-6), Sandhurst 12-10 (-19), Sidley United 12-9 (-8). Northiam 75 withdrawn

Division 1: Bexhill AAC 14-24 (+9), Wadhurst United 10-22 (+11), SC Pass+Move 9-21 (+15), Victoria Baptists 10-19 (+16), Crowhurst II 10-15 (+5), Herstmonceux 10-15 (0), Westfield III 10-8 (-13), St Leonards Social 6-7 (-4), Hawkhurst United 13-3 (-39).

Division 2: Little Common II 15-38 (+47), The JC Tackleway II 11-26 (+36), Robertsbridge United 14-19 (+1), Parkfield 17-19 (-8), Northiam 75 II 13-16 (-4), Catsfield 14-16 (-6), Mountfield United 11-13 (-10), Battle Town II 15-5 (-56).

Division 3: Pevensey & Westham 15-34 (+23), Bexhill AAC II 10-21 (+19), Burwash 12-19 (+2), The JC Tackleway III 11-15 (+5), Icklesham Casuals 10-15 (-4), Ticehurst 8-13 (+1), Hollington United II 9-9 (-14), Sedlescombe Rangers 11-7 (-12), Wittersham 8-2 (-20). Battle Town Development and Hastings Athletic withdrawn

Division 4: Bexhill AAC III* 14-34 (+37), Little Common III 15-29 (+14), Ninfield II* 13-27 (+31), Herstmonceux II 10-25 (+32), St Leonards Social II 12-24 (+27), Robertsbridge United II* 12-18 (-2), Hawkhurst United II* 14-16 (-28), Northiam 75 III 13-13 (-5), Hollington Hawks Youth 14-3 (-45), Icklesham Casuals II 13-3 (-61). Hastings Athletic II withdrawn. * = points adjusted

Fixtures - Saturday April 4 (2pm kick-off unless stated)

Premier Division: Battle Town v Rye Town, Westfield II v Sidley United.

Division 1: Bexhill AAC v Herstmonceux, Victoria Baptists v Crowhurst II, Westfield III v St Leonards Social.

Division 2: Catsfield v The JC Tackleway II, Little Common II v Battle Town II (4pm), Parkfield v Northiam 75 II, Robertsbridge United v Mountfield United.

Division 3: Burwash v Ticehurst, Hollington United II v Sedlescombe Rangers, Wittersham v Bexhill AAC II.

Division 4: Hollington Hawks Youth v Bexhill AAC III, Icklesham Casuals II v Robertsbridge United II, Ninfield II v Herstmonceux II (4pm).

Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup quarter-final: Ninfield v Hastings United U23.

ESFL Challenge Cup (Divisions 1/2) quarter-final: Wadhurst United v Hawkhurst United.

ESFL Challenge Cup (Divisions 3/4) quarter-finals: Little Common III v Icklesham Casuals, Northiam 75 III v St Leonards Social II.

Monday April 6 (2pm kick-off unless stated)

Division 2: Catsfield v Battle Town II (11am), Northiam 75 II v Little Common II, Robertsbridge United v The JC Tackleway II.

Division 3: Bexhill AAC II v Sedlescombe Rangers, The JC Tackleway III v Hollington United II (1pm), Ticehurst v Burwash, Wittersham v Icklesham Casuals.