FOOTBALL: County League round-up (May 6)

Mullets' late season surge continued as they extended their winning run to five games.

Arundel assistant manager Jim Quigg said: "It was a really good win and it kept our run going. Whitehawk were a little under strength but they had definitely come to win the game.

"Another win and that'll be six in a row and we could go up a couple more places which, when considering a couple of weeks back relegation was being mentioned, is a very, very good finish."

Matt Axell fired Mullets ahead on Monday with a well-taken shot from the edge of the area, before Josh Biggs got the second.

Scott Tipper made it 3-0 at half-time with a penalty, after a foul on Dave Hall.

Scott Kirkwood pulled two goals back for Whitehawk in the 55th and 65th minutes, but Russell Hardwell soon set up Mullets substitute Howard Neighbour, who turned home the fourth. Hardwell then completed the scoring himself.

On Saturday, Arundel picked up a 2-1 win at Crawley Down thanks to a late winner from Axell.

Sam Cane put Crawley in front after sloppy defending three minutes after half-time but Tipper equalised 20 minutes later. Then, deep in injury time, Axell's 25-yarder won the game for Mullets.

ARUNDEL v Whitehawk: Griffiths; Sneller, Walker, Pickford, Hall; Hardwell, R.Biggs, Grove, Axell; Tipper, J.Biggs. Subs: Neighbour (J.Biggs 75), Tewsley (Axell 80), O'Connor (R.Biggs 85), Norgate.

v Crawley: Griffiths; Sneller, Walker, Pickford, Hall; J.Biggs, R.Biggs, Grove, Axell; Tipper, Tewsley. Subs: Neighbour (Tewsley 60), Williams (R.Biggs 85), O'Connor.

Clymping's 3-2 win at Southwick on Saturday secured a sixth-placed finish in Division 2, in their first season in senior football.

Clymping assistant manager Adam Westwood said: "I'm pleased with our first season at this level, and we'll be looking to take this momentum into next season, where, hopefully, we can mount a promotion challenge."

Despite having several players unavailable, the visitors started the better as Tom Bunting shot narrowly wide.

Clymping went in front soon afterwards when Aaron Meehan headed in from a Richard Ghent cross on 12 minutes.

Craig Peters' free kick picked out Paul Young on 37 minutes, and he tapped home the second.

Southwick then began to take control with Dan Murray, Dominic Shepherd and Dave MacNeill all going close.

Clymping appeared to have wrapped the points up on 78 minutes, when Meehan headed in from a Bunting cross.

But Wickers pulled a goal back in the 80th minute as Shepherd knocked home after a Tighe free kick was blocked.

Southwick continued to press and they set up a grandstand finale through Tom Chidgey, who rifled home a 25-yard volley two minutes from time, but Clymping held on.

Last Wednesday, Littlehampton and Clymping shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, which saw Golds recover from a 2-0 deficit.

An Alex Biggs double put Clymping 2-0 up inside 15 minutes, but John Lawson reduced the deficit from a Gary Young corner on 32 minutes. Ross McKay and Lawson both missed gilt-edged chances before Lawson levelled on 60 minutes.

Golds joint boss John Suter said: "It was a good response from the 7-0 Sidley game. We had a few players out and missed quite a few good chances."

Westwood said: "We were comfortable at 2-0 up but they came back strongly. It's two points dropped."

CLYMPING v Southwick: Paice; Stokes, D.Di Paola, Young, Biggs; Peters, Meehan, Hand, Bunting; Ghent, Gaskin. Subs: Brown (Bunting 85), Quirosa, Mayhew.

v Littlehampton: Paice; Stokes, Young, D.Di Paola, Biggs; Castro, Meehan, Brown, Bunting; Ghent, Gaskin. Subs: Peters (Bunting 70), Hand (Castro 83), Quirosa.

LITTLEHAMPTON: Stoner; Young, Crawford, McKay, Hazell; Boutwood, Windsor, Charman, Gillard; Adedoja, Lawson. Subs: Collinder (Gillard 77), Wollers, Beadle.

East Preston manager Paul Curtis has already targeted promotion next season after a mixed one in Division 2 this term.

He said: "We achieved 40 points which was our aim for safety, but it's a bit disappointing as we have the ability to have done more.

"There were a few issues when I took over of people not wanting to train and things, but things will all be sorted for next season. The aim this season was to consolidate and next year we want to build and promotion is our aim."

On Saturday, EP almost hit back from 3-0 to claim a point at home to Seaford, but the game ended 3-2.

Scott Dartnall put Seaford ahead before half-time from a penalty, which Curtis conceded. Dean Paston broke from an EP corner on 55 minutes and fired a long-range effort home to double the lead, before another break, this time from an EP free kick, resulted in Sean Brownell slotting home.

This seemed to galvanise EP a little and they eventually won two penalties. Jehan Huet converted them both well in the 79th and 89th minutes, although Seaford held on.

Last Wednesday, EP secured a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Steyning. Asa Nicholson, a Terry Dodd brace, Kevin Budge and Phil Churchill were on target in the rout.

EAST PRESTON v Seaford: Kason; Sutcliffe, Beaney, Moss, Da Costa; Curtis, Howard, Nicholson, Huet; Dodd, Budge. Subs: Churchill (Curtis 75), Harris (Budge 60), Waller.

v Steyning: Kason; Sutcliffe, Beaney, Moss, Burgess; Curtis, Howard, Nicholson, Huet; Dodd, Budge. Used subs: Churchill, Harris, Faye.

Wick were unable to get revenge on Peacehaven for their Sussex RUR Cup final defeat in Division 1 on Saturday and went down 2-0.

Wick went for a 5-4-1 formation after their 6-1 cup mauling but Peacehaven went ahead midway through the first half. Wick mustered a couple of half-chances but no clear opportunity to equalise.

Wick changed to a 3-4-3 formation in the closing stages but Peacehaven sealed the win with five minutes remaining for their fourth win in as many games against Wick this season.

WICK: Bryant; Torode, Sharman, Wrigley, N.Murfin, Huggett; Turner, Pearce, Barnard, Gaskin; S.Murfin. Subs: French, Bassil (S.Murfin, Sharman 85), More, Buckland.

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