FOOTBALL: County League round-up (September 2)

On Saturday, they drew at bottom-side Eastbourne United, before sharing the spoils at home to leaders Crawley Down on Tuesday evening.

Block said: "We played really well on Tuesday, although they battered us for 20 minutes and we rode our luck a little, but we had two one-on-ones in the first half and could have gone in 2-0 up.

"It was the same as Saturday, really, if we'd scored then we'd have eight points instead of four. But we matched them on Tuesday, stood up firm, and got stuck in.

"It was a good point and one we'd have definitely taken before the game."

As Wick rode early pressure from Crawley, the best chances of the half fell to Scott Towers, who went through one-on-one twice, but could not convert.

Substitute Jack Beadle also went close late on but was denied by a fine save.

Debutant centre back Chris Heller, who was playing his first game at this level for two years, received special praise from Block. He said: "It was his first game back and he held them out. Their manager took their strikers off in the end which is credit to my whole back four. They had loads of pressure, and balls into the box but we defended admirably."

On Saturday, Towers missed Wick's best chance when he got through but was crowded out, and Eastbourne hit the post in an otherwise non-eventful encounter.

Block, however, was not quite so impressed with his side's performance.

He said: "It was a dire game, they hit the post, but 0-0 did the game justice. These are the sort of games we need to get points in, and against the likes of Hailsham and Ringmer."

WICK v Crawley Down: Corbin; Urquhart, Heller, Bradshaw, French; A.Brown, R.Brown, Wrigley, D.Towers; Forden, S.Towers. Subs: Beadle (D.Towers 80), Haga-Hammond, Baker, Walsh, Bagura.

v Eastbourne: Corbin; Urquhart, French, Walsh, Bradshaw; A.Brown, S.Towers, Peach, D.Towers; Beadle, Forden. Subs: Wrigley (Peach 20), Baker, Haga-Hammond (S.Towers, Beadle 60).

Arundel crashed out of the FA Cup at the preliminary round stage on Saturday after a 6-0 humbling at Ryman League side Worthing.

Mullets missed out on the 1,500 prize money and a first qualifying round fixture with Ashford Town, as Worthing gave them a lesson in clinical finishing.

Rebels' Terry Dodd netted three, while former Arundel midfielder Mike Huckett, Callum Saunders and Dan White got the others.

Arundel manager Gary Wheatcroft said: "We didn't come out running in the first half and they did, although we improved a little bit in the second.

"Although they are the league above it didn't mean they automatically deserved to win but they were a lot better than us in the first half.

"I am disappointed, though, as we gave away three silly goals. But it was always going to be a tough ask, especially as we're riddled with injuries. It really doesn't help when some of your best players are out.

"We obviously weren't going to win the FA Cup, not this year, anyway.

Good luck to them in the next round, we can concentrate on the league and the FA Vase now."

Worthing ruled the roost from early on as Mullets started poorly, and it took just nine minutes for the first goal. A ball into the box by John Lansdale was helped on by Dodd past keeper Ben O'Connor and Dave Walker to open the scoring after nine minutes.

Mullets' Gary Norgate then forced a fine, one-handed save from Michael Hunter at his near post from close range. But Mullets then effectively ended three good chances before they developed as Norgate (twice) and Howard Neighbour were flagged offside.

Huckett hit Rebels' second on 14 minutes as he arrived unmarked in the area and latched on to a cross, firing past O'Connor, before Dodd got his second just before the half-hour.

Despite getting into the game more after the break, Arundel failed to make any real clear-cut chances and Dodd then completed his hat-trick on 62 minutes, when he hammered home from close range past a helpless O'Connor.

Substitute White then poked home after being slotted through by Tom Manton after a long run, before Saunders completed the scoring with two minutes to go. Arundel's Luca Coleman-Carr then picked up a second yellow in the closing stages to receive his marching orders, and Mullets finished with 10 men.

ARUNDEL: O'Connor; Gardener, McCoy, D.Walker, L.Walker; Grove, Hamilton, Neighbour, Coleman-Carr; Tipper, Norgate. Subs: Hall (Gardener 76), Sneller, Turney, Griffiths. Att: 313.

Rustington's impressive start to the season in County League Division 2 continued with a 2-0 win at in-form Loxwood on Saturday.

Blues won with a goal in each half and they now sit fourth in the table.

Rustington manager Brett Torode said: "We did very well, and I'm pleased with the performance and the clean sheet. We've had a good start from the tough away games we've had, and Matt Huckett has been a good acquisition and will get us goals."

Blues led from the first minute when Huckett fired them ahead from a Simon Clayton through ball. Clayton had an effort saved, and Ryan Morten fired over before Ross Adams made it 2-0 on 70 minutes after Huckett had squared to him. Clayton then had an effort ruled out late on.

RUSTINGTON: McCarthy; Butcher, Neal, Bibb, Green; Clayton, Morten, Jones, Bennett; Huckett, Boxall. Subs: C.Matthews (Morten 60), Adams (Boxall 65), Heater (Huckett 85), Clarke, Harwood.

Littlehampton manager John Suter was furious after his side lost a 3-1 lead against 10 men and went down 4-3 at AFC Uckfield, in County League Division 2 on Saturday.

He said: "We defended appallingly, the players thought they had it won, switched off and they punished us.

"We shouldn't have lost, and we have to take the blame collectively, and it's embarrassing to score three times, away from home, against 10 men and still lose.

"That's the third 4-3 we've had this season, we've lost all of them, and I'm devastated."

After Uckfield's Dan Garrod had fired a penalty over and Andrew McDowell shot wide, Golds took the lead on 41 minutes through Jason Jarvis, who netted his fourth goal of the season from Ross McKay's pass.

Littlehampton then moved 2-0 ahead three minutes later. Shane Collender's cross picked out Dave Gaskin, whose header was tipped on to the bar, but Ben Crawford headed in from point-blank range.

In the second half, McDowell reduced the arrears before Uckfield went down to 10 men when Garrod was sent off.

Gary Young restored Golds' two-goal lead from the penalty spot after a foul on Gaskin. But McDowell made it 3-2 on 68 minutes, before Uckfield drew level almost instantly.

Lawrence Edwards capitalised on a mistake in Golds' midfield, and ran through to slot home the winner on 84 minutes.

LITTLEHAMPTON: Askew; Hazell, Crawford, McKay, Bennett; Peacock, Young, White, Collender; Gaskin, Jarvis. Subs: Wollers (Collender 62), Boutwood (Gaskin 70), Russell (White 82), Adedoja.

Clymping's struggles in the same division continued with another heavy defeat.

But despite losing 5-1 at Westfield, manager Phil Churchill is remaining optimistic.

He said: "Considering the circumstances, we did okay.

"The scoreline doesn't reflect our performance, and if we can sort the defence out we'll be okay because we're creating chances and scoring goals.

"We arrived 20 minutes before kick-off and had a whole team unavailable for various reasons.

"Our season effectively starts with a winnable game at home to Storrington on Saturday, our first one at home because of the cricket.

We haven't trained because we've played every midweek, but heads haven't dropped and we'll keep going."

Chad and Curtis Milner both went close as Clymping edged the opening half-hour, but goals on 32, 36 and 45 minutes saw a 3-0 half-time deficit.

Chad Milner gave his side hope when he headed home on 58 minutes, but Westfield sealed the game with the fourth goal 20 minutes from time, and they made it 5-1 late on.

CLYMPING: Gray; Howard, Hotson, Jarrett, Hammond; Matthews, Chad Milner, Barnes, Gibbs; Curtis Milner, Maizie. Subs: Churchill (Maizie 70), Waller.

Jerry Manning grabbed East Preston a late point at Storrington in Division 2 on Saturday.

Manning's header made it 1-1 with six minutes left after Swans had gone ahead on 75 minutes from a deflected shot.

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