Bad weekend for Rye & Sidley

Rye’s defence of the Sussex RUR Charity Cup is over before it even got started following a 4-0 defeat away to Selsey in a re-run of last season’s final.

Despite fielding three new signings and taking the lead, Sidley slumped 5-1 away to Shoreham in Sussex County Football League Division One.

Rye were 2-0 winners over fellow Sussex Division One side Selsey in last season’s final and they were the better side during a goalless first half on Saturday.

But it all went wrong from the moment Bruno Montero gave Selsey the lead soon after the break in this second round tie.

A Sam Willett own goal made it 2-0 and Rob Wimble added a third soon afterwards. Rye’s misery was made complete when Callum Poole scored Selsey’s fourth.

Sidley gave debuts to Josh Pelling, Allan McMinigal and Kenny Pogue, all of whom signed the previous Thursday night, and took an early lead through Matt Darby.

Blues boss John Lambert felt his team could have had five or six during the first half, but missed chances and poor defending meant they were 3-1 down.

Sidley conceded two more in the second period as Owen Callaghan celebrated a hat-trick. Mark Pulling and Tommy Yeates were Shoreham’s other scorers.

Full reports will appear in Friday’s Observers.

Sussex Division One standings (played-points): 1 East Preston 7-21, 2 Peacehaven & Telscombe 6-13, 3 Ringmer 5-12, 4 Arundel 5-12, 5 Redhill 5-11, 6 RYE UNITED 5-11, 7 Lancing 7-10, 8 Shoreham 6-10, 9 Hassocks 7-10, 10 Pagham 4-9, 11 Lingfield 5-9, 12 Dorking Wanderers 7-8, 13 Horsham YMCA 6-7, 14 Crowborough Athletic 6-6, 15 SIDLEY UNITED 5-6, 16 AFC Uckfield 6-5, 17 East Grinstead Town 6-5, 18 Chichester City 8-5, 19 Selsey 5-4, 20 Hailsham Town 4-3, 21 St Francis Rangers 7-2, 22 Worthing United 6-2.