Bumper bank holiday of football

A bumper bank holiday of local football lies in store this morning (Easter Monday).
Hastings United defender Ben Judge challenges the Whitstable Town goalkeeper on Saturday. Picture by Terry S. BlackmanHastings United defender Ben Judge challenges the Whitstable Town goalkeeper on Saturday. Picture by Terry S. Blackman
Hastings United defender Ben Judge challenges the Whitstable Town goalkeeper on Saturday. Picture by Terry S. Blackman

All of the area’s four remaining senior clubs are in action and there are some tasty local derbies to look forward to as we enter the final week of the 2013/14 campaign.

Hastings United will continue their quest to hold on to the final play-off place in Ryman League Division One South with a tough trip to runaway champions Peacehaven & Telscombe at 3pm.

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The U’s are three points clear of nearest pursuers Burgess Hill Town and Merstham with two games remaining. Burgess Hill, incidentally, are at home to Corinthian-Casuals and Merstham travel to Folkestone Invicta.

United have endured some pretty rough luck with injuries lately, and that continued in Saturday’s 3-1 win at home to Whitstable Town when key striker Frankie Sawyer and winger Taser Hassan hobbled off during the second half.

There are also a couple of games this morning as Little Common entertain crosstown rivals Bexhill United and Westfield host Eastbourne United AFC in Sussex County Football League Division Two. Both of those matches will kick-off at 11am.

Bexhill recorded crushing 6-0 and 5-1 victories over Common at The Polegrove earlier this season, but in-form Common have moved into the top four on the back of five consecutive victories. Bexhill are four places and 13 points worse off than their neighbours.

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Westfield, who are one place and four points behind Bexhill, will no doubt be fired up to throw a spanner in the works of title hopefuls Eastbourne and should be full of confidence after hammering bottom-of-the-table Seaford Town 7-0 on Saturday.

Eastbourne manager Simon Rowland described Westfield as a ‘bunch of thugs’ following United’s 6-1 win in last month’s reverse fixture so Westfield would dearly like to put one over the FA Vase semi-finalists in their final home game of the season.

TODAY’S FOOTBALL FIXTURES

(Kick-off 3pm unless stated)

Ryman League, Division 1 South: Peacehaven & Telscombe v Hastings Utd.

Sussex County League, Division 2: Little Common v Bexhill Utd 11; Westfield v Eastbourne Utd AFC 11.

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Reserve Section (East): AFC Uckfield v Little Common; Newhaven v Westfield.

ADA East Sussex League, Division 1: Battle Baptists v Bexhill AAC; Crowborough Athletic III v Hollington Utd II; Langney Wanderers II v Sedlescombe Rangers.

Division 2: Herstmonceux v Eastbourne Rangers; Ninfield Utd II v Little Chelsea; JC Tackleway v Crowhurst.

Division 3: AFC Hastings v Old Hastonians; Northiam 75 v Eastbourne Athletic; Pebsham Sibex v Conquest Utd; Rock-a-Nore II v Visick.

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Division 4: Mayfield v Bexhill-On-Sea; Sovereign Saints v Peasmarsh Utd; Westfield III v Peche Hill Select II.

Division 5: Sedlescombe Rangers II v Battle Baptists II; Ticehurst II v Little Common III.

Division 6: Catsfield II v FC Westridge; Parkfield v Orington II; Robertsbridge Utd II v JC Tackleway II; Sandhurst II v Hawkhurst Utd II.

Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup semi-final: Orington v FC Bexhill 2.30.