East Sussex Football League: Crowhurst punish Punnetts to extend lead

Sean Lennard, Wes Tate and Ashley Kidman scored for the Crows as they defeated Punnetts for the second time in less than a month. Simon Betteridge replied.

Crowhurst have now played twice more than second-placed Battle Town, who were without a fixture at the weekend.

Battle bid goes on but storms wipe out plenty.

St Leonards Social climbed above Punnetts into the Premier Division's top three thanks to a 5-1 victory away to eighth-placed Northiam 75.

Two goals apiece from Antony Atkin and Mark Larkin and one from Joe Elliott did the damage for Social, who are three points better off than Punnetts having played a game more. Aydin James claimed Northiam's consolation.

The JC Tackleway moved ever closer to the three teams above them in Division One on the back of a 1-0 success away to 10-man South Coast Athletico.

Sussex Cup chance for Town.

Joe Adams' second-half goal means Tackleway are now level on points with third-placed Rye Town and six adrift of leaders Sidley United II with two games in hand on the latter.

SC Pass+Move Arrows jumped back above Athletico into the top five by virtue of a 5-0 triumph at home to Peche Hill Select.

Frazer Discala, Brandon Kovacs, Jonjo Wright, Curtis Coombes and Philip Hatch struck for the Arrows, who are six points behind Tackleway with two games in hand.

Battle Town II moved above Peche Hill and out of the bottom two following a 5-0 win away to Sedlescombe Rangers II.

The Division Two title hopes of Little Common II suffered another blow with a 1-1 draw away to seventh-placed Hooe.

Hastings United march on with win at Chichester.

In a tight contest, a Kelvin Lowes goal for Common was matched by a Conor Loake strike for a Hooe team which is now three points above the bottom two.

Second-placed Common have picked up just one point from their last two outings, leaving them two adrift of leaders Westfield II having now played an extra match.

In fact, Westfield require five points from their three remaining encounters to be crowned champions regardless of how Common fare in their final two.

Fifth-placed Bexhill Rovers continued their storming finish to the season with a 2-0 victory at home to sixth-placed Catsfield - their third consecutive win.

The rest of Saturday's action came in the cups, including a dramatic penalty shootout success for Bexhill Town away to Rock-a-Nore in a Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup semi-final.

Town eventually prevailed 5-4 on spot-kicks against their Premier Division rivals after the game itself had finished level at 4-4.

Joshua Barrett, Olwethu Peterson, Dominic Sinden and Kurt Excell were the scorers for Town, who will take on Hawkhurst United or Crowhurst in the final.

Division Three champions AFC Hollington triumphed 5-1 away to Division Two leaders Westfield II in a Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Hollington's reward is a home semi-final against Division One pacesetters Sidley United II. Sedlescombe Rangers II and Hooe will lock horns in the other last-four tie.

Division Five title hopefuls Crowhurst II ran out 6-1 winners away to Division Four outfit South Coast Athletico II in the first Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup semi-final.

The goals of Adam How (2), James McGrath, Harley Millward, Anton Neil and Daniel Turner put Crowhurst through to a final showdown against Ticehurst or Westfield III.

Division One high-flyers Rye Town pulled off a 2-0 victory at home to Premier Division team Hawkhurst United in the quarter-finals of the Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup.

An own goal and one from Sam Cooper won it for Rye and set up a semi-final trip to league rivals The JC Tackleway.

A Jon Bilsby hat-trick helped fire Sandhurst into the Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup final as they enjoyed a 6-0 success at home to Sedlescombe Rangers Development.

Nathan Moseley, Alfie Beadle and Andrew Turner completed the scoring for a Sandhurst side lying third in Division Two against Division Four outfit Sedlescombe.

Sandhurst's opponents in the final will be Little Common II or Mountfield United, who are due to meet in the other semi-final this coming Saturday.

Sovereign Saints II are the first team through to the ESFL Division Four & Five Challenge Cup final after winning 4-2 at home to Orington in Saturday's semi-final.

Strikes by Adrian Fernandes Soares, Luke Maglennon, Kieran Parks and Tyriece Whiteoak settled the all-Division Four affair in favour of Saints, despite Thomas Blything getting on the scoresheet for Orington.

In the bottom half of the draw, Hastings Comets set up a semi-final at home to Westfield III by virtue of a 4-2 triumph away to Herstmonceux II in Saturday's quarter-final.

The goals of Adam Gerken, Charlie Syrett, Luke Darvill and Tyler Wilson ensured Comets, from Division Four, got the better of their Division Five hosts.

Welcroft Park Rangers chalked up a 4-1 success away to Eastbourne Rangers II in the Eastbourne FA Vice Presidents Cup.

Jamie Bundy, Bill Coles, Cameron Offord and Chaz Creasey netted for Welcroft, who finished third in Division Three.

Another mix of league and cup action is on the agenda for this coming Saturday.

Standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Crowhurst 15-38 (+55 goal difference), Battle Town 13-34 (+37), St Leonards Social 16-29 (+12), Punnetts Town 15-26 (+26), Bexhill Town 14-24 (+11), Hawkhurst United 16-16 (-8), Rock-a-Nore 14-15 (-6), Northiam 75 16-14 (-50), Robertsbridge United 12-6 (-48), Wadhurst United 15-5 (-29).

Division 1: Sidley United II 14-31 (+19), Bexhill AAC 13-28 (+33), Rye Town 12-25 (+13), The JC Tackleway 12-25 (+12), SC Pass+Move Arrows 10-19 (+13), South Coast Athletico 14-19 (-1), Battle Town II 13-9 (-21), Peche Hill Select 13-8 (-26), Sedlescombe Rangers II 13-1 (-42).

Division 2: Westfield II* 13-28 (+22), Little Common II 14-26 (+20), Sandhurst 15-24 (+7), Northiam 75 II 15-23 (+3), Bexhill Rovers 15-22 (-2), Catsfield 15-18 (-12), Hooe* 13-17 (-12), Victoria Baptists 13-14 (-7), Herstmonceux 15-11 (-19). * = points adjusted.

Division 3: AFC Hollington 12-33 (+50), Ninfield 12-30 (+19), Welcroft Park Rangers 12-24 (+36), Icklesham Casuals 12-15 (-17), Mountfield United 12-13 (-14), The JC Tackleway II 12-10 (-19), Bexhill AAC II 12-0 (-55). Peche Hill Select II withdrawn.

Division 4: Ticehurst 14-30 (+14), Parkfield 14-27 (+10), Sovereign Saints II 12-25 (+27), Hastings Comets 14-22 (+15), Orington 14-20 (+11), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 14-15 (-34), Battle Town III 13-12 (-32), South Coast Athletico II 13-9 (-11).

Division 5: Westfield III* 13-31 (+48), Hampden Park* 11-28 (+61), Crowhurst II 11-28 (+60), Herstmonceux II 11-19 (+12), Welcroft Park Rangers II 11-15 (+5), Burwash 13-13 (-12), Hastings Comets II 14-10 (-56), D&S Hastings Youth 14-0 (-118). Sedlescombe Rangers IV withdrawn. * = points adjusted.

Saturday March 5 fixtures - Premier Division (2pm): Bexhill Town v Robertsbridge United.

Division 1 (2pm): Sidley United II v The JC Tackleway.

Division 2 (2pm): Catsfield v Victoria Baptists, Northiam 75 II v Bexhill Rovers, Sandhurst v Hooe.

Division 4 (2pm): Sovereign Saints II v South Coast Athletico II.

Division 5 (2pm): Crowhurst II v Hampden Park, Herstmonceux II v Welcroft Park Rangers II.

Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup quarter-final (1.30pm): Unicorn United Bognor Regis II v Rye Town.

Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Hawkhurst United v Crowhurst.

ESFL Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Battle Town v Bexhill AAC.

ESFL Wisden Sports Challenge Cup semi-finals (1.30pm): AFC Hollington v Westfield II, Welcroft Park Rangers v Ninfield.

ESFL Division Four and Five Challenge Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Hastings Comets v Westfield III.

Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Rock-a-Nore v Punnetts Town.

Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Little Common II v Mountfield United.