East Sussex Football League: Hollington United make further inroads into Rye Town's lead

Hollington's 4-1 win at Sedlescombe Rangers on Saturday, coupled with Rye's 1-1 draw at home to The JC Tackleway, means the gap between the Premier Division's top two is now down to three points - and Hollington have two games in hand.

Richard Weller's goal wasn't enough to prevent Rye dropping points for the third time in four matches as Tackleway hit back through Ben Thorpe to record their fourth draw in seven league outings.

Archie Baker, Zak Boutwood, Lewis Neech and Danny Spice were on target for Hollington, who scored three unanswered second-half goals in their fourth successive league win.

Punnetts Town jumped from fifth to third after coming from 3-1 down to win 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller at home to Westfield IV, extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games.

Ashley Chatfield, Tristan Jarvis, Jamie Salvidge and Josh Albert were Punnetts' goal heroes, while Gordon Cuddington, Jay Tomlin and Matt Darby netted for the Westies.

The top flight's other two fixtures at the weekend both ended in 5-2 away victories, including Jesters Town's success at Sandhurst which lifted them from seventh to fourth.

A Travis Parks double, and one apiece from Muss Camara, Callum Baldwin and Reece Davey made Jesters’ long trip to Kent well worthwhile. Rob Briley and James Hsuan provided the Sandhurst goals.

Bexhill AAC prevailed by the same score away to neighbours Sidley United and only goal difference is now keeping them bottom of the table.

James Magraw's hat-trick, and one each from James Bailey and Adam Hickey did the damage for AAC, while Archie Ball and Joe Lyne found the net for Sidley.

SC Pass & Move stretched their advantage at the top of Division One to two points courtesy of a 1-0 home triumph against Battle Town II, Charlie Honey scoring the only goal in the second half.

With Northiam 75 in cup action, Rye Town II climbed to second on the back of a thumping 8-1 win over a Herstmonceux side which had won its three previous league matches.

Darren Warne's hat-trick, two apiece by Rob Levett and Owen James, and a Liam Sayer finish ensured Rye got straight back to winning ways after losing their unbeaten league record the previous weekend. Jake Brown’s strike was the sole highlight for Herstmonceux.

Ninfield are now third - two points behind Pass & Move with a game in hand - following a 7-0 away victory against St Leonards Social.

Joe Trigwell and Jon-Jo Wright struck twice each, and Ryan Souter, Tom Saunders and Jason Taylor also registered for a Ninfield team still undefeated in the league.

Hawkhurst United made it back-to-back wins with a 3-1 success at Crowhurst II - and moved into the top six as a result.

Annour Moussa came off the bench to strike twice for the Hawks, whose other scorer was Lamin Njie. Simon Randall hit the net for Crowhurst.

Bexhill AAC II doubled their cushion at the Division Two summit from two points to four after they won convincingly and second-placed Wadhurst United were held to a draw.

AAC - the only remaining unbeaten outfit in the third tier - scored five second-half goals without reply to triumph 7-1 at home to Jesters Town II.

Leo Oliver’s hat-trick, two from Jayden Douglin, and one apiece by Vincent Heron and Charlie Morgan sent AAC further clear. Jake Maynard got the Jesters’ consolation.

Wadhurst had to settle for a 3-3 draw at home to a Hooe side which has now drawn four of its six league encounters so far this term.

Harry Bateman, Jack Pearman and Ryan Watkins fired home for Wadhurst, while Nathan Corke bagged a brace and fellow debutant Ben Reader was also on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Catsfield's previous three matches had yielded a total of just one goal, so Saturday's 5-4 home loss against Little Common II represented quite a turn of events.

Kit Harris-Macrae and Taylor Norton each netted twice, and Jay Abid also found the target as Common made it three wins in four matches and climbed three positions into the top four. Jacob Jones and Adam Barham scored two apiece for Catsfield.

Sedlescombe Rangers Development picked up their first point at the seventh time of asking via a goalless draw in the bottom-two clash away to Parkfield.

It's as you were at the top of Division Three after Saturday's three fixtures all ended in wins for the leading three teams.

Crowhurst III preserved their slender one-point advantage at the head of affairs after ending the unbeaten record of hosts Burwash with a 4-3 victory.

The goals of Joe Millar (2), Oliver Clark and Joshua Naylor earned the Crows a sixth win in eight league contests, despite Daniel Murrell, Samuel Murrell and Lewis Fairs scoring for fifth-placed Burwash.

Second-placed Mountfield United, who have played once fewer than Crowhurst, extended their undefeated start by virtue of a 3-0 success at fourth-placed Ticehurst.

Harry Compton, George Dean and Dylan Harley were on the mark for Mountfield, who have already garnered five more points than they managed in the whole of last season.

The JC Tackleway III, who are third, triumphed 5-2 away to Hastings Athletic to remain two points behind Crowhurst with a game in hand.

Dayne Beaumont, Steve Payne, Ash Da Costa, Wes Peoples and Harley Millward were Tackleway's five different scorers. Karim Selmes-Taylor and Freddie Hensher hit the net for Athletic.

Northiam 75 II have gone two points clear at the Division Four summit after they won and previous pacesetters The JC Tackleway III drew.

Matthew Bricknell's hat-trick, and one each by Julian Carney and Ryan Penney fired Northiam to a 5-1 home win over fourth-placed Sovereign Saints Development. Tobin Bakewell claimed Saints' consolation.

Tackleway, in fact, dropped to third following a 3-3 draw with fifth-placed Bexhill AAC III – and they only avoided a first league defeat of 2024/25 thanks to a last-gasp Jake Hardcastle equaliser.

Rikki Matthews and Ashton Loft (penalty) got Tackleway's other goals at home to an AAC outfit whose scorers were Dexter Bawn, Jordan Cole and Andrew Matthews.

Pevensey & Westham - the only team in the league's five divisions yet to drop a point - moved menacingly up to second on the back of a 20-0 home victory against Hastings Athletic II.

Stuart Potter led the rout with a seven-goal salvo, Charlie Chambers helped himself to a hat-trick, Connor Middleton netted twice, and Zac French, Callum Holles, Mark Phillips, Isaac Potter, Calum Sherriff and Reece Mansfield also got in on the act.

Kenny Hutchinson's hat-trick led St Leonards Social II to a 6-1 away success over Hawkhurst United II - their second league win of the campaign.

Archie Campbell, Harvey Fiore and Abdou Nije joined Hutchinson on the scoresheet for Social, who rose two spots to eighth, while Liam Barnes nabbed a consolation for the Hawks.

It was honours even in the tenth-versus-ninth meeting as Hastings Comets and Icklesham Casuals played out a 2-2 draw.

The goals of Sam Harman and Brandon Smith for Comets were matched by Icklesham duo Zak Mansfield and Lee Pierce.

Victoria Baptists will fly the flag for the East Sussex League in the last 16 of the Sussex Junior Challenge Cup.

The Division Two team are the league's last survivors in the county knockout competition following a 3-0 triumph at home to Flansham Park Rangers.

Baptists' reward is another home tie next month against Ashurst United, who scuppered hopes of an all-East Sussex League fourth-round clash by seeing off Northiam 75 7-1 in round three.

Battle Town Development are also out after a 3-0 home loss against Newhaven II. All the goals came during the second half.

Robertsbridge United's two teams went head-to-head in round one of the Macron Store Hastings Vase and it was the front side who ran out 3-1 winners.

Aaron Parris and Danny Turner were among the scorers for the first team, while James Hopkinson got the goal for the seconds.

This coming Saturday's fixtures include all eight Macron Store Hastings Cup second-round matches and a Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup third-round encounter for Westfield II.

Standings - Premier Division (played-points): Rye Town 9-19 (+6 goal difference), Hollington United 7-16 (+21), Punnetts Town 6-11 (+3), Jesters Town 7-10 (+2), The JC Tackleway 7-10 (+1), Westfield II 7-8 (+4), Sandhurst 8-8 (-7), Sidley United 8-7 (-12), Sedlescombe Rangers 7-5 (-5), Bexhill AAC 6-5 (-13). Bexhill Town withdrawn.

Division 1 (played-points): SC Pass & Move 6-15 (+13), Rye Town II 6-13 (+14), Ninfield 5-13 (+13), Northiam 75 5-11 (+13), Herstmonceux 4-9 (+7), Hawkhurst United 6-6 (-11), St Leonards Social 6-4 (-13), Battle Town II 7-2 (-10), Crowhurst II 7-1 (-26).

Division 2 (played-points): Bexhill AAC II 7-17 (+13), Wadhurst United 7-13 (+9), Westfield III 7-11 (-2), Little Common II 8-10 (+1), Victoria Baptists 6-9 (+4), Catsfield 8-9 (0), Jesters Town II 5-9 (-5), Hooe 6-7 (-1), Parkfield 7-6 (-5), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 7-1 (-14).

Division 3 (played-points): Crowhurst III 8-18 (+15), Mountfield United 7-17 (+10), The JC Tackleway II 7-16 (+17), Ticehurst 8-13 (+2), Burwash 6-11 (+4), Orington 6-7 (-3), Robertsbridge United 8-7 (-4), Battle Town Development 5-6 (0), Hastings Athletic 8-3 (-18), Westfield IV 5-0 (-23).

Division 4 (played-points): Northiam 75 II 9-20 (+21), Pevensey & Westham 6-18 (+43), The JC Tackleway III 8-18 (+23), Sovereign Saints Development 8-14 (+21), Bexhill AAC III 6-13 (+15), Robertsbridge United II 7-9 (+2), Hawkhurst United II 9-7 (-13), St Leonards Social II 8-6 (-20), Icklesham Casuals 7-5 (-12), Hastings Comets 6-4 (-8), Hastings Athletic II 6-0 (-72).

Fixtures – Saturday November 9 (kick-off 2pm)

Division 1: Battle Town II v SC Pass & Move, Northiam 75 v Herstmonceux, Rye Town II v St Leonards Social.

Division 2: Jesters Town II v Parkfield, Sedlescombe Rangers Development v Victoria Baptists.

Division 3: Hastings Athletic v Westfield IV, Orington v Mountfield United, The JC Tackleway II v Battle Town Development, Ticehurst v Crowhurst III.

Division 4: Hastings Athletic II v The JC Tackleway III, Hastings Comets v Pevensey & Westham, Hawkhurst United II v Northiam 75 II, Icklesham Casuals v Robertsbridge United II, Sovereign Saints Development v Bexhill AAC III.

Macron Store Hastings Cup, 2nd round: Bexhill AAC v Sidley United, Catsfield v Hooe, Little Common II v Punnetts Town, Ninfield v Hollington United, Sandhurst v Jesters Town, The JC Tackleway v Rye Town, Wadhurst United v Bexhill AAC II, Westfield III v Hawkhurst United.

Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup, 3rd round: Hurstpierpoint v Westfield II.