East Sussex Football League: Punnetts Town defeat Hollington United to claim cup glory

Seven days on from losing in the Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup final, Punnetts lifted the ESFL Challenge Cup (Premier Division) by defeating league champions Hollington United in the final.

A solitary Tristan Jarvis goal was enough to earn Punnetts the silverware at The Pilot Field last Wednesday night.

It was Punnetts’ second cup victory over Hollington in as many months having previously beaten the Lions in a Macron Store Hastings Cup quarter-final at the start of March.

Hollington, though, took four points from the league meetings between the two sides, the second of which was a 1-1 draw just four days before the cup final.

Meanwhile, there was disappointment for the East Sussex League in the Sussex Junior Challenge Cup final last Thursday night.

Division Two high-fliers Victoria Baptists were sunk 5-0 by Mid-Sussex League Division Two North title hopefuls Forest Row II at the Sussex County FA headquarters in Lancing.

Bexhill AAC are the first team through to the East Sussex League’s Macron Store Hastings Cup final.

The Premier Division’s bottom side edged past clubmates Bexhill AAC II, who are top of Division Two, 1-0 in the first semi-final on Saturday.

AAC will meet the winners of the second last-four encounter, between Sandhurst and Punnetts Town, which is taking place this coming Saturday.

The four Macron Store Hastings Vase quarter-finals were played on Saturday, and Crowhurst III, Robertsbridge United, Ticehurst and The JC Tackleway III were the teams who progressed.

Robertsbridge scraped past fellow Division Three outfit Westfield IV 4-3 on penalties following a 4-4 draw in the match itself.

Ryan Spiers (2), Zak Bolton and Aaron Parris were on target for the Bridge prior to the shootout, while Daniel Harvey and substitute Charlie Cornford each bagged a brace for the Westies.

Crowhurst went some way to making up for the disappointment of missing out on the Division Three title to The JC Tackleway II by beating them 5-3.

Joshua Naylor’s hat-trick, and one each by Liam Oxley and Jacob Waller did the trick for the Crows. Mark Blanche and Anton Neil were among the scorers for the Crows.

Tackleway III enjoyed better fortunes than their clubmates as they outgunned Division Four title rivals Pevensey & Westham 4-1.

Daniel Barrellie, Kale Hakos, Ashton Loft and Andrew Olorenshaw notched for Tackleway. Calum Sherriff’s strike was the highlight of the afternoon for Pevensey.

Ticehurst, of Division Three, struck twice in either half to see off Northiam 75 II, from Division Four, by the same margin.

The finishing of Thomas Buckingham, Edward Harwood, Danny McGahan and George Brown did the damage. Alex Neville supplied the lone Northiam response.

The semi-finals will take place this coming Saturday, with Crowhurst entertaining Tackleway III and Ticehurst at home to Robertsbridge.

Bexhill AAC II surged into the Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup semi-finals by outgunning higher-grade Crowhurst II 5-0 on Monday.

AAC will face more Division One opposition in the last four as they head to SC Pass & Move.

As far as the league is concerned, Punnetts Town showed no hangover whatsoever from their cup triumph as they thumped Sedlescombe Rangers 10-2 in the Premier Division on Saturday.

Harry Worsell led the way with a five-goal blast, Jamie Salvidge helped himself to a hat-trick, and Tristan Jarvis and Connor Townsend also got in on the act.

Jesters Town climbed above The JC Tackleway on goal difference into the top four by edging out Sandhurst 4-3 in their final outing of the campaign.

Alfie Field, James Hsuan and Robert Briley were Sandhurst’s marksmen at Hailsham Community College.

Sandhurst were beaten again on Monday, this time 3-0 at home to Bexhill AAC.

Two Ben Barton goals and one from Kurt Excell gave AAC their third league win of the season – and another in their one remaining league encounter will lift them off the foot of the table.

AAC lost by the same score away to Westfield II last Thursday evening, with Daniel Tewkesbury, Jamie Crone and Sam Willett scoring the goals.

Northiam 75 picked up the point they needed in their final Division One fixture to secure the runners-up spot.

A 1-1 draw at champions Ninfield on Saturday ensured Northiam will finish a point above SC Pass & Move and Rye Town II.

Gabriel Norris gave Northiam a half-time lead, but a Jason Taylor free-kick midway through the second period preserved Ninfield’s unbeaten league record.

Hawkhurst United climbed into the top six courtesy of a 5-1 home victory over Crowhurst II.

Archie Reader (2) and Gatkuoth Juach were among the scorers for the Hawks, who led 3-0 at the break. Harry Spice nabbed a consolation for the Crows in their final league outing.

Bexhill AAC II went top of Division Two after overturning a half-time deficit to edge out Westfield III 2-1 at Sidley Recreation Ground last Thursday evening.

Alfie Apps put the Westies in front, but AAC rallied after the break via the finishing of Jayden Douglin and Charlie Morgan to go three points clear of second-placed Victoria Baptists with a game in hand.

A 4-2 home success against Hooe on Saturday lifted Little Common II back above Westfield III and into the top three.

Attilio Field, Igor Wydra, Cyrus Abbott and Jay Abid were Common’s four different scorers, while Kenny Davison-Mitchell and Kion Cornelius hit the net for Hooe.

Also on Saturday, fifth-placed Wadhurst United – who are just a point behind Common – received a walkover away to seventh-placed Catsfield.

Crowhurst III secured the runners-up spot in Division Three by overcoming fourth-placed Battle Town Development 4-1 on Monday.

Mason Collyer scored for Battle, who previously made it three consecutive wins by seeing off Westfield IV 2-0 away from home last Thursday. Giorgio Wingrove claimed both the goals in that one.

Westfield proceeded to climb off the bottom of the standings, though, courtesy of a 2-1 home victory against fifth-placed Ticehurst on Monday.

A brace of Daniel Harvey goals earned Westfield their second league win of the campaign, despite Robert Guile pulling one back for Ticehurst in a game where all the goals came after half time.

Mountfield United will finish third after prevailing 5-3 in an eight-goal Easter Monday thriller away to Robertsbridge United.

Jack Dean, Danny Turner and Zak Bolton were on the scoresheet for the Bridge.

The slim Division Four title hopes of Northiam 75 II ended when they were held to a 1-1 draw by St Leonards Social II last Thursday evening. Luke Gasson got the Northiam goal.

Andrew Matthews helped himself to a hat-trick as Bexhill AAC III powered to an 8-1 home triumph against Sovereign Saints Development on Saturday.

Two apiece from Jordan Cole and Mark Funnell, and a Kurt Excell finish, completed AAC’s goal haul at Sidley Recreation Ground. Sonny Warden replied.

But Saints bounced back two days later to triumph 3-1 away to Hawkhurst United II. Mathew Todd was the Hawks’ scorer in their final outing of 2024/25.

Standings – Premier Division (played-points): Hollington United 17-42 (+39 goal difference), Rye Town 17-34 (+14), Punnetts Town 16-28 (+23), Jesters Town 18-23 (0), The JC Tackleway 18-23 (-5), Westfield II 15-21 (+10), Sidley United 18-20 (-23), Sandhurst 16-19 (-7), Sedlescombe Rangers 18-15 (-26), Bexhill AAC 17-12 (-25). Bexhill Town withdrawn.

Division 1 (played-points): Ninfield 15-39 (+41), Northiam 75 16-35 (+31), SC Pass & Move 16-34 (+31), Rye Town II 16-34 (+28), Herstmonceux 16-20 (-11), Hawkhurst United 15-16 (-16), St Leonards Social 16-15 (-19), Crowhurst II 16-5 (-55), Battle Town II 16-4 (-30).

Division 2 (played-points): Bexhill AAC II 13-35 (+26), Victoria Baptists 14-32 (+30), Little Common II 15-26 (+5), Westfield III 16-26 (-4), Wadhurst United 15-25 (+11), Hooe 15-15 (+1), Catsfield 16-15 (-8), Parkfield 16-12 (-13), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 16-1 (-48). Jesters Town II withdrawn.

Division 3 (played-points): The JC Tackleway II 18-44 (+46), Crowhurst III 18-40 (+32), Mountfield United 17-34 (+31), Battle Town Development 17-27 (-14), Ticehurst 17-23 (+2), Burwash 15-21 (+2), Orington 18-20 (-2), Robertsbridge United 17-20 (-8), Westfield IV 16-8 (-41), Hastings Athletic 17-7 (-48).

Division 4 (played-points): Pevensey & Westham 20-48 (+86), The JC Tackleway III 19-46 (+75), Bexhill AAC III 19-41 (+43), Northiam 75 II 18-40 (+40), Sovereign Saints Development 18-32 (+9), Robertsbridge United II 19-24 (+7), Icklesham Casuals 20-21 (-16), Hastings Comets* 20-18 (-7), St Leonards Social II 19-17 (-37), Hawkhurst United II 20-16 (-37), Hastings Athletic II* 18-0 (-163). * = points adjusted.

Fixtures – Saturday April 26 (kick-off 2pm unless stated)

Premier Division: Rye Town v Bexhill AAC, Westfield II v Hollington United.

Division 1: Hawkhurst United v Ninfield.

Division 2: Victoria Baptists v Bexhill AAC II.

Division 3: Westfield IV v Burwash.

Division 4: Northiam 75 II v Bexhill AAC III, Robertsbridge United II v Hastings Athletic II (12noon).

Macron Store Hastings Cup semi-final: Sandhurst v Punnetts Town.

Macron Store Hastings Vase semi-finals: Crowhurst III v The JC Tackleway III, Ticehurst v Robertsbridge United.

Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup quarter-final: Little Common II v Wadhurst United.

Tuesday April 29 (kick-off 6.30pm)

Premier Division: Westfield II v Punnetts Town.

Division 3: Burwash v Ticehurst.