East Sussex Football League: Ten games abandoned as Storm Bert hits region

Heavy rain arrived to accompany very strong winds at just the wrong time, causing games in all of the league's five divisions to be brought to an early end in atrocious conditions.

The abandonments, coupled with a smattering of postponements, meant just five league fixtures and two cup ties were completed on an afternoon far more suitable for the sofa than a football pitch.

Nonetheless, there are new leaders in the Premier Division. With previous pacesetters Rye Town having their encounter against Sedlescombe Rangers abandoned, Hollington United hit the front thanks to a 2-1 win away to Sidley United.

A goal in either half from Jordan Ray and Karl Tomlin earned Hollington a sixth straight victory in all competitions and lifted them above Rye on goal difference having played a game fewer.

George Aston for a while brought eighth-placed Sidley level during the second half of a match which marked the start of the second half of their league programme.

SC Pass & Move stretched their lead at the top of Division One to 10 points on the back of an emphatic 12-1 away success over Crowhurst II, whose scorer was Ben Andrews.

Pass & Move's advantage grew as the third-versus-second clash between Ninfield and Northiam 75 was among the long list of abandonments.

Although Pass & Move's cushion appears substantial, Northiam and Ninfield have three and four games in hand respectively - and both are still undefeated in the league.

St Leonards Social celebrated their first win since the opening day of the campaign with a 2-0 success at Hawkhurst United, Colton Alleyne grabbing both of the goals.

The result in a fixture between two teams who were in the top flight last term lifted Social above their victims and into the top six.

A 4-1 triumph away from home against Catsfield saw Victoria Baptists jump up from fourth to second in Division Two.

Jamie Bunn, Jack McLean and Alex Costello were among the scorers for Victoria, while Jacob Jones was on target for the Cats in their fourth successive league loss.

The Baptists are now within two points of leaders Bexhill AAC II, whose match was one of two in the third tier abandoned, and possess the division's best goal difference.

With two contests abandoned and one postponed, none of the day’s three Division Three fixtures produced a result.

The only other league affair to reach a conclusion came in Division Four, Pevensey & Westham winning 9-0 at Icklesham Casuals to go second in the standings.

Joe Sherriff helped himself to a hat-trick, Callum Holles bagged a brace, and there was one apiece for Jamie Cherryman, Zac French, Diego Henriques and Conteh Nixon as Pevensey returned to winning ways after back-to-back draws in resounding fashion.

The result lifted Pevensey, who remain undefeated in the league, to within three points of leaders Northiam 75 II having played two fewer matches.

The JC Tackleway advanced to the quarter-finals of the ESFL Challenge Cup (Premier Division) via a 4-1 victory against Bexhill AAC.

Toby Payne's double, and one each by Taylor Beale and Ben Thorpe got the job done for Tackleway, who will host Westfield II or Jesters Town in the last eight. Daniel Smith provided the AAC response.

Grant Matthews plundered a hat-trick as The JC Tackleway II overcame lower-division Hastings Comets 6-2 to move into round two of the ESFL Challenge Cup (Divisions 3/4).

Harley Millward, Wes Peoples and Anton Neil were the other scorers for Division Three high-fliers Tackleway against Division Four side Comets, whose marksmen were Nicky Croft and Brandon Smith.

Tackleway will visit Robertsbridge United or Battle Town Development, who are due to meet this coming Saturday, in the last 16.

Standings - Premier Division (played-points): Hollington United 9-22 (+28 goal difference), Rye Town 10-22 (+8), Punnetts Town 7-14 (+11), Westfield II 8-11 (+6), Sandhurst 9-11 (-5), Jesters Town 8-10 (0), The JC Tackleway 8-10 (-5), Sidley United 10-7 (-15), Sedlescombe Rangers 8-5 (-13), Bexhill AAC 7-5 (-15). Bexhill Town withdrawn.

Division 1 (played-points): SC Pass & Move 10-27 (+31), Northiam 75 7-17 (+22), Ninfield 6-16 (+17), Rye Town II 8-16 (+12), Herstmonceux 6-9 (+1), St Leonards Social 9-7 (-15), Hawkhurst United 8-6 (-17), Crowhurst II 9-4 (-34), Battle Town II 9-2 (-17).

Division 2 (played-points): Bexhill AAC II 7-17 (+12), Victoria Baptists 7-15 (+18), Westfield III 8-14 (-1), Wadhurst United 7-13 (+9), Little Common II 7-10 (+3), Parkfield 8-9 (-3), Hooe 7-7 (-6), Catsfield 9-6 (-9), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 8-1 (-23). Jesters Town II withdrawn.

Division 3 (played-points): Mountfield United 9-23 (+21), The JC Tackleway II 9-22 (+27), Crowhurst III 10-22 (+22), Ticehurst 10-17 (+7), Burwash 7-11 (+3), Orington 8-10 (-3), Robertsbridge United 9-7 (-7), Battle Town Development 7-6 (-17), Hastings Athletic 10-6 (-20), Westfield IV 7-0 (-33).

Division 4 (played-points): Northiam 75 II 11-26 (+31), Pevensey & Westham 9-23 (+52), The JC Tackleway III 10-22 (+41), Bexhill AAC III 8-19 (+24), Robertsbridge United II 9-15 (+5), Sovereign Saints Development 9-14 (+16), Hastings Comets 8-8 (+7), Hawkhurst United II 11-7 (-22), St Leonards Social II 9-6 (-24), Icklesham Casuals 10-5 (-25), Hastings Athletic II 8-0 (-105).

Fixtures – Saturday November 30 (kick-off 2pm unless stated)

Premier Division: Bexhill AAC v Punnetts Town, Hollington United v Sandhurst, Rye Town v Westfield II, Sidley United v The JC Tackleway.

Division 1: Hawkhurst United v Rye Town II, Herstmonceux v Battle Town II, Northiam 75 v Crowhurst II, SC Pass & Move v Ninfield.

Division 2: Little Common II v Catsfield, Parkfield v Victoria Baptists, Sedlescombe Rangers Development v Westfield III, Wadhurst United v Bexhill AAC II.

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

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

ESFL Challenge Cup (Divisions 3/4), 1st round: Robertsbridge United v Battle Town Development.