Grantham fires EP into RUR Cup final

Craig Grantham netted the only goal with 16 minutes to go and EP will now meet Broadbridge Heath in the final.

East Preston boss Dominic Di Paola described his side’s victory as “probably smash and grab” afterwards as Peacehaven had the better of the chances in the first half, before EP came more into the game after the break.

EP had won 1-0 at Sidley just two days earlier, while Peacehaven’s match at East Grinstead was postponed and Peacehaven started much the brighter of the two sides.

They had an early opening after just six minutes when Wes Millis found himself unmarked from eight yards but headed Craig Hall’s cross well wide.

Millis went even closer three minutes later when he crashed a shot against the top of the bar from 25 yards after a surging run from midfield.

It was Millis again who nearly opened the scoring on 13 minutes when he got to the ball before EP stopper Ben Rose but his header from Carl Dunk’s free kick hit the keeper and went over.

Peacehaven’s Ash Rees headed over from six yards four minutes later, before EP’s Niall O’Hagan had to head clear off the goal line on 28 minutes.

EP came more into the game as the half wore on and Matt Axell’s low cross-shot was well held by Peacehaven keeper Joe Adams on 39 minutes.

Peacehaven’s Rob O’Toole curled an effort just wide a minute later, before Rose pushed behind Rees’ scuffed effort on the stroke of half-time.

The second half was more even as EP had the wind and rain behind them and Shaun Charles’ low 18-yarder had Adams sprawling across goal before he made a comfortable save on 53 minutes.

Chances were few and far between in a scrappy second half as the pitch began to get heavy but EP went ahead with 16 minutes left. Fred Foreman whipped in a free kick, which took a couple of deflections before falling to Grantham, who slotted home from six yards.

Matt Axell then had a powerful effort pushed over by Adams as EP searched for a second.

Peacehaven sent on strikers Ryan McBride and Wes Tate as they looked for an equaliser but they were unable to create any clear openings as EP central defenders Marc Pullan and Nick Fogden were outstanding throughout. Rose comfortably saved Hall’s shot from the edge of the area on 82 minutes, before Rees fired over from a tight angle with three minutes to go.

Di Paola said: “We were tired in the first half and just had nothing in our legs. They created some good chances but didn’t take them, although they were probably the better side for the first hour.

“They are a good side and I’d still say they are the best team in the league but sometimes you have to scrape a win and that’s what we did tonight.

“Jordan Clark was brilliant for us tonight but we’ve just got so many injuries as we don’t have any recovery time inbetween matches.”

Di Paola also had praise for goalscorer Grantham and said: “He deserved his goal as he works so hard for us.

“It’s a thankless task playing up front for us at times as we don’t get a lot of balls into the box for him but you can’t fault how hard he works and he deserved to be the match winner for us, although it probably was a bit of a smash and grab win.”

EAST PRESTON: Rose; O’Hagan, Pullan, Fogden, Axell; Foreman, Shelley, Clark, Barnard, Charles; Grantham. Subs: Elliott (O’Hagan 47), Franks (Charles 65), Duncan (Foreman 90), Boddy, Fagan.