Great starts for Rye and Sidley

Sidley won 1-0 at Three Bridges and Rye triumphed 2-0 against Horsham YMCA in Division One of the Sussex County League on Saturday.

Last season’s runners-up Rye overcame a Horsham side relegated from Ryman Division One South on the back of first half goals from summer signings Allan McMinigal and Sam Adams.

Steve Morris, one of Sidley’s close season recruits, scored their winner around five minutes from time after debutant goalkeeper Callum Christie had pulled off a brilliant penalty save midway through the second half.

It wasn’t such good news for the Division Two clubs, however, with Bexhill United, Little Common and Westfield all suffering first game defeats.

Under new joint managers Jamie Podmore and Darrol Parris, Bexhill went down 4-3 away to Loxwood having trailed 4-0 at half time. Linton Rogers, Dominic Clarke and Martin Denny led the comeback.

Gordon Cuddington gave Westfield a half time lead at home to Rustington, but the visitors hit back after the break to win 2-1. Common lost by the same score at Southwick with Chas Lister netting their consolation.

Full reports on each of these games will appear in Friday’s Observers.