New boss Williams tastes first Cowfold victory after run of five defeats

Having stepped up to take the reins after Ant Parsons stepped down in December, it has been a testing time in charge for the club’s long-serving assistant manager.

Williams and Fold had suffered five straight defeats in the league under his leadership with a new-look young side.

A young Ferring side played a part in what was an entertaining but goalless first half and arguably had the best of the chances when they hit the Cowfold post after about half an hour.

The start of the second half followed a similar pattern, but as time moved on, Cowfold started to take control.

Just after the hour mark they took the lead as great work from Luke Parsons saw him beat two players before getting to the byline and whipping over a cross that found the head of the diving Mark Edmonds, who finished at point-blank range.

Cowfold continued to play well, but the fragility of a 1-0 lead meant that there was a degree of nervousness about them and there was a sense of inevitability about the Ferring equaliser on 81 minutes.

A much-tried ball over the top finally paid off as Reece Tanner raced through to beat the on-rushing Joe Groome in the Cowfold goal to make it 1-1.

A mere two minutes after the equaliser, Josh Neathey was brought down on the 18-yard line and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Up-stepped 17-year-old Neathey to smash into the bottom right hand corner and restore the lead.

Two minutes later, Greg Brabon made it 3-1 to put the game beyond Ferring when his clever lob beat the visiting goalkeeper.

Cowfold: Groome, Millais (Hatton 82), Mitchell-Harris, Dunningham, Lau, Parsons, Brabon, Neathey, Young (Shoubridge 70), Edmonds, Smith (Sullivan 65).