Pogue hat-trick in Sidley win

Kenny Pogue bagged a hat-trick for Sidley against Bexhill

The victory put Sidley through to the Hastings & District FA Senior Cup final for the fourth successive season and avenged a defeat to Bexhill in last year’s decider.

On a glorious evening at Westfield FC, Sidley went ahead after two-and-a-half minutes when Pogue played a great ball across the face of goal from the left-hand side of the box, presenting Darby with a simple tap in.

Sidley doubled their lead in the 30th minute when Pogue latched onto Chris Agutter’s ball over the top and expertly lobbed outrushing Bexhill goalkeeper Dan Hill.

The Blues added a third goal on the stroke of half time, Pogue making no mistake with a free header from Boyd’s right wing cross.

Bexhill pulled one back in the 57th minute. Greg Nessling did well to stop Lee Short’s shot low to his left, but the referee deemed that the Bexhill midfielder was fouled by Kevin Rose in the act of shooting and pointed to the spot. Jordan Woodley buried the resulting penalty.

Bexhill’s hopes of a comeback were ended by a fourth Sidley goal on 68 minutes. Pogue completed his treble with an excellent looping header into the far corner from Chris Rea’s cross.

Rogers missed a sitter at the other end seconds later and Darby rounded-off the scoring in the 79th minute with a first time finish after Boyd beat his man on the Sidley right and delivered a low cross.

Sidley: Nessling, Willett, Rea (Brown), Rose, Cooper, Agutter, Boyd, M. Darby, Pogue (Heritage), Martin, A. Darby (Hales).

Bexhill: Hill, Kidman (Durrant), Dunstall, Morton, Elliott-Noye, Aston, Short, P. Rogers, L. Rogers, Woodley, McMinigal.