Ringmer suffer miserable Easter weekend
Ringmer AFC suffered a damaging Easter Weekend as they dropped into the SCFL Division One relegation zone with back-to-back defeats.
On Saturday, the Blues were at mid-table Mile Oak and failed to click as they fell to a 2-0 defeat.
The best chances of the game came as Jaydon Fuller and Lucas Sewell shot straight at goalkeeper Charlie Dartnell, and as Rhys Taylor crashed into the side-netting.
Mile Oak’s two goals came as a result of sloppy Ringmer defending, as returning captain Charlie Northeast failed to find goalkeeper Ben Taylor with a header, allowing Marley Ambler to stroke home in the 15th minute.
In the second half, Ambler was at it again, firing in an overhead kick from close range as the Blues failed to stop and then clear a cross from the right.
The game ultimately petered out for Ringmer, who slipped into the bottom three as other sides around them won.
That made Easter Monday a huge day for Tommy Haddon’s side, who welcomed Saltdean United to the Caburn Community Ground.
While Ringmer did put in a much better shift, they were second-best to a red-hot Saltdean side.
Tigers striker Jesse Burbidge ran centre-backs Northeast and Ryan Doyle ragged as Saltdean repeatedly struck passes down the middle to expose Ringmer’s lack of pace.
Burbidge opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a cool finish, although Ringmer were back in the contest in the 8th minute as Fuller struck past Rudy Stilgoe.
Saltdean only got better as the half went on, however, as Ringmer goalkeeper Stefanos Akras had to make a couple of key saves.
Luke Burbidge made it 2-1 in the 22nd minute as a push on Doyle was deemed insufficient to award a free kick, and the Tigers capitalised.
Lawrence Edwards' side then made it 3-1 in the 42nd minute, with a free kick being sent into the box where Akras parried the ball, only for Jesse Burbidge to react quickest and double his tally with a close-range finish.
While Ringmer played much better in the second half, with chances for Taylor and Jamie Blackford, they were unable to break down a solid Saltdean backline.
Adam Bukleb made it 4-1 in the 88th minute with an opportunistic counter-attacking goal, consigning Ringmer to their fifth straight defeat.
Ringmer defender Matt Simpson collapsed while leaving the pitch and was taken away by an ambulance at full-time, but was later given the all-clear by doctors.
Ringmer host Copthorne on Saturday.