Roffey FC are champions... YMCA and Bears share spoils

Roffey 3 Billingshurst 2

SCFL division one

In their first full season in senior football, Roffey completed a fairytale title win by beating neighbours Billingshurst in front of a big crowd with a hard fought and dramatic 3-2 victory.

This leaves them seven points clear of Midhurst with only this week’s visit to Shoreham to complete their season.

As they had in their previous two games, the Boars fell behind, this time after just two minutes when they allowed a free header at the far post after some early Hurst pressure.

Horsham FC trio will be missed.

The hosts continued on the front foot for the next ten minutes with Hughes saving comfortably.

Gradually, Roffey started to move the ball with miore purpose and Josh Neathey drew a good save from Tom Baxter from a far post volley.

They finally equalised when James Pearse swept home a cross in the 35th minute.

Roffey were now playing with more confidence and two minutes later, skipper Tiago Andrade pivoted in the box and smashed the ball into the top corner to give his team the lead. Just as the hosts were getting into their stride, the game was held up for nearly ten minutes.

Hill happy to get better of Valley.

First Saz Bidgood was shown a straight red card and in the aftermath Nick Tilley was dismissed from the dugout after a disagreement with the assistant referee. Once the game restarted, neither side could get into their stride and it stayed 2-1 at the break.

Roffey continued to look for the third at the beginning of the second half, but the game was again disrupted when the referee suffered a foot injury and was forced to leave the pitch. Qualified referee Josh Dance took over on the line and the assistant replaced the referee.

Baxter got down well to block Neathey’s drive from the edge of the box when the game resumed but then out of the blue, Billingshurst equalised.

A long ball into the area appeared covered by Hayden Neathey, but he let it drop behind him and Hughes no chance of saving from close range.

The nerves were jangling, particularly when news came that title rivals Midhurst had equalised against Godalming.

Baxter again thwarted the boars and then Wanstall’s cross shot came back of the bar. At the other end, Hughes pushed a header against the post and luckily it came straight back into his hands.

Then a second Billingshurst player was dismissed following a second yellow card. As the 90 minutes approached, Roffey were given a free kick right on the edge of the box though many people thought the offence had been inside. It did not matter as Dan Pearse stepped up to drive in a hard low shot which evaded Rendall and Baxter to nestle inside the far post and send the fans into raptures.

Five added minutes were negotiated with no further alarm and Roffey were champions as the celebrations began.

One full season in senior football, one championship and now, Andy Lampard and his management team know the hard work begins.

SAM CHAPMAN

Horsham YMCA 1

Broadbridge Heath 1

SCFL premier

In the last game of the season at Gorings Mead, Horsham YMCA welcomed near neighbours Broadbridge Heath for a well contested, see-sawing game.

It featured 12 corners, two penalties and plenty of goalscoring opportunities, but culminated in both sides being reasonably content to share the points

After a lively start, Mason Doughty blazed over for Heath, followed by two YM corners, before the visitors’ long range shot passed safely by, and, with action switching to the other end, Liam Matthews saving a home strike with his feet.

With 10 minutes left until half-time, and both sides creating pressure, onrushing YM keeper Aaron Jeal crashed into Doughty, Jamie Taylor slotting home the spot kick.

YM responded with sub Archie Goddard unleashing an easily averted drive, but Heath were now on top, only for Doughty to shoot wide.

Recovering, two YM corners came and went ahead of unfulfilled chances created by Heath.

YM might have equalised from a Sam Henderson curler, which just evaded the goal, the score remaining 1-0 in Heath’s favour at the break.

A golden opportunity evaporated just after the re-start, Lewis Croal being well off target with only Jeal to beat.

Goddard’s shot was blocked before he was floored in the area, the penalty enabling Tom Tolfrey to equalise for YM in the 52nd minute.

Heath quelled YM’s momentum with an immediate corner, negated by Jeal’s superb reaction grab, four more Heath set pieces following in quick succession. Henderson and Jay Popham tested Heath before, with the ball in the net, Heath looked to have snatched a win at the death, but Ben Cooksley’s clean volley was ruled off side.

YM Manager Dean Carden told the County Times: “We produced openings in the first half, but panicked a bit when Heath went ahead. But, we re-grouped and against a good side with a great crowd we’re happy with the outcome.” Heath boss Chris Simmons added: “This was the second tough game for us over the weekend, and we thought we’d nicked it (as we did when YM came to us), but the draw was a fair result.”

Post match there was a ceremony to celebrate YM players raising over £1,300 for th YMCA Downslink charity through a series of lengthy physical challenges.

On Saturday YM - now 13th – travel to Lingfield, one above them in the table, while Heath (7th) are at home to 14th-placed AFC Uckfield Town.

MARTIN READ

Broadbridge Heath 3-0 AFC Varneanians

SCFL premier

report from Chris Simmons

AFC Vardeanians came into this match on a run of five straight wins, against some good opposition, which has seen them open a gap between the bottom two and knowing that victory in this match would guarantee them another season in Premier division football. While Heath made five changes to the side that lost at Peacehaven a week earlier welcoming back Andy Waddingham, Jamie Taylor and Mason Doughty and giving starts to Harry Mark and Zac Young.

It didn’t take Heath long to get the upper hand forcing a corner in the opening minute; Young took the kick playing the ball into the near post where Doughty glanced a header that flew into the far left corner of the net, a great start for the Bears and things got even better on 12 minutes when Jack Frankland attacked down the right and played the ball into the penalty area where Jamie Taylor took a tough to setup Doughty who struck a left foot shot that was saved at full stretch by Leo Anderson, former Heath U18 player, but the ball fell kindly for Lewis Croal to drill home from 6 yards and make it 2-0 to The Bears at half-time.

The second half continued in a similar fashion as the first, some good football played by both sides but neither keeper worried too much until the 63rd minute when a move down the right saw Charlie Weller test the keeper with a shot from 30 yards, Anderson again did well to save with his legs but Taylor pounced on the loose ball, shrugged off a defender challenge and knocked to secure a 3-0 win that see the Bears move up to 7th place in the division.

Despite the defeat it was also time for the visitors to celebrate with Loxwood losing 4-2 at Newhaven it meant that despite the loss AFC Vardeanians future in the Premier division had been secured so time for celebrations in the clubhouse.

Special mention to all three matches officials who had really good games, especially Mike Day, out of retirement at the last minute to help out and he rolled back the years doing a really great job.

Team: Matthews, Frankland, Young, Terry, Waddingham, Weller, Buchanan, Mark, Taylor (Cooksley 65), Croal, Doughty.