Rye Town and The JC Tackleway in Sussex Cup semi-final showdown

Two East Sussex Football League clubs will go head-to-head in the semi-finals of the Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Rye Town set up a last-four showdown away to Division One rivals The JC Tackleway after winning their quarter-final away to Unicorn United II on penalties.

Douglas Johnston was Rye's hero, saving three Unicorn spot-kicks to finally separate the sides after the match at Arun Leisure Centre had finished 1-1 after normal and extra-time. Thomas Thomson scored Rye's goal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Elsewhere last weekend, seven sides booked their places in the finals of various knockout competitions.

The ESFL season is coming to an exciting endThe ESFL season is coming to an exciting end
The ESFL season is coming to an exciting end

Battle Town narrowly prevailed 3-2 at home to Bexhill AAC to become the first team through to the ESFL Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup decider.

Premier Division title-hopefuls Battle will meet the winners of the other last-four tie, between Division One clubs Tackleway and SC Pass+Move Arrows, which is due to be played this coming Saturday.

AFC Hollington will face Welcroft Park Rangers in the ESFL Wisden Sports Challenge Cup final after both came through their respective semi-finals.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Division Three champions Hollington saw off Division Two leaders Westfield II for the second successive Saturday, this time by a 5-3 scoreline.

Welcroft, who finished third in Division Three, ran out 4-1 victors at home to a Ninfield side which ended the league campaign a place above them.

Jamie Bundy's double, and one apiece from Bill Coles and Cameron Offord did the damage for Welcroft, while Gary Bryant provided the Ninfield response.

Westfield III advanced to the ESFL Division Four & Five Challenge Cup final courtesy of a 5-3 success away to Hastings Comets.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Division Five leaders progressed despite Brandon Smith, Charlie Syrett and Harvey Cato netting for a Comets team which will end the season fourth in Division Four.

Westfield will play Sovereign Saints II, who are third in Division Four, in the final.

Crowhurst triumphed 2-1 away to Premier Division rivals Hawkhurst United in the second Hastings & District FA Intermediate Challenge Cup semi-final.

Strikes by Sean Lennard and Wes Tate proved just enough for the top-flight leaders, who will lock horns with Bexhill Town in the final.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Punnetts Town won 5-4 on penalties away to fellow Premier Division club Rock-a-Nore to reach the Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup final.

The game itself had finished level at 2-2, with Casey Ham and Liam McCann on target for Punnetts, whose goalkeeper Elliot Packham saved four penalties on the day.

Punnetts' reward is a showdown against Tackleway or Rye in the final, but spare a thought for Rock-a-Nore, who lost a semi-final on penalties for the second consecutive weekend.

Little Common II marched into the Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup final on the back of a 4-0 semi-final victory at home to Mountfield United.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Attilio Field (2), Kit Harris-Macrae and Sam Slayford got the goals as Division Two high-flyers Common had too much for their Division Three opponents.

Common will battle it out with league rivals Sandhurst for the silverware.

Half a dozen league fixtures also took place on Saturday and Robertsbridge United pulled off a splendid 4-2 success away to Bexhill Town in the Premier Division.

Tommy Whelan's hat-trick and one from Chris Phillips earned Robertsbridge their third league win of the campaign, despite the goals of Harry Saville and Sidney Da Silva for Bexhill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Second-bottom Robertsbridge have moved to within five points of third-bottom Northiam 75 having played three fewer matches. Bexhill remain two points adrift of Punnetts Town in fifth.

There was another twist in the five-way fight for the Division One title as leaders Sidley United II lost 1-0 at home to The JC Tackleway.

Toby Payne's goal, coupled with a third clean sheet in a row, extended Tackleway's remarkable winning run to 15 matches across all competitions.

The result lifted Tackleway up to third - level on points with second-placed Bexhill AAC having played the same amount of matches and three behind Sidley with two games in hand.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In-form Sandhurst went second in Division Two after completing their league programme with an 8-1 triumph at home to Hooe.

The prolific James Found plundered a four-goal salvo, Nathan Moseley netted twice, and David Denton and Alfie Beadle chipped in with one apiece as Sandhurst powered to a fifth win on the bounce. Conor Loake nabbed the consolation for 10-man Hooe.

Sandhurst are now a point above Robertsbridge Charity Junior Cup final opponents Little Common II, who still have two league fixtures to play.

Bexhill Rovers have also enjoyed a tremendous conclusion to their league season and a 5-3 triumph away to Northiam 75 II secured a top-four finish.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A Luke Alais hat-trick and Timothy Doe's brace fired Rovers to a fourth win on the spin, and lifted them above their victims in the table to boot.

Allan Walke and Ethan Gabriel found the net as Victoria Baptists climbed out of the bottom two via a 2-1 win away to Catsfield. Daniel Kearley retaliated.

Victoria are now above Hooe on goal difference and just a point adrift of sixth-placed Catsfield, who have finished their fixtures. Victoria and Hooe both have two games remaining.

Ticehurst have been crowned Division Four champions after Sovereign Saints II - the only team who could deny them the title - were beaten in their penultimate league encounter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With Ticehurst already finished, Saints knew that victories in their final two contests - against the fifth tier's bottom two - would see them end up top of the pile.

But their hopes went up in smoke with a 3-2 reverse at home to South Coast Athletico II, who are now off the foot of the standings on goal difference.

Strikes by Stephen Jackson and Luke Maglennon were not enough for Saints as two Jack Harris goals and one from Tyler Smith - all in the first half - ensured Athletico ended their maiden league campaign on a high.

Saints now need to beat Battle Town III this coming Saturday to pip Parkfield to the runners-up spot, while Battle require a draw or better to move back above Athletico and avoid the wooden spoon.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Also this Saturday, Battle's first team will travel to Southern Combination League Division Two high-flyers Jarvis Brook in a Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup semi-final.

Standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Crowhurst 15-38 (+55 goal difference), Battle Town 13-34 (+37), St Leonards Social* 16-29 (+12), Punnetts Town 15-26 (+26), Bexhill Town 15-24 (+9), Hawkhurst United 16-16 (-8), Rock-a-Nore* 14-15 (-6), Northiam 75 16-14 (-50), Robertsbridge United 13-9 (-46), Wadhurst United 15-5 (-29). * = points adjusted.

Division 1: Sidley United II 15-31 (+18), Bexhill AAC 13-28 (+33), The JC Tackleway 13-28 (+13), Rye Town 12-25 (+13), SC Pass+Move Arrows 11-22 (+13), South Coast Athletico 14-19 (-1), Battle Town II 13-9 (-21), Peche Hill Select 14-8 (-26), Sedlescombe Rangers II 13-1 (-42).

Division 2: Westfield II* 13-28 (+22), Sandhurst 16-27 (+14), Little Common II 14-26 (+20), Bexhill Rovers* 16-25 (0), Northiam 75 II 16-23 (+1), Catsfield 16-18 (-13), Victoria Baptists 14-17 (-6), Hooe* 14-17 (-19), Herstmonceux* 15-11 (-19). * = points adjusted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Division 3: AFC Hollington 12-33 (+50), Ninfield 12-30 (+19), Welcroft Park Rangers 12-24 (+36), Icklesham Casuals 12-15 (-17), Mountfield United 12-13 (-14), The JC Tackleway II 12-10 (-19), Bexhill AAC II 12-0 (-55). Peche Hill Select II withdrawn.

Division 4: Ticehurst 14-30 (+14), Parkfield 14-27 (+10), Sovereign Saints II 13-25 (+26), Hastings Comets 14-22 (+15), Orington 14-20 (+11), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 14-15 (-34), South Coast Athletico II 14-12 (-10), Battle Town III 13-12 (-32).

Division 5: Westfield III* 13-31 (+48), Hampden Park* 11-28 (+61), Crowhurst II 11-28 (+60), Herstmonceux II 11-19 (+12), Welcroft Park Rangers II 11-15 (+5), Burwash 13-13 (-12), Hastings Comets II 14-10 (-56), D&S Hastings Youth 14-0 (-118). Sedlescombe Rangers IV withdrawn. * = points adjusted.

Saturday March 12 fixtures - Premier Division (2pm): Punnetts Town v Wadhurst United, Robertsbridge United v Northiam 75, St Leonards Social v Rock-a-Nore.

Division 1 (2pm): Rye Town v Peche Hill Select.

Division 2 (2pm): Victoria Baptists v Westfield II.

Division 4 (2pm): Sovereign Saints II v Battle Town III.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Division 5 (2pm): Crowhurst II v Welcroft Park Rangers II, Herstmonceux II v Burwash.

Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Jarvis Brook v Battle Town.

ESFL Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup semi-final (1.30pm): The JC Tackleway v SC Pass+Move Arrows.

Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup semi-finals (1.30pm): AFC Hollington v Sidley United II, Sedlescombe Rangers II v Hooe.

Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Ticehurst v Westfield III.

Eastbourne FA Vice Presidents Cup (1.30pm): Hampden Park v South Coast Athletico.