Sids eye up top spot... Stags come unst-Uck... Lavant on cloud nine

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Sidlesham 4 Rottingdean 2

Sussex League division three

Sidlesham went level on points with leaders Bosham with this victory.

Alex Pearce replaced the injured Paul Grantham at right-back and the game started at a decent tempo, but it was the home side who opened the scoring on 20 minutes.

A free-kick on the edge of the area was driven home into the bottom corner by in-form striker Tom Bayley – his seventh goal of the season.

The second half saw a more positive and dominant performance from Sidlesham.

Tom Jefkins and John Phillips started to control the midfield and pull the strings. The second goal came after 57 minutes – a solo run from Dan Bassil and shot from the edge the box was parried by the keeper andwinger Danny Millins followed up and converted from an acute angle.

The Chilean winger has been in fine form since his return from Chile and that was his third goal in his past four games.

The second goal relieved some of the pressure and for the next 15 minutes the Sids played some lovely fast-flowing intricate football. However it was a more direct through-ball from centre-half Greg Robinson that put striker Bassil one on one with the keeper and the big man didn’t disappoint, firing in low past the advancing keeper to make it 3-0.

A lapse in concentration let in Rottingdean to reduce the scoreline when a long punt from the keeper found its way to their centre-forward, who fired past John Pope to make it 3-1 with 12 minutes to go.

Phillips grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and a one-two with MoM Bayley sent the playmaker clear down the right and his pinpoint cross found midfield partner Tom Jefkins, who controlled and stroked the ball home to make it 4-1 on 83 minutes.

Phillips conceded a 90th-minute free-kick on the edge of the box, which the Rottingdean captain sconverted.

Sidlesham travel to Ifield this week looking to maintain their good form and continue their title push.

SIDS: Pope, Pearce, Carrigher, McCoy, Robinson, Bennett (J Jefkins), Millins (Reed), T Jefkins, Phillips, Bassil, Bayley (Kelly).

Midhurst 2 AFC Uckfield Town 4

Sussex League division two

MIDHURST twice battled back from being two goals down – but still ended up losing by that margin.

Sam Ellis and Alex Burton’s goals put Uckfield in command within the opening half-hour and after Miles Hamilton pulled one back, Scott Taylor made it 3-1.

Liam Dreckman’s goal showed the Stags were not going to lie down without a fight and the next goal was crucial.

Sadly for the Rotherfield faithful, Burton scored it for Uckfield just after the hour to make the game safe.

Midhurst sit eighth ahead of Saturday’s visit to Oakwood.

Wittering Utd 0 Lavant 9

West Sussex premier division

Lavant bounced back from their Intermediate Cup heartbreak by romping to a big league success over West Wittering.

Michael Neville opened the scoring in controversial style but gloss was added before half-time by James Sandford and Neville’s second.

A much-improved second 45 minutes followed along with six more goals.

Sandford completed a hat-trick, winger Aaron Hancock slotted home and James Brooks added a seventh.

There was still time for Ollie Haggar and Paul Jones to net late goals as Lavant moved fourth in the league.