Sids notch nine in a Rottingdean rout

They took the game to their opponents from the off and had it not been for the opposing keeper, they could have been in front before they opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Jay Whitmore scored.

With the Sids not allowing Rottingdean to settle, John Phillips scored his first goal on 22 minutes.

Rottingdean were not causing any problems but their keeper was playing well, keeping the Sids forwards out until Paul Barnes scored on 40 minutes. Three minutes later, Dan Bassil added to the score.

With the Sids confidence growing, they were causing Rottingdean’s defence all sorts of problems and on 45 minutes were awarded a penalty for handball. Barnes stepped up and placed the ball out of the keeper’s reach to send the Sids in at half-time with a 5-0 lead.

The second half saw the Sids continue where they left off and they were rewarded on 53 minutes when Barnes scored his third of the game. Seven minutes later John Phillips scored his second.

The Sids seemed to ease off a little and brought on Gary Jones, Howard Low and Ben McDuffie for the last 15 minutes - but Rottingdean with their first real attempt on goal saw a speculative shot take a deflection and loop over Lee Arnell to bring the score to 7-1.

But the Sids were still pushing forward they added two more goals in the last few minutes. Kieran Hartley cut in from the left and saw his shot deflected into his own goal by a Rottingdean defender then almost immediately Hartley got one for himself.

SIDS: Arnell, Millins, Carrigher, Grantham, Chatfield, Hounsome, Phillips, Whitmore, Barnes, Hartley, Jones. Subs: Bassil, Raven, Low, McDuffie.

This Saturday, Sids are away to Hurstpierpoint (2pm).

TONY ROWLAND