Stedham stun East Dean - report and picture special

Dean were using a new formation of 3-5-2 and started brightly matching a strong and experienced Stedham team in the early stages.

Stedham struck first 25 minutes in. A quick counter attack caught the East Dean defence out and a Stedham man was free at the back post to meet a cross to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Dean had possession but struggled to force any clear chances for Shaun Pope and James Ford.

Scott Rafferty was causing trouble from corners and defender Tom Bann was unable to glance a header on target from a few yards out. A penalty shout as Aaron Hand lost his man at the back post was waved away by the referee.

Dean’s midfield three of Joby Oram, Dave Knight and Scott Rafferty were finding room but Dean switched off from a short corner on the left, allowing the Stedham winger to cross and through a crowd of players, a home player was able to tap in at the back post to give the hosts a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time.

Dean came out for the second half and looked a different team and began controlling the game.

Pope forced a couple of good saves from the Stedham keeper before he scored to get East Dean back in it. A free kick from Rafferty was met by the head of Jason Houghton, who directed his flick into the path of Pope, who poked home.

Dean were winning the battles in the middle of the park, but could not secure a equaliser. Pope was again denied by the Stedham keeper and Rafferty hit a free-kick well over the bar.

The best chance of the half came when a corner by Dean was punched on to his own crossbar by the Stedham keeper, with the resulting scramble in the box being cleared.

Dean had two big chances to equalise late. Harry Hood won the ball and played James Ford away down the left, and he picked out Rafferty at the back post, but from a tight angle, Rafferty was unable to squeeze his shot in.

A Dave Knight tackle allowed Rafferty to collect the ball in the middle of the park. He found Hood on the left and he played a nice first-time pass into the path of Pope, who buried what appeared to be the leveller. However the linesman deem Hood to be offside.

The result leaves Stedham in second place and East Dean sixth.