Sussex Cup semi-final chance ahead for Battle Town

In-form Battle booked their place in the last four courtesy of a 2-0 win at home to Midhurst & Easebourne II in Saturday's quarter-final. Dean Boyd and Trystan Mayhew were the scorers.

Battle, whose winning run now stands at 15 matches (including penalty shootouts), will travel to a Jarvis Brook side lying second in Southern Combination League Division Two on March 12.

Rye Town are through to the quarter-finals of the Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup after winning 3-0 away to fellow East Sussex League club Victoria Baptists in round four.

Strikes by Sam Cooper, Sammy Foulkes and Sam Hesmer ensured Division One high-flyers Rye came out on top against Division Two outfit Victoria.

A victory for Rye away to Unicorn United Bognor Regis II in the last eight this coming Saturday would set up an all-East Sussex League semi-final away to The JC Tackleway.

SC Pass+Move Arrows won 4-3 after extra-time in a thriller at home to Rock-a-Nore to reach the ESFL Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Curtis Coombes, Joshua Paige and Tom Cusden were among the scorers for Division One team Pass+Move as they edged past in-form Premier Division opposition.

It means three of the four semi-finalists in the league's flagship knockout competition are from Division One and only one from the Premier Division.

Pass+Move will visit The JC Tackleway for the right to face Battle Town or Bexhill AAC in the final.

Sedlescombe Rangers II advanced to the semi-finals of the Hastings & District FA Junior Challenge Cup on the back of a 4-0 victory at home to Icklesham Casuals.

Strikes by Zak Boutwood, Matt Cook, Ben Sebbage and Alvin Scott got the job done for Division One side Sedlescombe against Division Three opposition.

Sedlescombe's reward is a home tie against Division Two outfit Hooe in the last four next month.

Moving on to last weekend's league action and Premier Division leaders Crowhurst suffered a title setback as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to St Leonards Social.

The Crows had scored 33 goals in their previous three matches, but their failure to find the net at all on this occasion could prove costly in the final analysis. They now lead second-placed Battle by four points, albeit having played twice more.

Despite picking up a terrific point, Social dropped a position from third to fourth because Punnetts Town ran out 6-0 winners away to Hawkhurst United.

Casey Ham and Steven Worsell struck twice each, and Craig Norman and Tim Johnson also netted as Punnetts climbed above Social on goal difference having played a game fewer.

Fifth-placed Bexhill Town kept alive their hopes of a top-three finish thanks to a 3-1 success away to eighth-placed Northiam 75.

George Andrews, Alvin Dasi and Olwethu Peterson were on target for Bexhill, who are two points behind Punnetts and Social with a game in hand on the latter. Oscar Garcia-Cruz got the Northiam goal.

Robertsbridge United jumped off the foot of the standings on the back of a 4-1 triumph away to Wadhurst United in the battle of the bottom two.

A Tommy Whelan hat-trick and one from Chris Phillips lifted Robertsbridge a point above their victims having played three fewer fixtures.

There was another twist in the fascinating Division One title race as Bexhill AAC missed the chance to go back to the top after losing 3-2 at home to The JC Tackleway.

The goals of Nathan Smith, Toby Payne and Grant Cornelius earned Tackleway a 12th straight win in all competitions, while Ben Barton scored for AAC in their second successive 3-2 defeat.

Second-placed AAC remain three points adrift of leaders Sidley United II, albeit now with only one game in hand. Fourth-placed Tackleway continue to creep up on the teams above them and are now six points back of AAC having played twice fewer.

Sandhurst moved up to third in Division Two without even kicking a ball as they received a walkover away to Herstmonceux.

Northiam 75 II, who were third at kick-off, dropped to fourth after being thumped 6-0 away to a Bexhill Rovers outfit which leaped up two places to sixth.

Northiam's defeat also means they are now mathematically out of the running for the title, which will be claimed by either Westfield II or Little Common II.

AFC Hollington made absolutely sure of the Division Three title by running out 7-0 winners at home to sixth-placed The JC Tackleway II.

Hollington needed only to avoid a 24-goal defeat in their final league game of the season to be confirmed as champions and they sealed their success in style with an 11th league win out of 12.

It meant they finished three points clear of runners-up Ninfield in a division which, amazingly, has been completed by the middle of February.

Ticehurst gave themselves a chance of winning Division Four courtesy of a 2-1 victory at home to Hastings Comets in their final league encounter.

Danny McGahan and Toby Tapp struck to earn Ticehurst their 10th league win of the campaign, despite Brandon Smith finding the net for fourth-placed Comets.

Ticehurst are now three points clear of second-placed Parkfield, who have also finished, and five better off than third-placed Sovereign Saints II.

But Saints still have two matches remaining and they are both against the division's bottom two. Two victories would see Saints pip Ticehurst by a point, but anything less and Ticehurst would cling on to top spot.

Fifth-placed Orington ended their league programme on a high with a 5-1 success away to South Coast Athletico II.

The goals of Tristan Hinz (2), Spencer Sharkey, James Blything and Andrew Swindles ensured Orington finished with as many league wins as defeats. Alfie Watkinson-Aldous replied for an Athletico side which must win its final match to stand a chance of moving off the bottom.

Hampden Park triumphed 3-1 at home to Crowhurst II in the key clash at the top of Division Five - and are now one goal above their victims on goal difference with three fixtures remaining.

Jake Barker and Tyler Barker were among the scorers for Park, while a Harry Blunden goal wasn't enough to preserve 10-man Crowhurst's unbeaten league record.

Crowhurst actually slipped from first to third because Westfield III returned to the summit by dint of a 5-1 victory at home to fourth-placed Herstmonceux II.

Reece Johnson plundered a four-goal salvo and Ryan Southall also found the net for Westfield, who are three points clear of Park and Crowhurst having played twice more than both.

With Park still having to play both of their title rivals, it promises to be an intriguing finale to the season between the three dominant teams in the sixth tier.

Standings (played-points) - Premier Division: Crowhurst 14-35 (+53 goal difference), Battle Town 12-31 (+32), Punnetts Town 14-26 (+28), St Leonards Social 15-26 (+8), Bexhill Town 14-24 (+11), Hawkhurst United 16-16 (-8), Rock-a-Nore 14-15 (-6), Northiam 75 14-14 (-41), Robertsbridge United 12-6 (-48), Wadhurst United 15-5 (-29).

Division 1: Sidley United II 14-31 (+19), Bexhill AAC 13-28 (+33), Rye Town 12-25 (+13), The JC Tackleway 11-22 (+11), SC Pass+Move Arrows 9-16 (+8), South Coast Athletico 12-16 (-1), Peche Hill Select 12-8 (-21), Battle Town II 12-6 (-26), Sedlescombe Rangers II 11-1 (-36).

Division 2: Westfield II* 13-28 (+22), Little Common II 12-25 (+21), Sandhurst 15-24 (+7), Northiam 75 II 15-23 (+3), Catsfield 14-18 (-10), Bexhill Rovers 13-16 (-5), Hooe* 12-16 (-12), Victoria Baptists 13-14 (-7), Herstmonceux 15-11 (-19). * = points adjusted.

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 12-25 (+27), Hastings Comets 14-22 (+15), Orington 14-20 (+11), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 14-15 (-34), Battle Town III 13-12 (-32), South Coast Athletico II 13-9 (-11).

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 February 19 fixtures - Premier Division (2pm): Bexhill Town v Wadhurst United, Crowhurst v Hawkhurst United, Northiam 75 v Battle Town, Robertsbridge United v Punnetts Town, St Leonards Social v Rock-a-Nore.

Division 1 (2pm unless stated): SC Pass+Move Arrows v Bexhill AAC, South Coast Athletico v Sedlescombe Rangers II (1.30pm).

Division 2 (2pm unless stated): Catsfield v Victoria Baptists, Little Common II v Bexhill Rovers (3.30pm), Sandhurst v Hooe.

Division 5 (2pm): Hampden Park v Westfield III, Welcroft Park Rangers II v Crowhurst II.

Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup quarter-final (1.30pm): Unicorn United II v Rye Town.

ESFL Wisden Sports Challenge Cup semi-finals (1.30pm): AFC Hollington v Westfield II, Welcroft Park Rangers v Ninfield.

ESFL Division Four and Five Challenge Cup semi-final (1.30pm): Sovereign Saints II v Orington. Quarter-final (1.30pm): Herstmonceux II v Hastings Comets.

Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup quarter-final (1.30pm): Battle Town II v The JC Tackleway.

Eastbourne FA Junior Cup (1.30pm): Willingdon Athletic III v South Coast Athletico II.