Sussex trophy returns to Hastings Old Town - after 98 years

The JC Tackleway 2 Ifield Sports 0

Sussex Junior Challenge Cup final

The JC Tackleway FC travelled to the Sussex FA headquarters at Lancing to play in the final of the Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup against Ifield Sports – and came away triumphant.

Tackleway had lost in the final in 2019 and now, in the first final after Covid, they were back looking to go one better and bring the cup back to the Hastings Old Town for the first time since 1923 when Rock a Nore won the trophy.

The game started with some early attacks from Ifield and Nathan Tutt in the Tackleway goal was forced into a smart save from Ifield’s dangerman Darren Helmsdown.

Four pieces of silver won by East Sussex teams.

On seven minutes Andrew Bridges saw Ifield’s keeper off his line and from 30 yards lobbed the ball over him and in to put Tackleway one up.

Tackleway had a plan to let Ifield have the ball in their own half and draw them on and then to hit them on the break, looking to make the most of the pace the Tackleway forwards possessed.

This became the pattern of the rest of the half.

In pictures - three red cards in one bewildering afternoon.

On 35 minutes a corner for Tackleway was not cleared by the Ifield defence, a smart pass from Toby Shaw set Bridges up to put the ball across the goal and there was Joe White to pass the ball into the net to put Tackleway 2-0 up.

The second half was played out with Tackleway determined to maintain their lead and repulse everything Ifield threw at them.

Nathan Tutt was outstanding in goal and rightly claimed the man of the match award.

The centre-backs Chad Chaloner and Joe White were also immense in defence and all the rest of the team played their part in ensuring that the master plan of the manager James Glavin was carried out to perfection.

The game ended with Tackleway secure in their 2-0 lead.

This enabled the Tackleway players to start the celebrations with their travelling support and the Sussex Junior Cup was heading back to the Old Town.

Sidley United 3 Lindfield 1

MSFL premier

Sidley United confirmed the Mid Sussex premier division title with a convincing win over Lindfield – one of only two sides to have beaten the Blues in the league this season.

In bright sunshine on a hard pitch both teams rather cancelled each other out in the first 25 minutes before Sidley finally had a shot at goal; Charlie Cornford’s effort flying just over the bar.

However Sidley opened the scoring on 37 minutes when a Cornford corner was parried out by the Lindfield goalkeeper straight to the feet of Toby Clifford, who smashed the ball home to give the Blues a narrow half time lead.

Early in the second half, a quadruple change allowed Sidley to assert more control with the game becoming pretty much one way traffic as Sidley pressed Lindfield back, winning a series of corners..

From one of them on 62 minutes, the tireless Danny Ellis hooked the ball over his shoulder and into the net. The pressure continued with only some good saves by the Lindfield goalkeeper keeping the score down.

Against the run of play on 80 minutes, Lindfield pulled a goal back as a long cross was scrambled into the back of the Sidley net by Jon Cunningham but 5 minutes later Man of the Match Zac McEniry headed home another Cornford corner to secure the win and the Championship with 2 matches to spare.

Hollington United 0 Sidley United 5

MSFL premier

The new MSFL Premier Division champions enjoyed a Bank Holiday victory away to dethroned neighbours Hollington United. The first half was a scrappy affair as both teams found themselves battling the pitch as much as each other.

A number of stoppages for injuries broke up the rhythm of the game but Sidley finally broke through on the stroke of half-time, although in somewhat contentious circumstances.

The referee awarded Sidley a throw in on the halfway line despite it almost certainly seeming to have come off a Blues player last. Charlie Cornford took the long throw which was met by Tyler Capon to give the Blues a slender half time lead.

The second half was an altogether more comfortable affair for Sidley as Cornford scored directly from a corner on 48 minutes to double the lead before Danny Ellis’ long range strike bounced up and over the Hollington goalkeeper and into the net.

The young Hollington side showed plenty of endeavour, forcing Sidley to show the defensive side of their game.

But the Blues made it 400 when another pinpoint Cornford long throw was back headed into the net by Steve Hickman-Smith on 74 minutes.

Paul Rogers had a goal chalked off for offside but just moments later he did get on the scoresheet to put some gloss on the scoreline on 80 minutes; a goal which put him joint-top of the goalscoring charts in the league.

A comprehensive performance from the Blues, in which they demonstrated the standards that have seen them run out worthy champions. They look to make it a league and cup double on April 27 against Jarvis Brook.