Town rivals clash in cup final

Sidley United and Bexhill United will go head-to-head in the Hastings & District FA Senior Cup final tonight (Tuesday).

It will be the third consecutive season that the cross-town rivals have met in the decider of the local competition and Sidley will be out to make it a hat-trick of victories.

Sidley manager John Lambert said: “If we play to our max I think we can beat them. But football’s all about on the night and who wants it more, and I know Bexhill desperately want to win it. It should be a good occasion.”

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Sidley are 11th in Sussex County Football League Division One having ended a three-match losing run by beating Arundel 2-0 on Saturday, while Bexhill are seventh in Division Two having picked up 19 points from a possible 24.

Bexhill manager Darrol Parris said: “We’re going out to win the game and I think we’ll be disappointed if we don’t. Confidence is high and for the last 10 weeks we’ve been working hard.”

Lambert said it’s very unlikely he will make any changes from the side which started on Saturday with Steve Morris facing a race against time to recover from injury.

As far as Bexhill are concerned, Andy Garman is struggling for fitness, but Ross Markham and Warren Parsons are expected to make it. Dom Bristow and Casey Ham are cup-tied, yet Dominic Clarke is likely to play.

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Sidley were 2-1 winners in the 2010 final at their own ground and prevailed 3-2 after extra-time at The Pilot Field, home of Hastings United, last April. Tonight’s game will take place at Gullivers with a 7.30pm kick-off.

Return to this website tomorrow morning for a report.