Magnificent comeback earns Blues vital victory

SIDLEY United bounced back from their Boxing Day defeat by staging a dramatic comeback at home to Shoreham.

The Blues had looked on course for more festive misery when they went two-down against Shoreham at a damp Gullivers on the final Saturday of 2006 but a superb second half performance, summed up by a stunning third goal, clinched a 4-2 win.

"When we went 2-0 down and the heavens started to open I was standing on the touchline thinking 'Happy New Year! It's going to be a long afternoon'," said Sidley joint manager Andy Laskey whose hopes of picking up maximum points from the Christmas programme were hit by a hugely disappointing 2-0 loss at home to Rye United.

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"Before the game I had said to the players 'you have got to show me you want to play for Sidley, not just tell me' and first half, although we were behind, they did that and second half I thought they were excellent."

Sidley's floodlight problems meant this Sussex Division One match was brought forward an hour, a move which probably ensured it didn't become one of numerous casualties of the terrible weather conditions at the weekend.

Sidley, who were without a whole host of players for various reasons, started well enough and went close through Adam Day, starting his first game of the season, and Owen Ball.

But it was the visitors who struck first, and also second, in the space of two minutes midway through the first half. Both goals were similar in that Sidley failed to pick up runners from deep down the flanks with the first goal being turned into his own net by the unfortunate Josh Brown and the second, from the other wing, being dispatched by Owen Callaghan.

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Sidley were handed a route back into the match five minutes before half time when the influential Steve Morris managed to get above one of Shoreham's giant markers to apply the finishing touch to a Day corner.

The home side dominated the second half but had to wait until the final 10 minutes before finally getting their reward.

Laskey had made a couple of changes, bringing on Jordan Wood and Darren Witham to liven things up down the wings and it was the former's ball in from the right which set up Scott McDonald for the equaliser, the forward making the most of some generous marking to lash home.

The third goal on 85 minutes summed up Sidley's mood. Goalkeeper Peter Newstead's precise free kick from near his own penalty box picked out Morris whose volleyed backheel released Witham and his cross was met by a thumping diving header from Peter Baker.

The Blues made sure of the points when Morris repeated his earlier finish by again getting above his man at a corner, this time swung over by Baker.