Sean's fast strike

Manager Mark Simpson said: 'We lost Darren Gearing with a broken foot in the second minute but the boys played well and ground it out.

'Ian Breeds, who has been playing for the thirds and reserves, came on for Darren and won man of the match. He's a good player but struggles to be available.

'Darren joins my long injury list and that's not helping.'

Wealden went ahead on two minutes. Ben Mitchell's shot was turned away for a corner and when it was taken Sean Brownell got a toe to the ball in a goalmouth scramble.

Wealden then lost Gearing after a fierce tackle, but Breeds slotted in well and on 20 minutes Mitchell's shot crashed into the sidenetting with the goalkeeper beaten.

Mitchell, Steve Davis and Andy Johnson all saw shots saved before the second goal came on 36 minutes when Craig Ottley, who had a great game, crossed and a defender under pressure from Tobi Hutchinson and Wes Tate got in a tangle and conceded an own goal.

On 41 minutes Paul Thomsett conceded a penalty when he slipped and brought down Storrington top scorer Griffin, but the striker fired the spotkick high and wide.

Into the second half Brownell saw a header cleared off the line while Wealden goalkeeper Gareth Clarke saved well from Griffin.

Breeds then set up Tate after a 60-yard run but the striker fluffed the chance.

Wealden: Clark, Gearing (Breeds), Brownell, Thomsett, Wooden, Ottley, Davis, A Johnson, Tate, Mitchell (Oliver), Hutchinson.

County League One

Crowborough 0

Eastbourne Town 0

CROWS returned to the Alderbrook for the first time since October 15 and faced an Eastbourne Town team for their first competitive game since October 29.

Visiting manager Ady Colwell went for all-out attack but the Crows have conceded only three goals at home all season and defences were in charge all afternoon.

The first real threat came on 18 minutes. Dean Chamberlain's superb through ball to James Body ended with the midfielder shooting high over the crossbar.

Crows biggest problem was that they kept giving possession back to their visitors, and combined with Dave Adams and Liam Bull struggling to keep hold of the ball play continued to break down and defenders mopped up.

Kush Movaffagh saved well from Godfrey on 41 minutes and moments later Dalloway should have done better when he rushed his chance and the ball went over.

Crows started the second period slightly better, with the tempo higher and the passing more accurate. On 54 minutes Bull was put away by Adams and pulled down from behind by Smith, but play was waved on by the referee.

Dalloway again shot over when well placed, while Chamberlain raced through on goal in the final 10 minutes but chose to pass rather than shoot. In the final minute Clarke beat three defenders and crossed to Piper, but the shot flew over the crossbar.

Crowborough: Movaffagh, Clifton, Prodger, Munday, C Bishop, Godden, Clarke, Chamberlain, Adams (Piper), Body, Bull (Trevelan). Unused subs: Meek, Baker, Colbran.

County League Three

Peacehaven 3 Uckfield Town 2

Boosted by the return from suspension of Dan Barnard in attack, Town also included the experienced Mark Chalk among the substitutes as well as 16-year-old forward Joe Tubon.

Town were turgid in the opening period and charitable defending was at the root of their problems. As early as the seventh minute Peacehaven defender Tom Rider rose unmarked to plant a firm header past Graham Leach.

The hosts had Town retreating for most of the period and a second arrived 15 minutes later although Peacehaven's Mark Price appeared to be offside. Receiving the ball 30 yards from goal, even Price abated his run but no flag permitted him a free charge at Leach before sliding home.

The apparent injustice sparked Town into a mini-revival, and an Adam Barnard corner bobbled around the area with captain Gary Sawyer eventually bundling the ball in.

Peacehaven soon restored their two-goal advantage when a misplaced pass in midfield was returned into Town's box, where a delightful turn of speed from Jason Stepney gave him the room to flick home.

The interval revitalised Town and they played with purpose and gusto.

Dan Barnard was to score a marvellous goal after 67 minutes when he ran at Peacehaven's defence and bent in a low, left-footed shot from distance.

Town's players sensed an equaliser and Sawyer was to go agonisingly close but misconnected in the six-yard box.

Uckfield: Leach; N Walsh, I Morris, G Sawyer, Hunter; Watts (Chalk), Mouland, Michaels, A Barnard; D Barnard, Booth (Tubon).

County League Three

Peacehaven 3 Uckfield Town 2

PEACEHAVEN are second in the table, just a point behind the leaders, after they took advantage of Town's slow start on Saturday.

But manager Darren Guirey was far from happy. He said: 'We were good in the first half, poor in the second. To be fair to them they never gave up but we get complacent when we're in front. I was disappointed with our display.'

In the seventh minute defender Tom Rider rose unmarked to plant a firm header past goalkeeper Graham Leach.

The hosts had Town retreating for most of the period and a second goal arrived 15 minutes later although Peacehaven's Mark Price might have been offside.

Receiving the ball 30 yards from goal, Price first slowed his run but with no flag slid the ball home.

The apparent injustice sparked Town into a mini-revival, and an Adam Barnard corner bobbled around the area with captain Gary Sawyer eventually bundling the ball in.

Peacehaven soon restored their two-goal advantage when a misplaced pass in midfield was returned into Town's box, where a delightful turn of speed from Peacehaven's Jason Stepney gave him the room to flick home. The interval revitalised Town and they played with purpose and gusto.

Dan Barnard was to score a marvellous goal after 67 minutes when he ran at Peacehaven's defence and bent a low, left-footed shot from distance.

Town's players sensed an equaliser and Sawyer was to go agonisingly close but misconnected in the six-yard box.

Peacehaven: Parsons, Murray, Jones, Rider, King (Cook), Blackwell (Preece), Brown, Martin (Fleming), Bailey, Price, Stepney.

RUR Charity Cup 3rd Round

Whitehawk 3 Seaford 0

By Alex Panton

It was an afternoon of frustration for Seaford on Saturday. They matched a high-flying Whitehawk side for long spells of this absorbing contest but were ultimately undone by the division one side's superior finishing.

Town, who were hugely depleted for this clash, will have been pleased with the overall performance but frustrated at the concession of two avoidable goals.

Duncan Kneller was forced to make four changes to the team that defeated Lancing the previous week. Out went Smith, Hammond, Adam Kneller and Hamblin and in came Ollie Stanyard, Mayo, Buhlman and Callaghan.

Both sides created opportunities in an open start to the match. Tommy Pattenden and Andy Beech went close for Whitehawk and Callaghan had a near miss for Seaford.

With Kneller and Ian Chapman both choosing to flood midfield the game became increasingly congested. Town were working hard to close down Whitehawk's flair players and were causing some consternation in the home defence.

They should have taken the lead after 15 minutes. Matt Ades spilled a Ben Dartnall shot, but Tristan Jobe was unable to take advantage of his mistake.

That miss proved crucial as Whitehawk took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Russell Greenwood, the smallest man on the pitch was allowed a free header, which he directed past Kieran Maher.

It was a sloppy goal to concede, and things could have got worse at the start of the second half as Lewis Wingate conceded a penalty for handball. Maher did well to save Simon Rowland's penalty, but was powerless to stop the Hawks extending their lead midway through the half.

Stuart Garrod crossed from the right and Pattenden headed home. Seaford hadn't looked like scoring since the restart and were never going to come back from a two goal deficit. Indeed it was Whitehawk who completed the scoring when a sliced clearance fell to Graham Martin, who returned it with interest into the top corner.

Seaford: Maher, Moore (Hamblin 72), Mayo, O Stanyard, Doherty, Wingate, Buhlman (Plastow 62), Dartnall, Jobe, Callaghan (Keith 62), C Stanyard.

County League Three

Rustington 1 Newhaven 0

Newhaven failed to score on Saturday for the first time in the league this season and slipped to fifth place in the table.

Manager Jason Tighe said: 'They scored from their only real shot of the game after a mix-up between me and Mark Hildersley, but to be fair their player took the chance well. We do concede too many goals to errors.

'We had lots of the ball and plenty of possession, particularly after they had a player sent off, but the final ball was lacking.

'We're averaging three goals a game this season but it was just one of those days.

They have been a bogey side for us, we've played them six times in recent seasons and beaten them only once, but they do play some decent football.'

Newhaven: Hildersley, Tighe, Edwards, Leiper, Marchesi, Shappveld, Georgiou, Breach, Aylward (Clancy), Newman, Halsey.

County League Two

Saltdean 2 Steyning 1

SALTDEAN picked up three welcome points on Saturday and manager Mark Smeaton was delighted with the performance.

Smeaton said: 'It was a well-deserved win. The scoreline flattered Steyning.

'I had Richard Ogoe and Lee Slade back and we clicked and created plenty of chances.'

Craig Bunch scored the opening goal on 11 minutes when he headed home a cross from the right, and on 51 minutes the Steyning goalkeeper parried a Bunch shot and Mark Saxby followed up to tap into an empty net.

Steyning's goal was netted by Hessenkemp from the penalty spot in the 85th minute.

Saltdean: C Smeaton, Washington, Newman, J Smeaton, Bradbury, Saxby, Ogoe, Costello (Slade), Clarke, Pietzak, Bunch.

RUR Cup 3rd Round

Hailsham 6 Sidlesham 0

PETER Cooper netted a hat-trick as Town eventually swept aside a dogged Sidlesham on Saturday.

The visitors are bottom of division two of the County League but gave the Stringers a couple of early scares as Simon Hounsome tested Hailsham goalkeeper Russell Tanner and Grant Spencer was forced to clear a Ryan Secombe effort from the goalline.

Then the floodgates opened on the half-hour as Simon Stevens netted and it was 2-0 a minute later when Stuart Lewis finished off an excellent passing movement.

At the other end Tanner twice had to be at his best to defy Secombe before Cooper scored twice just before the interval.

Kristian Done set up a goal for Cooper in the 43rd minute and the latter was on target again a minute later to give Hailsham a somewhat flattering 4-0 half-time lead.

Into the second half Sidlesham goalkeeper Lee Arnel saved from Nick Barden and Cooper before Hailsham made it five on 59 minutes when Lewis headed home Barden's corner.

Secombe was still proving a danger for Sidlesham while at the other end substitute Darren Beal was just wide. Then a Barden shot cannoned off the Sidlesham post.

Cooper had to wait until the 89th minute to complete his hat-trick as he lobbed the stranded Arnel.

Hailsham manager Kenny McCreadie said: 'It was pleasing that Peter got three goals and that we didn't concede any. It was a good performance and we played some good football at times.

'We've still got several regulars injured but the lads who have come in are rolling up their sleeves and playing that much harder.

'They're also talking a bit more and if you are confident, as they are at the moment, you do well.'

Hailsham: Tanner, Satchwell (Barnard), Early, M Richardson, P Richardson, Spencer (Turner), Lewis, S Stevens, Cooper, Barden, Done (Beal).