UNITED THROUGH AFTER EXTRA TIME

RYE & Iden United booked their place in the third round of the John O'Hara League Cup by getting the better of top flight Whitehawk in an eventful encounter which produced a hatful of goals and plenty of excitement at The Salts on Saturday.

Supporters were treated to 120 minutes of thrilling football which included two own goals, a penalty and a sending off, before United finally settled matters in extra time.

United player-manager Keith Miles was delighted with the eventual outcome. "It was a brilliant result," he said. "It was a very entertaining game and one thing you can't say about us this season is that we are a boring team to watch.

"Whitehawk are a very good team and beat Division One leaders Burgess Hill a couple of weeks ago, so to get a result against them was very good. Everyone was buzzing afterwards and it showed our character to come through and win it in the end."

Whitehawk were handed the best of starts after only three minutes when United defender Phil Rhodes, making his home return since rejoining from Dr Martens outfit St Leonards, inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net while trying to block a shot on the goal-line.

United were back on level terms within a minute later when captain Scott Price latched onto a Michael O'Callaghan cross and prodded the ball past keeper Matt Ades.

The blustery conditions caused the hosts to gift Whitehawk the lead for the second time after half an hour when Paul Tuppenney mis-judged a deep cross and headed the ball past his own keeper.

United took control after the break and were level within 10 minutes of the restart thanks to Steve Smith who sidefooted home after O'Callaghan had rounded the keeper.

They took the lead for the first time on the hour mark when Price grabbed his second and the tie looked to be going the home team's way. But Whitehawk snatched an equalizer in the last minute of normal time when the unmarked Terry Cooper scored with a free header.

O'Callaghan gave United the advantage three minutes into extra time and Miles increased his side's lead three minutes later when he got on the end of a Dean Chamberlain cross.

The drama continued when O'Callaghan was brought down by Ades for a penalty and the visiting keeper was given his marching orders. A Whitehawk defender had to deputize between the posts leaving Price to complete his hat-trick and all but seal the win.

United conceded a penalty of their own to set up a tense finish after Smith brought down Dean Venton who dusted himself down to score from 12 yards.

United: Rudgley, C. Willard, Tuppenney, Rhodes, S. Willard, Smith, Barham, Price (Hall), Chamberlain, Winton (Miles), O'Callaghan (Constable).