Badger Ales

Sussex County League

Division One

East Grinstead Town 1 Redhill 2

Tuesday 15^th February 2005

 

Redhill picked up three very valuable points against local rivals East Grinstead Town, who lay second from bottom in the league.

 

Redhill saw most of the ball in the opening five minutes and made it very difficult for the home side. But it didn’t take the Reds very long to open up the scoring. Reds received a free kick just outside the Grinstead area following a foul on striker Ben Biggar in the 7^th minute. Captain Justin Jones quickly stepped up to take this free kick early and caught the Grinstead defence by surprise due to them still trying to sort out the defence. Jones placed the ball over the wall and fired it into the net.

 

Grinstead nearly got back on level terms just one minute later but were denied by keeper Pete Hepher, who managed to tip the ball over the bar for a corner kick. Grinstead started to pick up as did the Reds and both teams fought hard for the ball. Michael Morgan outpaced the defence on the right wing with defenders Tim Smith and Stuart Channon solid in the Reds defence. 

 

East Grinstead saw excellent chances going wide of the post and couldn’t hit the target. Until the 39^th minute when former Reds player James Horner, who was making his debut for his new club against his old club put the home team back on level terms. Horner transferred from Redhill to Grinstead on Saturday lunch time.

 

Redhill picked up pace in the second half and started to create chances. Luke Jones looked solid upfront with Jon Ducker feeding excellent balls into the box from the left. Geoff Clark saw his 25 yard shot in the 60^th minute go wide of the post. Grinstead too had chances in the 65^th and 70^th minute but were denied by the Reds defence. Redhill received a penalty in the 74^th minute following a foul inside the box, Captain Jones stepped up only to hit the post and the ball cleared away to safety. This gave the Reds more fighting power and quickly went into an attack trying to win all three points. It wasn’t until the 85^th minute when an excellent cross from the left by Jamie Sinclair found Morgan unmarked and with a great diving header put the Reds back into the lead. Reds saw out the last five minutes but Grinstead didn’t make it easy for them. 

 

Man of the Match: Michael Morgan

 

TEAM:

HEPHER, WEST, SINCLAIR, SMITH, CHANNON, CLARK, MORGAN, J. JONES (CAPT), L. JONES, J. DUCKER (MOUNTAIN)

UNUSED SUBS: GUSCOTT, M. DUCKER.

 

Badger Ales

Sussex County League

Division One

East Preston 1 Redhill 1

Saturday 12^th February 2005

 

Redhill picked up their first point since they beat Ringmer at home on Monday 3^rd January 2005. Reds who are nearly at full strength are just waiting for key defender David Stares to return to the side after injuring his shoulder. Reds are now without James Horner as he transferred to East Grinstead Town today.

 

For the opening twenty minutes saw both teams sharing the procession. Reds started with David Fleming and looked good up front with Luke Jones. Captain Justin Jones impressed in midfield, winning the challenges and forcing the ball forward. Michael Morgan once again took charge on the right wing, out pacing the home sides defence.

 

East Preston nearly took the lead on the 23^rd minute when Matt Axell hit a powerful shot only to see his attempt bouncing back off the crossbar. Reds saw good chances missed on the 26^th, 29^th and 32^nd minutes, seeing these attempts going wide of the post.

 

Redhill again came close to scoring when a good cross from the left wing by Jon Ducker swept across the East Preston goal and managed to miss everyone inside the box including Reds striker David Fleming, who was just inches away of scoring. But Redhill found the goal that they were looking for in the 44^th minute, when a cross from the right from Morgan found Justin Jones who knocked the ball past keeper Andy McCarthy. East Preston nearly pulled it back just one minute later when a Axell shot flew wide of the post.

 

East Preston quickly went forward and managed to get the score back level on the 52^nd minute when Lee Farrell put the ball past Reds keeper Chris Roberts. Again both teams continued to press forward but kept getting denied by the defenders. Reds looked strong and started to play good football, they continued to move the ball around and communicated well.

 

East Preston saw another good chance missed on the 76^th minute, when Josh Briggs put his shot wide of the post. In the last ten minutes of the game, both teams had the chances to score and pick up all three points but couldn’t hit the target. Morgan on the 80^th minute saw his chance go wide of the post as did David Fleming in the 85^th minute. East Preston missed in the 87^th minute, then in the 89^th minute the home side forced Roberts to make an excellent save at point blank save. Both teams had the chances to take all three points but a draw was the best result.

 

Man of the Match:  Tim Smith

 

TEAM:

ROBERTS, WEST, SINCLAIR, CHANNON, SMITH, CLARK, MORGAN,

J.JONES (CAPT), L. JONES, DAVID FLEMING, J. DUCKER.

UNUSED SUBS: BIGGAR, DOUGIE FLEMING, M. DUCKER.

 

Sussex County League

Reserve Section Challenge Cup

Semi Final

Redhill 2 Burgess Hill Town 1

Monday 7^th February 2005

 

Reserves In Cup Final

 

Redhill Reserves knocked out yet another premier division side in order to reach the final of the Reserve Section Challenge Cup after a wonderful team performance by Andy Davis’s men, writes Dan Best.

 

Redhill saw most of the ball in the first half and played some excellent football. Captain Barry Mountain and Matt Dean continued to get forward and put the defence under pressure. Reds right winger Joel Layton continued to work the wing and kept providing useful balls into the area.

 

Redhill nearly went into the lead on the 24^th minute but were denied by keeper Dan Gowler. But Burgess Hill had there shots denied by keeper Dan Kelton who saved everything that came to him. Michael Allen and Oliver West continued to play well in the Reds defence and continued to keep out the Burgess Hill attacks.

 

Burgess Hill saw most of the procession in the opening 15 minutes of the second half but Redhill soon got back into the game. Dan Kelton continued to make very important saves to keep the premier side out.

   

But it was the underdogs Redhill who took the lead. Following a handball from just outside the area, Jamie Dean stepped up and beat keeper Gowler straight from the free kick. Burgess Hill quickly found themselves back on level terms in the 78^th minute.

 

But it was super skipper the great Bazza Mountain who grabbed the winner sending Redhill into the final following a useful pass from the right by Layton on the 85^th minute finding Mountain who fired the ball home and fired the Reds into the final.

 

The Reserves will have to wait until next Monday to find out who they will be playing, it will be either Eastbourne Borough or Oakwood, both premier sides.

 

Men of the Match: Dan Kelton and Barry Mountain. 

 

TEAM:

KELTON, WEST, EATON, ALLEN, HEPHER, CLARK, J. DEAN (CURTIS), ISOM, M. DEAN, MOUNTAIN (CAPT), LAYTON.

 

UNUSED SUBS: EDMONDS, NDAZI, HEALE, PETERS.

 

Badger Ales

Sussex County Football League

Division One

Redhill 0 Whitehawk 1

Saturday 5^th February 2005

 

Redhill suffered another defeat again this season, losing by just one goal, as the Reds move to 14^th place.

 

The home side Whitehawk saw most of the ball for the opening five minutes but were kept out by Tim Smith and Stuart Channon. Redhill started to pick up and quickly got the forward to Captain Justin Jones who returned to the side following his 35 day match ban. Redhill strikers Ben Biggar and Luke Jones tried to work hard and create the chances, with Jon Ducker and Michael Morgan continuing to pace the wings.

 

Redhill had chances missed in the 18^th and 23^rd minutes but were denied by Whitehawk keeper Wayne Collins. Whitehawk had a few good chances missed in the 28^th and 32^nd minutes, but it was Reds keeper Chris Roberts who denied both attempts.

 

Both teams worked very hard to grab the first goal before half time but the score remained level at half time.

 

Reds picked up in the second half and moved the ball around. Ollie West continued to play well in the right back position with Jamie Sinclair using the ball well. Redhill nearly took the lead on the 52^nd minute when a through ball from the Redhill midfields found Ducker unmarked on the left who came forward and found his strike at goal just going wide of the post.

 

Just four minutes later Captain Justin Jones saw his attempt from the right wing just clearing the top of the crossbar. Both teams played well for the next ten minutes and used their fellow team mates well.

 

Whitehawk broke the silence in the 68^th minute when a midfield pass from Stuart Garrod found Craig Bunch who knocked the ball over Roberts who come off his line. 

 

In the 70^th minute saw the arrival of new Reds signing David Fleming, who impressed up front challenging every time for the ball. Again Reds saw chances missed in the 76^th and 83^rd minutes. David’s brother Dougie was brought on for the remaining minutes and tried to look for the equaliser. Morgan continued to pass through the defence but again denied by keeper Collins. Redhill saw there best chance of the game brushing passed the post on the 92^nd minute. Redhill have now only picked up three points so far this year and are set for another hard game this Saturday were they play away to East Preston, kick off 3:00pm.

 

Man of the Match: Tim Smith

 

TEAM:

ROBERTS, WEST, CHANNON, SMITH, CHANNON, GUSCOTT, MORGAN, J. JONES (CAPT), L. JONES (DAVID FLEMING), BIGGAR (DOUGIE FLEMING), DUCKER.

 

UNUSED SUBS: CLARK, WALLACE.