Westfield twos move on up – Bexhill AAC get overdue win

The previous four had all been by a single-goal margin, but Saturday's 4-0 victory away to St Leonards Social was more decisive.

Westfield, who had been taken to extra-time by the same opponents in cup action seven days earlier, climbed three places in the Premier Division table as a result.

Punnetts Town remain fourth after twice surrendering the lead - and having a penalty saved by Sam Beaney - in a 2-2 draw at home to Hawkhurst United.

Craig Norman and Steven Worsell scored for Punnetts, while the goals of Danny Lawrence and Kye Phillips got Hawkhurst back on track after successive heavy cup defeats.

Bexhill AAC achieved their first top-flight success for six weeks with a 1-0 triumph away to neighbours Sidley United, shooting up three positions to seventh in the process.

Oscar Hammond's late goal ensured AAC got the better of a Sidley side which had scored six in both of its previous two outings.

The match between Robertsbridge United and Rock-a-Nore was postponed.

Jordan Harley plundered a four-goal salvo as The JC Tackleway went back to the top of Division One via a 9-0 win away to sixth-placed Battle Town II.

Nathan Smith (2), Kale Hakos, Toby Payne and Toby Shaw also got in on the act as Tackleway moved three points clear of a SC Pass+Move Arrows team which was in cup action.

Fourth-placed AFC Jesters raced into a 5-0 half-time lead en route to a 6-2 victory at home to South Coast Athletico - their third consecutive three points.

Reece Davey bagged a brace, and there was one apiece for Calum Sherriff, Joe Flatley, Kian Davies and Joe Sherriff as the Jesters moved within a point of the top two. Aaron Lillycrop and Ethan Bilsby replied for Athletico.

The weekend's only other league fixture was in Division Two as SC Pass+Move Arrows II pulled off a 3-1 success away to Bexhill Rovers.

Callum Brand was among the scorers for the Arrows, who climbed three spots into the top five after ending Rovers' run of three wins on the bounce across all competitions.

A whole host of ties were played in the league's three knockout competitions, including a clash of the Premier Division's top two in the Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup.

League leaders Rye Town made it seven wins out of seven across all competitions so far this season with a 2-0 triumph at home to Bexhill Town.

Rob Levett's strike and an own goal put Rye through to a home quarter-final against Bexhill AAC later this month.

There was a mix of first and second-round contests in the Wisden Sports Challenge Cup, for teams in Division One and Division Two.

Division Two title contenders Hollington United II scored four goals in the second half to complete a 5-1 second-round win at home to Division One outfit Little Common II.

Jack Buckley (2), Jonjo O'Rourke, Danny Spice and Thomas Childs were on the scoresheet for Hollington, while Connor Jackson provided the lone Common response.

Hollington will make the short trip to Peche Hill Select in the quarter-finals after Peche pulled off a 5-2 victory away to fellow Division Two team Sedlescombe Rangers II.

George Osborne and Travis Parks were both at the double for Select, whose other marksman was Jackson Francis.

Division One high-flyers Sandhurst also progressed to the last eight, but were pushed all the way by Division Two club Hooe before securing a 3-2 home success.

The goals of James Found, Nathan Moseley and Jon Bilsby were just enough for Sandhurst, with Tommy Warren and Grant Wright finding the net for Hooe.

Northiam 75 booked their quarter-final spot courtesy of a 3-0 triumph in an all-Division Two encounter away to Victoria Baptists.

Strikes by Oscar Garcia-Cruz, Gavin Moffat-Bailey and Adam Page did the damage for Northiam and halted Victoria's four-match unbeaten run.

In the first round, all the goals came during the second half as SC Pass+Move Arrows prevailed 4-2 at home to Division One rivals Wadhurst United.

The finishing of Jack Booth, Frazer Discala, Philip Hatch and Curtis Coombes earned the Arrows a second-round trip to South Coast Athletico. Harry Bateman and Ryan Bateman retaliated for Wadhurst.

Jason Taylor's second-half double clinched a 2-0 win for Ninfield away to Icklesham Casuals in another all-third tier affair. Ninfield's reward is a home tie against Battle Town II in the last 16.

There was also a combination of first and second-round contests in the Division Three & Four Challenge Cup.

Five sides - Bexhill AAC II, Crowhurst II, Herstmonceux, Mountfield United and Robertsbridge United II - won through to the quarter-finals.

AAC ran out 4-2 victors at home to fellow Division Three team Rye Town II thanks to Charlie Morgan's brace, and one each from Ronnie Gray and Vincent Heron. Alex Sarkies and Arthur Karapetyan found the net for Rye.

AAC's reward is another home assignment, this time against Crowhurst, who enjoyed a 6-2 success in another all-Division Three game away to Hastings Comets.

Strikes by Ben Thorpe (2), Ricky Baldwin, Ronnie Curtin, Steve Payne and Adam How earned the Crows their sixth win out of seven in all competitions this term. Brandon Smith netted both goals for a Comets outfit which finished with 10 men.

Two Tom Ripley goals, and one apiece from Howard Hawes and Jack Dean gave Robertsbridge a triumph 4-2 away to Division Four rivals Burwash. Archie Jupp and Phil Collins scored for the beaten team.

The Bridge will next host Herstmonceux after the Division Three leaders received a walkover at home to SC Pass+Move Arrows III.

Mountfield, from Division Three, advanced to the last eight by virtue of a 1-0 win at home to in-form Division Four side Sedlescombe Rangers Development. Mountfield substitute Mark Bashford landed the decisive blow.

In the first round, Division Four duo Welcroft Park Rangers II and Hastings Athletic achieved notable victories over Division Three opposition.

Table-topping Welcroft continued their undefeated record so far this campaign with a convincing 5-1 success at home to Catsfield.

Benjamin Akehurst came off the bench to net a hat-trick, while James Burnett and Mark Hedges were also on target for Rangers. Jacob Jones was Catsfield's scorer.

Hastings Athletic celebrated their first league or cup win of the season as they triumphed 2-1 at home to Westfield III.

Harley Glazier and Archie Sherwood were Athletic's goal heroes, while Lewis Barrett claimed Westfield's strike.

Ticehurst, of Division Three, set up a home meeting with Athletic in round two after emerging 5-1 victors away to The JC Tackleway II, from Division Four.

Darren Nicol helped himself to a hat-trick and Finlay Brown grabbed one of the others for Ticehurst. Samuel Robinson-Gundry's strike was the highlight for Tackleway.

Hawkhurst United II will entertain Welcroft in the last 16 after winning 3-2 in an all-Division Four match at home to Battle Town III.

The finishing of Liam Dodson, Jack Godden and Finn Mutter gave Hawkhurst the edge over a Battle team for whom Kyle Macleod was among the scorers.

A Sam Saunders double - one in either half - secured a 2-1 victory for Orington at home to Division Three adversaries Parkfield. Craig Fullerton supplied the response.

Orington will again come up against Eastbourne-based opposition in round two, although this time they will be away to Sovereign Saints II.

This coming Saturday's scheduled action includes a top-of-the-table league meeting between Bexhill Town and Rye Town, plus a number of Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup first-round fixtures.

With the clocks having gone back last weekend, kick-off times have now been brought forward to 2pm for league games and 1.30pm for cup matches in most cases.

Standings - Premier Division (played-points): Rye Town 5-15 (+10 goal difference), Bexhill Town 6-15 (+8), Westfield II 5-10 (+3), Punnetts Town 6-10 (0), Crowhurst 7-9 (+6), Hawkhurst United 6-8 (-2), Bexhill AAC 6-6 (-1), St Leonards Social 4-6 (-5), Sidley United* 6-5 (-1), Rock-a-Nore* 7-4 (-1), Robertsbridge United 6-0 (-19). * = points adjusted

Division 1 (played-points): The JC Tackleway 6-16 (+23), SC Pass+Move Arrows 6-13 (+14), Sandhurst 5-12 (+5), AFC Jesters 7-12 (+3), Wadhurst United 5-7 (+3), Battle Town II 6-7 (-9), South Coast Athletico 7-3 (-18), Little Common II 6-0 (-21).

Division 2 (played-points): Ninfield 5-11 (+6), Hollington United II 5-11 (+6), Peche Hill Select 6-11 (+1), Victoria Baptists 5-10 (+9), SC Pass+Move Arrows II 7-9 (-4), Northiam 75 5-6 (+4), Bexhill Rovers 6-6 (-2), Hooe 4-6 (-4), Icklesham Casuals 6-4 (-13), Sedlescombe Rangers II 5-3 (-3).

Division 3 (played-points): Herstmonceux 7-16 (+15), Crowhurst II 5-15 (+12), Parkfield 6-13 (+2), Rye Town II* 7-11 (0), Sovereign Saints II 7-11 (-1), Bexhill AAC II 6-10 (+1), Orington 5-9 (+3), Ticehurst* 5-6 (+7), Catsfield 5-4 (-9), Mountfield United 5-3 (-2), Hastings Comets 6-2 (-11), Westfield III 6-0 (-17). * = points adjusted

Division 4 (played-points): Welcroft Park Rangers II 7-19 (+21), Battle Town III 7-15 (+12), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 5-12 (+5), Westfield IV 5-9 (+4), Burwash 6-9 (+4), Robertsbridge United II 6-9 (-1), Hawkhurst United II 6-7 (-10), SC Pass+Move Arrows III* 7-5 (-14), The JC Tackleway II 6-4 (-3), Hastings Athletic 7-1 (-18).

Saturday November 5 fixtures (kick-off 2pm unless stated) - Premier Division: Bexhill AAC v Rock-a-Nore, Bexhill Town v Rye Town (1.30pm), Hawkhurst United v Crowhurst, Sidley United v Westfield II, St Leonards Social v Punnetts Town.

Division 1 (3.30pm): Little Common II v Battle Town II.

Division 2: Northiam 75 v Sedlescombe Rangers II, Peche Hill Select v Hooe.

Division 3: Catsfield v Bexhill AAC II, Crowhurst II v Parkfield, Hastings Comets v Orington, Herstmonceux v Ticehurst.

Division 4: Battle Town III v Sedlescombe Rangers Development, Burwash v Welcroft Park Rangers II, Robertsbridge United II v Hawkhurst United II, The JC Tackleway II v Hastings Athletic.

Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup, 1st round (1.30pm): AFC Jesters v Cuckfield Town, AFC Southbourne v Sovereign Saints II, AFC Varndeanians II v Wadhurst United, Billingshurst III v Ninfield, Ferring Saturday II v The JC Tackleway, Hollington United II v Rudgwick II, Hurstpierpoint II v SC Pass+Move Arrows, Icklesham Casuals v Beaumont Park, St Mary's v Bexhill Rovers, TD Shipley v Victoria Baptists, The View Saturday v Mountfield United, Westfield II v Delunited.

Macron Store Hastings Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): SC Pass+Move Arrows II v Robertsbridge United.

Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): Rye Town II v SC Pass+Move Arrows III.