FOOTBALL: County League weekly round-up

EP boss Trevor Waller said: "It was a good result, we deserved to win and the scoreline didn't flatter us. In fact, we could have had more.

We're improving all the time and I'd like to think that we'll be one of the five or six teams in the promotion mix at the end of the season.

"We've got a good balance of youth and experience and we've got to keep winning and see it that gets us."

Jay Huet put EP ahead five minutes before the break when he converted Chris Darwin's cross.

Darwin then added the second before half-time from Terry Dodd's pass.

Ian Saunders headed home the third two minutes after the break.

Kevin Budge set up Neil Reilly for the fourth, and Mark Burgess made it five on the hour.

Burgess got his second and EP's sixth 20 minutes from time when he converted a penalty after Budge was fouled. Budge netted the seventh from a Burgess pass, before Darwin completed the rout with the final goal two minutes from time.

EAST PRESTON: Williamson; N.Da Costa, Saunders, Hammond, Windsor; Darwin, Campbell, Riley, Burgess; T.Dodd, Huet. Subs: Budge (Huet 55), M.Dodd (Campbell 65), Nicholson, Kason.

Scott Tipper's 90th-minute winner gave Arundel a 2-1 home victory over Hailsham in the John O'Hara Cup second round.

Mullets assistant manager Simon Butler said: "We deserved to win and it should have been much more comfortable than it was, and I think we should be looking to win some silverware this season."

Mullets spurned a host of chances throughout the game, but did take the lead in the 10th minute when Russell Hardwell picked out Matt Axell, who crossed for Howard Neighbour to fire home.

Scott MacDonald equalised for Hailsham in the 65th minute, and the match appeared to heading to extra-time after Hardwell was denied by an excellent save.

However, when Hardwell picked out Tipper late on, the striker made no mistake to send Mullets through.

ARUNDEL: O'Connor; Sneller, Walker, Pickford, Hall; Hardwell, Grove, J.Biggs, Axell; Tipper, Neighbour. Subs: Hamilton (Biggs 30), Wimbleton, Huckett.

Clymping player-manager Dominic Di Paola is refusing to panic after going down 3-2 at home to Sidley in Division 2, after his side again failed to take their chances.

He said: "It was another game we could have got something from '“ but it's the same old story of not taking our chances. We missed plenty and gifted them two goals.

"I'd be a lot more worried if we were in this position in January, but we have, so far, played teams that are either up there or will be at the end of the season."

Aaron Meehan netted the opener for Clymping from Richard Ghent's cross after 30 minutes, while Joe Shelley hit the post twice and another effort hit the bar.

Kevin Barden equalised before half-time, and Tony Castro's own goal gave Sidley a 55th-minute lead.

Shelley's free kick two minutes later, however, levelled things up.

It was a wonder-goal which provided the winner for Sidley as a diagonal ball across field was vollyed home by Kenny Pogue after 76 minutes.

CLYMPING: Oakley; D.Di Paola, S.Di Paola, Raynsford, Stokes; Ghent, Brown, Castro, Shelley; Hand, Meehan. Subs: Barnard (Hand 65), Rayner (Brown 70), Quirosa (Meehan 80).

Matt Russell had a hat-trick of chances in the last 10 minutes, as Littlehampton failed to earn anything from their 2-1 home defeat against Wealden in Division 2.

Russell was denied by a fine save, before sending a lob just wide and then he blazed an effort over.

Golds took the lead after an own goal in the 13th minute from Louie Murray's corner.

Wealden levelled things up after 68 minutes when Stafford Browne converted a penalty after Gary Young was penalised for a trip in the area. Andrew McDowell then cut in from out wide and fired his shot across Craig Stoner and into the back of the net for the winner.

Golds joint manger John Suter said: "I think the drawing board will have to be revisited. It was a very disappointing result.

"We were on the back of two wins and eight goals, so it was an important game to get something from.

"Three points would have put us in a much better position but instead we are now fourth bottom.

"Matt could have scored a hat-trick in the last few minutes. If any of those had gone in, we would have come away just a little happier."

LITTLEHAMPTON: Stoner; McKay, Young, Hazell; Charman, Sayers, Hudson, O'Hagan, Murray; Russell, Adedoja. Subs: Peacock (Adedoja 70), Crawford (Hudson 85).

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