Shep's goals ease strain

In the first 20 minutes play was confined to the middle third of the pitch. Hassocks had to be content with two long-range shots, both of which were off target.

For the Blues man-of-the-match Danny Bird and Darren Tidey both threatened down the right wing with telling crosses which just eluded Dominic Shepherd who was bearing down on goal.

The deadlock was broken with a corner from Gareth Green. The Robins's defence failed to clear the ball, which bobbed around the six-yard box off a succession of heads before Andrew Ducille managed to head it into the net.

This opened up the game, with Chris Hewitt for the visitors and Chris Dicker both going close with free-kicks. Then in a purple patch the Blues scored three goals in the final five minutes of the half. First, a Green header was knocked goalwards by Ducille for Shepherd to apply the finishing touch from close range. The next attack saw Shepherd score his second, and his fourth in a week, with a clinical finish from near the penalty spot. Almost immediately from the restart, Tidey broke through the Robins's defence to slide the ball home past the goalkeeper.

The second half began with Ringmer being awarded a free-kick almost straight from the kick-off. Dicker's kick was punched away by Joel Harding only as far as Tidey, and his shot went agonisingly wide after taking a deflection off a defender.

Hassocks reacted by pressing forward determined to fight their way back into the game. A free-kick from Sam Fisk forced Ross Standen to make a fine one-handed save and then Pat Harding's shot curled inches wide.

Ringmer hit back with Ducille twice forcing goalkeeper Joel Harding into action. Gareth Jones chipped the goalkeeper from the edge of the penalty area only for his shot to land in the top of the net, and a neat exchange of passes between Mickey O'Callaghan and Shepherd ended with Green striking the crossbar.

Ringmer: Standen, Bird, Lamont, Head (Jones), O'Callaghan, Stacey, Dicker, Ducille (Probert), Shepherd, Green, Tidey. Unused subs: Clark, Barycza, Trott.

RUR Charity Cup semi-final

Hailsham 3 Shoreham 2

HAILSHAM manager Kenny McCreadie recorded his 'best win for the club' as The Stringers overcame a tough Shoreham side at Ringmer to reach the final against Three Bridges or Whitehawk.

McCreadie said: 'It's the biggest game I've been involved in here and we will have a great chance in the final. Our fighting spirit got us through and it was a great team performance.'

Hero of the evening was striker Peter Cooper, who grabbed a hat-trick including the 75th minute penalty that earned Hailsham victory and their first appearance in this final. Shoreham defender Danny Gainsford was adjudged to have handled and Cooper stayed cool despite long protests before sidefooting the spotkick home.

Hailsham set the early pace and went ahead on ten minutes. Russell Tanner's long kick upfield went to Stuart Lewis. The nippy winger rounded his man and crossed for Cooper to plant a header from six yards past Shoreham goalkeeper Ronan Callaghan. The Stringers were two ahead on 22 minutes when Nick Barden sent in an inswinging corner and Cooper was on hand again to angle a header home.

Shoreham offered little in the first half but were back in the game in the 56th minute as Shaheen Sadough collected a long ball forward, accelerated and fired past Tanner. Grant Spencer then cleared an effort off the goalline but Shoreham were level on 65 minutes when Ben Boiling blasted home from close range after a free-kick into the penalty area.

It looked ominous for Hailsham until referee Shaun Scott awarded them the all-important penalty.

Hailsham: Tanner, M Richardson, Early (Koboha), Jarvis, P Richardson, Spencer, French, Stevens, Lewis, Cooper, Barden.

County League One

Hailsham 0 Three Bridges 0

HAILSHAM manager Kenny McCreadie was satisfied with this result even though The Stringers have won only once in the league since December.

'The players were up for it today and worked hard,' said McCreadie. 'I had asked them to bounce back. We won every ball in the air and I'm happy with a point.'

The hosts dominated play after an even opening 20 minutes and after a spate of fouls and offside decisions Simon Stevens rippled the outside of the net with a piledriver on 31 minutes.

Hailsham should have gone ahead four minutes later from Nick Barden's free-kick. Liam Baitup and Ashley Jarvis both threw themselves at the ball but failed to make contact. Hailsham then lost new signing Roy Osborne from Eastbourne United with a knee ligament injury just before the break.

Hailsham produced little after half-time and the only action of real note was a blistering drive from Pat Massaro that Hailsham goalkeeper Russell Tanner was happy to palm away.

Hailsham: Tanner, Lewis, Osborne (Done), Jarvis, Spencer, M Richardson, French, Stevens, Cooper, Baitup (Early), Barden.

Hailsham Reserves won through to the semi-final of the Sussex Intermediate Cup as Drew Greenall scored the only goal in the quarter-final against Haywards Heath. In the last four Hailsham play Eastbourne Town Reserves at Eastbourne Borough on Wednesday, March 8.

County League One

Crowborough 1 Worthing Utd 0

CROWBOROUGH returned to winning ways with a hard-fought victory as the visitors relied on long balls and spoiling tackles.

New signing Wes Tate shot just wide after combining well with Ross Treleaven, and on the half-hour Treleaven went close, forcing Dean Fuller into a smart save low to his left. Treleaven hit the post from the rebound.

Tate was then put away by Dean Chamberlain and just had Fuller to beat, but referee Colin Mallows stopped play due to an injury to Shelley. It was frustrating as the player was clearly not seriously injured and jumped straight up as the match was halted.

In the final minute of the half Crows got the breakthrough they probably just deserved. Chamberlain's corner was headed goalbound by Phil Rhodes, Fuller saved but Nathan Godden followed up to head in.

Worthing still showed little ambition into the second half and Chamber-lain forced a good save from Fuller on the hour.

Crows then introduced another new signing, the 21-year-old Drew Crush, who got straight into the action with some crunching tackles and also showed good pace.

Tate had been pushed up front, where he looked more at home, showing some nice touches and good movement.

Crowborough: K Movaffagh, I Meek, D Adams, P Rhodes, N Godden, D Baker, W Clarke, D Chamberlain, L Bull (D Crush), W Tate, R Treleaven. Unused subs: O Walters, S Colbran.

Division Two Cup 3rd Round

Seaford 1 Wealden 2

Revenge was sweet for Wealden as a last-minute winner from Tobi Hutchinson avenged Seaford's recent 4-0 thumping of Mark Simpson's side and secured a place in the league cup semi-final.

In doing so Wealden survived a late fightback from Town which culminated in a highly dubious penalty. The result was fair though, as Wealden dominated most of the match.

Both managers had selection problems, with Wealden so depleted in defence that Dan Merry was pressed into service at centre-half. That was less of a gamble than it might have been as Seaford were down to their last recognised striker in Tom Callaghan.

Wealden went close early on, Sean McFadden saving well from Richard Piper. Reece Head and Andy Johnson had further chances as the visitors dominated the opening exchanges.

The pressure told ten minutes from the interval as Martin Schleider and Piper combined to create a tap-in for the evergreen Hutchinson.

Seaford manager Duncan Kneller threw on young Liam Keith at half-time in an attempt to pep up a lightweight attack. It made little difference as Town were restricted to a succession of long balls, which were easily dealt with by Head and Justin Harris.

Wealden could have wrapped things up when Ben Mitchell crossed for Dominic Oliver, who should have scored.

With nothing to lose Kneller played his last cards, introducing more youngsters in an attempt to unsettle the visitors. The gamble paid off as Wealden suddenly started to look vulnerable.

The pressure mounted until, with seven minutes left, Harris was adjudged to have handled a shot from Keith and a penalty was given. Chris Stanyard scored, and suddenly Seaford were in the driving seat.

Not for long, though, as with extra-time looming Piper's attempted chip was parried to Hutchinson, who slammed home the winner.

Seaford: McFadden, Wingate (Chapman 75), Hammond, Doherty, Moore, Plastow (Keith 45), Kneller, Dartnall, Mayo, Callaghan (Hamlin 67), Stanyard.

Wealden: Brownell, Head, Harris, Merry, Oliver, Johnson (Mitchell 63), Schleider, Davis, Ottley, Piper, Hutchinson.

Seaford's league match at Mile Oak was abandoned at half-time owing to a floodlight failure. There was no score at the time.

County League Two

Steyning 1 Saltdean 0

SALTDEAN are hoping for leniency after striker Craig Bunch was sent off at Steyning.

Manager Mark Smeaton said: 'I wasn't there as I was in Venice, but I'm told it was a case of mistaken identity by the referee.

'Craig was sent off for throwing the ball at one of their players but I'm told the Steyning committee are writing to the league to tell them it wasn't him.'

Steyning won with a goal from Hearne in the 31st minute and with Sidlesham winning the Tigers again have fears of relegation.

Smeaton went on: 'I heard the Steyning goalkeeper had a blinder on Saturday and that we had a lot of the game.'

Saltdean: Smeaton, Cole, Clarke, P Martin, Stevens, Newman, Saxby, Costello, Ogoe, Bunch, D Martin.

County League Three

Newhaven 5 Pease Pottage 1

Ross Newman scored Newhaven's opening goal after only seven minutes when Georgiou won possession, fed Newman and he smashed in a shot, the ball going in off the goalkeeper's chest.

Newman also got the second on 37 minutes when Kevin Marchesi sent the ball in and the striker pulled it down with one touch and fired home.

It was 3-0 on 42 minutes when Simon Halsey's corner ricocheted off a defender and Halsey smashed it home from an angle.

Georgiou got the 'wonder' fourth on 76 minutes and Halsey added the fifth from the penalty spot with a minute left. It was awarded after Newman rounded the goalkeeper and was brought down, a foul which saw the Pease Pottage man sent off.

Tighe was delighted with the refereeing of Paul John. He said: 'He was good, he talked to you. I like officials who tell you why they made a decision.'

Newhaven: Hildersley, Edwards, M Leiper, Jason Tighe, Shappveld, Marchesi (Goodard, Foote), Georgiou, Holmes, Breach, Halsey, Newman (Whitmore).

l Peacehaven are through to the semi-finals of the Sussex Intermediate Cup after beating Burgess Hill Reserves 3-2 on Saturday.

They now face Mid-Sussex Premier side Willingdon Athletic in the semi-final at Hailsham on Tuesday, March 7.