Pirates come from behind to beat Sunday title rivals

Wittering 2 Nyetmber Pirates 4

Chi & W Sussex League division one

Nyetimber Pirates warmed up for this week’s County Cup clash with holders The Old Barn with a victory over title rivals Wittering.

Pirates found themselves 1-0 down early on after a mix-up at the back allowed a forward a free shot on goal giving keeper Walters no chance.

Walters was forced into a number of excellent close-range saves.

Pirates’ Ado Thomas and Mike Hamm limped off, forcing manager Welling to reshuffle the back-line.

Pirates grabbed an equaliser when Ben Bishop’s powerful effort found the bottom corner. Jack Stairs continued his impressive scoring record when his piledriver gave the Wittering keeper no chance, giving him four goals in three games and the Pirates a 2-1 half-time lead.

Ross Ludlow made it 3-1 when he pounced on a deflected shot early in the second half. Wittering grabbed a second, putting them well and truly back in the game.

Man of the match Walter made a save which referee Martin Smith claimed to be the best he’d ever seen in the Sunday League when he tipped a 30-yard screamer onto the bar.

Pirates put it out of sight when Ludlow knocked the ball into the far corner.

PIRATES: Walter, Thomas, Palmer, Hamm, D Cox, Williamson, Bishop, Stairs, R Cox, Hardwell, Ludlow. Subs: Carter, A Cox, Cooper.

Elmer 0 Waterfront 3

Sussex Sunday Challenge Trophy first round

Elmer’s trophy ambitions came crashing down at Mill Road. Lewes-based underdogs Waterfront took a surprise lead after just a minute from a corner. On 24 minutes another corner doubled their advantage.

With Elmer facing a mountain to climb they made their final substitution at half-time.

Elmer dominated the second half, but were thwarted by Waterfront keeper Russell Daniel and skipper Daryl Killon.

Elmer pushed up defender Luis Gonzalez alongside Al Norgett and James Ford, but the game was killed off by the visitors on 85 minutes as Carl Duncan wrapped it up.

Elmer Reserves 3 LG United 3

Div three

In the blistering heat of King George V playing fields, LG took the lead through a well-worked free-kick and doubled it with a debatable penalty.

Elmer were forced into a change with ex-LG player KC Stanbridge coming on for Dexter Cons.

The hosts got one back through Alex Berry after a scramble from man-of-the-match Jamie Hambidge’s gun-barrel throw. But at the end of the half LG scored again with a good lob over keeper Carl Lawrence.

Elmer came out with a spring in their step. Freshened up by player-manager Jack Davis and the tactical knowledge of Aaron Geall, Jamie Greenhill and Alix Brennan, they brought on Dan Bailey.

He made an instant impact, scoring from a great John Wilson free-kick to make it 3-2.

Elmer’s last substitution saw Davis on for the exhausted Joe Ansell.

In the last minute, another long throw from Hambidge found the head of Davis who scored to send the Elmer crowd and players alike wild.

Amberley 2 The George 3

Div three

The George made it three wins from three with a battling win at promotion candidates Amberley.

The George raced into a 1-0 lead with an own goal. Five minutes later Ronnie Lewry scored his third of the season with a half-volley after some great work from Sam Garnett.

Soon Ashley Pulley-Blank opened his account with a fine solo effort.

In the second half it was all Amberley. It was soon 3-1 and a defensive mistake made it 3-2, but Amberley couldn’t find the equaliser.

GEORGE: Eldred, Tinson, T Nicholls (c), Sells, Newman, Geall, Garnett, Pulley-Blank, Mills, Lewry, Plummer.