Results Saturday 08/11/2014

[Ore Exile]

ifield 2 vI Ore Athletic 1

Ifield moved into the last 16 of the Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup courtesy of two Harri Nourse goals. Ore turned up for the game with a patched up side and proceeded to give their all to try and win the game. On another day they would of scored 5 or 6 and run out comfortable winners, but yesterday they missed countless chances, and whilst the Ifield keeper made 3 or 4 quality saves, the rest of his saves were made easier by the Ore players continually shooting straight at him. Ifield took the lead in the 20th minute of the first half when a punt forward by one of their defenders caught the wind and sailed over the Ore keeper and hit the crossbar, Harri Nourse was the first to react and tapped the ball into an empty net. So halftime arrived with Ifield leading by a goal to nil, despite all of Ore's pressing.. Ifield are a passing side but the heavy pitch didn't suit this and they struggled badly with the conditions, Ore on looking at the pitch decided they would not look to play their normal passing game, and instead would look to hit their strikers early. This was a much better tactic and it paid dividends in the 53rd minute when Grant Cornelius got the equalizer. Ore now took command of the game and poured forward looking for the winner, but the Ifield goal remained in tact and on the 70th minute Harri Nourse struck the winner on the counter attack. The Ore management after some performances this season have questioned the lack of heart shown by the current side, but yesterday the whole team showed total commitment to the cause, and the only thing that let them down was poor finishing as Harri Nourse showed them how it should be done.

[blueboybird]

Mountfield United 3 - 2 Sidley United

Sidley United must be up for contention for the title of 'world's unluckiest team' after succumbing to defeat in an extraordinary final minute.

Blues started the better of the two sides against their table topping opponents on an awful pitch and twice hit the woodwork. First a cross from the right which George Carroll got on the end of saw the goalkeeper parry the ball onto the bar and from the resulting corner Mark Funnell headed against the post before it was cleared.

However, kicking downhill Mountfield took the lead on 27 minutes as a ball across evaded the defenders and from the wide right position the Mountfield forward finished smartly. The second Mountfield goal was embarrassingly easy as the goalkeeper kicked the ball forward and too many Sidley players watched the ball travel through to the Mountfield striker who slotted past Skelton simply.

Despite being 2 - 0 down at the break, Sidley had played the better football and continued to press after the break. Anthony Briscoe did well on the right and his cross towards Carroll was diverted into his own net by a Mountfield defender on 69 minutes to give Sidley fresh hope.

And the bulk of the drama occurred in the dying seconds. Sidley were awarded a penalty in the 91st minute when Will Dunstall was brought down by the goalkeeper and Adam Day calmly converted to bring the scores deservedly level.

But incredibly, in the final 30 seconds of the match a long ball forward saw Skelton come out to catch but the ball took a bizarre bounce and looped over him, presenting the home forward a tap in to steal victory.

Sidley's performance deserved more today, who for the bulk of the match were the better side on a truly tough pitch and if they can keep that level of performance going forward, surely the tide will turn soon.