Broadbridge Heath and Lancing through in Sussex RUR Cup

Wick 0 Broadbridge Heath 5

Following an excellent win in the FA Vase at the weekend, Broadbridge Heath turned their attention yet another away trip in the cup with a Tuesday night under lights at Wick FC in the Sussex Principal RUR Charity Cup.

Manager Chris Simmons used the opportunity to rotate his squad with fixtures coming thick and fast. Club captain Andy Waddingham returned to the Heath starting line-up after injury as well as starts for Charlie Parmiter, Mark Zydonik and Jasper Sheik.

Heath started where they left off having the majority share of the possession and chances recording 7 attempts on goal in the opening 25 minutes. Heath’s breakthrough came in the 28th minute following Wick’s attempt to play the ball out from the back saw a misplaced pass fall to the feet of Charlie Parmiter who saw his shot saved by the Wick keeper, unfortunately for the home side the ball rebounded into the path of Lewis Croal who was on hand to tap home from four yards.

Heath had several more chances before half time but were unable to extend their lead before the referee’s whistle. The Heath players knew that they had to remain focused for the second as Wick at this point had nothing to lose and were going to come out in the second half looking for an equaliser.

Heath didn’t take long to get into their stride. Straight out the blocks, heath sent a long ball forward from the kick off causing some communication issues between the home keeper and his defence nearly resulting in a second for Heath. Wick did not learn from the warning and in the 46th minute a long ball forward from Mark Zydonik over the home defence was met by Charlie Parmiter who controlled well before cutting back on the defender. Just as the chance looked like it had gone, Parmiter cut back onto his left foot and fired past the keeper from outside the box for 2-0 to Broadbridge Heath.

At 2-0 Simmons could now start to think about making a few changes. With Jamie Chesworth feeling the strain of the large amount of games in recent weeks, he was withdrawn and replaced by Harry Mark in the 51st minute.

Just before the hour mark, Heath extended their lead to 3 as a long ball forward split the defence putting Sam Lemon through on goal. His low shot was met by the outstretched hand of the Wick keeper but as the ball trickled through Croal was again on hand to tap home from close range.

With the match as good as won, Heath were now able to make their final two changes, Lemon was replaced by Renato Carvalho for the final 24 minutes and Louis Blake coming on for Jack Frankland in the 84th minute.

With the game moving into its closing stages the Wick keeper throws the ball out to his left back who failed to come and meet the ball. Carvalho was able to beat the defender to it before striking past the retreating goalkeeper from the edge of the box.

As the match moves into stoppage time Parmiter picks the ball up in midfield and launches one last attack on the home goal. Parmiter linked up well with Carvalho playing a quick 1:2 before laying the ball across goal for Alex Barbary to tap into the empty net and complete Heath’s second 5-0 in 2 games.

Broadbridge Heath now turn their attention back to the SCFL Premier division as they travel to Bexhill this Saturday (Oct 29).

Broadbridge Heath - Sheik, Frankland (Blake 84’), Chesworth (Mark 51’), Sim, Zydonik, Weller, Waddingham, Parmiter, Barbary, Croal, Lemon (Carvalho 66’).

MOM – Charlie Parmiter

Lancing 2 Crawley Down Gatwick 0

What should have been a home fixture for Crawley Down Gatwick was turned on its head with the sides meeting at Culver Road because of a problem with the CDG pitch.

The visitors are enjoying a good start to their SCFL Premier League campaign and are currently lying 4th in the table on 27 points, two behind leaders Broadbridge Heath. Two former Lancers are in the Crawley Down Gatwick squad, Louie Pittock in the starting line-up as centre back, and Ben Connolly, a recent addition, with a place on the bench.

Lancing management took the opportunity to give starts to Billy Fuller, Faris Khallouqi, Kane Louis and Josh Gould, with Finn Daniels-Yeoman, Reece Hallard and Tyrone Madhani being rested. Louis Veneti was also not available for selection. Finn Daniels-Yeoman and Reece were on the substitutes bench.

This by no means weakened the Lancing team as all four put in excellent performances. Billy and Faris were full of drive and determination and Kane’s positional sense and close control were much in evidence. Josh ‘s ability to use his powerful left foot to switch play from left to right was also an asset. Captain for the night was Marcus Allen.

There was plenty of enterprising attacking play from Lancing. Ash Mutongerwa was keeping the home defence occupied, using his pace to good effect. Lancing spent much time in the visitors’ final third with some quick inter-passing creating openings. Both Billy Fuller and Ash Mutongerwa had efforts on goal which did not quite cause any real concern for the opposition keeper.

At the other end, CDG’S Ben Calisle was picked out in space in the home box but his control deserted him, the ball running through to Alieu Secka and their no.9 and captain, Micheal Wood tried his luck from 25 yards but his powerful drive flew narrowly wide.

Faris Khallouqi, taking a leaf out of Finn Daniels-Yeoman’s book, showed strength in the tackle, winning the ball and advancing at pace towards the visitors box before being brought down with a foul. A superb delivery from Josh Gould’s immaculate left foot was met by Marcus Allen, timing his run to perfection and, glancing the ball with his head beyond the visitors’ keeper, to give Lancing a 1-0 lead on 44 minutes.

With barely two minutes gone in the second half, Faris was again an instigator leading to a second goal. This time he executed a sublime pass for Billy Fuller to run on to. His pace got him to the ball before the visitors’ keeper could reach it. He rounded the keeper and slotted home into the empty net.

Lancing dominated the second half keeping up the pressure and looking to increase their lead. Mo Zabadne stood down for Sean Stephenson on 55 minutes and the sub wasted no time in getting into his stride and putting Billy Fuller clear on the right. His early cross lead to a corner. Billy Fuller was now in full flow, as he fed an excellent pass to Kane Louis, who brought a good save from CDG keeper Alex Bellingham.

Kane Louis saw Sean Stephenson free and slipped the ball to him near the bye line. He tried to round the keeper who had stretched out on the ground to try and gather the ball. It looked as if Sean had steered the ball away from him but the keeper did well to recover possession. With a little over 20 minutes to go, Tommy Boyle came on for Ashley Mutongerwa and, shortly afterwards, Ben Connolly came on to the ground where he had scored some fine goals for Lancing.

CDG came close to pulling one back when Josh Gould’s attempt to prevent a break down the right did not quite come off. This left Lancing exposed but the combined efforts of Jake LeGrange and Tom Butler saved the day.

With 15 minutes to go newcomer Owen Spicer, on loan from Worthing F.C, replaced Josh Gould. Lancing had looked to be in control thanks, once again, to some solid defensive work from Jake Le Grange, Tom Butler and Marcus Allen but CDG did not make life easy for them as they kept up their impressive work rate as the game reached its closing stages and a break down the right ended with a low effort which had Alieu Secka down quickly to save at his near upright.

But Lancing had the last word almost coming close to increasing their lead, with Tommy Boyle providing a pass for Kane Louis, who looked to be in a position to score but, again, CDG keeper Bellingham was able to wrestle the ball away from the striker, despite being on the ground.

Lancing progress to the next round, where their opponents will be Peacehaven. They deserved to come out on top but it was not a straightforward victory as CDG competed well from start to finish. It was good to see the newcomers to the Lancing starting line-up perform so well. Each one had a good claim to be MOM, but it went to Billy Fuller, his well taken goal tipping the balance in his favour.

- Dave Wilmott