Mixed bank holiday weekend fortunes for Mavericks

Mavericks beat struggling Hailsham 6-1 on Saturday but then fell to a 4-0 defeat at home to high-flying Shoreham on Monday. On the points return, Geary said: “That was the bare minimum, we did a job that had to be done against a poor side in Hailsham. We got the goals which was pleasing but what we had to do was step up today against Shoreham but we were miles off it.

“In every department we weren’t close to them and it was just too easy for them. We were second best all over the park and were deservedly well beaten.

“We’ve got to beat teams like Hailsham at home and that win propelled us up to eighth place. If we’d won today, we’d be in the top five and all of a sudden, after a poor pre-season, you’re thinking that’s not bad but we got what we deserved today - after we were brilliant on Saturday.”

On Monday, Shoreham took the lead after just four minutes when Ryan Storrie raced on to Joe Keehan’s long ball forward and headed over on-rushing keeper Rui Buckland into the goal.

Rob O’Toole had a header from Freddie Barker’s right-wing cross well saved by Buckland on 12 minutes, before Shoreham went 2-0 up two minutes later. Rob O’Toole raced on to Storrie’s through ball and coolly slotted home, with United appealing for offside.

Mussels could have led by more at the break as Joe Keehan fired wide from a corner and Storrie was then denied by Buckland, who was quick off his line.

Shoreham put the game to bed five minutes into the second half when Rob O’Toole and George Gaskin combined for Charlie Pitcher to tap home from 15 yards.

Chances continued to come Mussels’ way and Rob O’Toole shot a penalty wide - Shoreham’s third successive miss from the spot - before they went 4-0 ahead on 64 minutes. Jack Hartley did superbly down the right and crossed for Scott Packer to score from a couple of yards.

Mavericks’ Mark Goldson was lively throughout and fired one ambitious volley wide, before Matt Hards saw a well-stuck 25-yard shot saved by Mussels keeper Josh Heyburn as Shoreham cruised to all three points.

Against Hailsham, Wayne Joseph gave Mavericks the lead on 17 minutes and Aaron Hasan made it 2-0 two minutes later.

An own goal increased United’s lead on 30 minutes, before Alfie Gritt made it 4-0 just before half-time.

Hards’ penalty made it 5-0 early in the second period, before Chamal Fenelon scored his first goal for the club on 50 minutes. Lewis Parsons got a goal back on 57 minutes but it finished 6-1.

Mavericks travel to Lancing in the Sussex Senior Cup on Saturday, before they host Wick in the league on Tuesday.


Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!