Rotherfield F.C.

Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division

East Grinstead Utd 3 Rotherfield 1

This was a match of contrasts that started with a whimper, yet ended as a spicy affair, with Rotherfield dominant in the first period but eventually the visitors paid the price for impotent finishing.

The home side have had a tough start to the season & their lack of confidence was evident from the kick off as Rotherfield looked incisive on every attack. After only 10 minutes Dan Taylor opened up the home defence with an exquisite pass to Mark Pickles but his finish was weak allowing Taylor to save. The rebound however presented a chance to Simon Mason who blazed high & wide. A few minutes later & Elliott Wilkins raced clear onto a long ball by Tom Ford to present Mason with another gilt-edged opportunity, but his header went wide. Mason then turned provider when he found space behind the Grinstead defence & passed to Wilkins. For some unknown reason Wilkins chose to pass when a shot would surely have resulted in a goal, & then Pickles totally fluffed his shot with the goal still gaping.

However as the half progressed the home side gained belief from Rotherfield’ inability to score & Nick Taylor had to pounce on a loose ball after a shot from Currier had struck a post.

Then Rotherfield opened the scoring when Dave Kilby powered forward on a typical dribble before shooting into the top corner of the net.

The second half saw a very different home side emerge. Driven forward by Smith & Gray in the centre of midfield they gave Rotherfield no quarter, contesting every ball with a tenacity that the visitors were not prepared to match. This high energy approach ensured that Rotherfield were not given any time to try to construct attacks & the Rotherfield play disintegrated with the ball as the failed to find their own team with frustrating regularity. In addition the basic defensive shape of the side also self-destructed as the midfield became distanced from the attack, & seemingly unable to respond physically to the challenge laid before them. With 15 minutes left Grinstead worked a short corner & when Rotherfield nemesis, Figuera, was allowed space & time to pick his spot with a cross, Currier headed home from close range.

Rotherfield immediately responded & when a cross by Wilkins fell at the feet of Pickles 6-yards from goal surely he would score but another weak finish did not even test the keeper.

Taylor then saved well low to his right after a break by Child had left Rotherfield skipper Dave Riley exposed, before Rotherfield substitute James Bannister raced clear of the defence only for fellow substitute Adam Davies to fail to connect with his shot.

With 7 minutes remaining a flowing move by Grinstead found skipper Smith who had sprinted 60 yards in anticipation of the opportunity, & when Riley failed to close him down he gleefully accepted the opportunity shooting low into the corner.

As the match entered injury time a quick throw from Taylor released Kilby, who in turn passed to substitute Leigh Lander. His pass into the run of Wilkins was sublime but covering full back Baxter crudely tripped Wilkins with ball already away, to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity & then was amazingly allowed to remain on the field. The free kick from 19 yards in a central position was scant reward & when the wall blocked the shot Rotherfield were understandably incensed. As the ball was cleared deep into the Rotherfield half that disappointment became more intense when sloppy defending allowed Campbell the freedom of the penalty area & he applied the finish to complete an amazing reversal in fortunes.

Rotherfield will need to show real character to recover from this self-inflicted defeat if they are to arrest the recent trough in their form.

Squad: Taylor N.; Hacker; Riley ©; Clibbens; Ford; Kilby; Taylor D (75 Lander); Kemp; Pickles (65 Bannister); Mason (60 Davies); Wilkins.

Sussex Senior Charity Cup

Rotherfield 1 Cowfold 2

Rotherfield entertained Cowfold from the Premier Division of the West Sussex League in round 2 of the Senior Charity Cup, & although the final score line suggested a narrow defeat they were resoundingly beaten.

Rotherfield have performed in a Jekyll & Hyde manner so far this season, & this was definitely a performance by the ugly Mr Hyde as they struggled to cope with the fluidity of their opponents play whilst only playing their own passing football on fleeting occasions.

Cowfold totally dominated the first quarter of the match & how they did not take the lead on 14 minutes remains a mystery. A well-delivered corner was not cleared & the resultant scramble in the 6-yard box saw at least 8 goal attempts blocked by a mixture of keeper Robin Paige & defenders until finally the ball was cleared. However within 10 minutes Cowfold took a deserved lead & again it came from a corner when centre forward Chamberlain forced the ball home from close range.

Cowfold were still dominant & when on 32 minutes Chamberlain was presented with a chance 6 yards from goal it appeared that the surely inevitable second goal would arrive only for veteran keeper Paige to plunge to his left to parry the ball with one had to complete a quite miraculous save that had all the supporters for home & away lauding his effort.

In a peculiar way this save appeared to wake Rotherfield from their slumber & when Dan Taylor passed to Dave Kilby he drove at the defence & flashed their first shot of the match narrowly over the cross bar. Taylor had a similar shot from distance that skimmed the cross bar, & then Marc Kemp saw his effort also from 25 yards rise agonisingly over the bar with the keeper beaten.

Having been so outplayed for the majority of the first half, yet only being a goal behind did give hope to the home side, but this was all but extinguished when with only 3 minutes of second half elapsed Richard Clibbens inexplicably handled when challenging for a corner & Cowfold skipper Foster despatched the penalty.

The remainder of the half was then very similar to the first with Cowfold mounting a series of attacks that had Rotherfield chasing shadows, but a mix of poor finishing & some more superb saves by Paige denied the visitors. Then with 5 minutes of the match remaining Rotherfield came to life again. Craig Hacker combined with Kilby & when he passed to Taylor some space opened 20 yards from goal, however his low left foot drive shaved the post & went wide. Then a long ball down field was seized upon by substitute Elliott Wilkins & he applied a cool finish. In the final minute of the match a well delivered cross field pass by Mark Pickles appeared destined to find Wilkins clear in the penalty area only for the forearm of Whitworth to seem to intervene. As the Rotherfield players appealed for a penalty the referee waved play on, although in truth to force extra time would have been a travesty given the poor performance.

Squad: Paige: Hacker; Riley ©; Clibbens; Ford; Kilby; Kemp; Taylor; Holdway (Hughes 67); Davies (Wilkins 55); Pickles.

Sussex Senior Charity Cup

Rotherfield 5 Haywards Heath Town II 0

Rotherfield embarked on their first ever Senior Charity Cup tie against County League Reserves opposition with some trepidation, but at the final whistle they had out-classed their opponents with a scintillating second half display.

The home side started the match with real purpose, in stark contrast to their lacklustre start the previous week, snapping at the heels of their opponents. Early corners were forced, & when Mark Pickles delivered a driven version that eluded the visiting keeper Richard Clibbens had a free header 8 yards from goal but headed over the bar. After 10 minutes the electric Adam Davies was fouled 25 yards from goal, but although the free kick from young Tom Ford was beautifully struck the keeper saved low at his post. Then it was the turn of right back Dave Kilby to power at the retreating Heath defence before shooting straight at the keeper. Although Rotherfield had dominated the early exchanges keeper Nick Taylor had to be alert to turn a shot from Smith over the cross bar. Normal service was resumed quickly however, when Pickles crossed for Davies who was celebrating his volley into the top corner when somehow the keeper flew to his left to tip the ball around the post. Then a few minutes later another corner from Pickles found its way to Craig Hacker whose chest control was instant before his shot was again brilliantly saved. Then as the half drew to a close Evans managed to get in behind the otherwise immaculate Rotherfield defence & accelerated away from skipper Dave Riley. However not for the first time already this season it was 17-year old keeper Taylor who spread himself to save with his feet.

Surely this was not destined to be a match where an inspired keeper, especially given the terror being struck into the visiting defence by Davies & Elliott Wilkins, would thwart Rotherfield?

The second half began like the first with Rotherfield on the attack, & after 7 minutes Davies, having an inspired match, sped away from Ibo who foolishly tried to tackle from behind & conceded a penalty. Clibbens despatched a low drive into the corner to make amends for his earlier miss. 8 minutes later & Rotherfield increased their lead when excellent approach play involving Davies & Wilkins released the tireless Marc Kemp who shot left footed into the top corner. 5 minutes later & the match was safe when another passing move involving Ben Holdway, Hacker & Wilkins presented Davies with a chance that he coolly scored.

The score line was now to much for the visiting players to handle & Obi was cautioned for persistent dissent before then being shown a red card for a cynical scythe on Wilkins who had once again left him in his wake.

A few minutes later & Heath were reduced to nine men when Smith was shown a straight red for an extremely unpleasant foul-mouthed tirade at the excellent referee as he allowed frustration to rule his brain.

Rotherfield then took full advantage of the numerical supremacy when Wilkins scored with a neat finish following a free kick by Clibbens, & then Paul Hammond scored with good header on his first start of the season after excellent work by substitute James Bannister.

Squad: Taylor N.; Kilby; Riley (capt); Clibbens; Ford; Holdway (Bannister 70); Kemp; Hacker (Hammond 68); Pickles; Davies (Done 72); Wilkins.

Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division

Eastbourne Borough III 2 Rotherfield 0

Rotherfield returned to league action with a challenging away fixture at Eastbourne Borough & although the team was as good as always without the ball, the recent sloppy play with the ball was again in evidence although ultimately it was two lapses in concentration that spurned a point.

The superb technique of the home side players was clearly evident in the early exchanges with Smith & Jesson in the centre of midfield continually probing. The Rotherfield defence, with Richard Clibbens & Dave Riley rock solid at the heart & especially Ben Holdway at left-back, thwarted all attacks. Gradually Rotherfield started to find a little space & with the pace of Adam Davies & Elliott Wilkins up front there was always a chance of an effort on goal, although the home side central defence partnership of Brooks & Weston was looking increasingly assured.

With 25 minutes gone Wilkins managed to turn away from Brooks & unleashed a shot from 25 yards that flew narrowly wide & then a few minutes later raced clear of Brooks again but this time Weston covered to prevent the danger.

At the other end Borough were beginning to force a series of corner & Brooks should have done better with a header although credit must go to Riley for the pressure he exerted.

Another corner however saw Brooks get his header on target but excellent positioning by Mark Pickles meant the ball was headed off the line to safety.

At half time Rotherfield were good value for parity & had hopes of stealing all three points.

From the kick-off for the second half Rotherfield attacked down the left flank after more good work from Holdway. Pickles found Dan Taylor on the edge of the penalty area & although his shot was crisp Woodhall saved comfortably.

The Rotherfield defence was also looking as sharp as in the first half although when a series of free kicks were awarded to the home side for minimal contact challenges it appeared that they might crumble. However either the kicks were wasted, keeper Nick Taylor saved or the defensive walls were solid.

Back came Rotherfield again when Holdway overlapped, beat his marker & delivered an inviting cross that for once eluded the Borough central defenders but Elliott Hughes arriving late at the far post could only shoot high over the bar when under pressure.

Then with less than 20 minutes remaining Rotherfield fell asleep from a corner. The ball was passed short back to full back Brunsden & he exploited the space he was afforded to creep a shot through the crowded penalty area that somehow nestled into the corner.

With their noses now in front the home side displayed their skill at keeping the ball with Smith & Jesson impressively linking with Morton & Nunes in attack to deny Rotherfield the opportunity to mount a serious challenge. When Rotherfield did get possession invariably after tireless work by Taylor & Marc Kemp in particular it was carelessly conceded by sloppy passing. Being under virtual constant pressure then allowed Brunsden the chance to shoot from long range in the last minutes & somehow the ball went over Taylor into the roof of the net to extinguish any fading hope.

Squad: Taylor N.; Kilby; Clibbens; Riley ©; Holdway; Hughes (King 60); Kemp (Hacker 80); Taylor D.; Pickles; Wilkins; Davies (Mason 60).

Mid Sussex Football League Montgomery Cup

Rotherfield 0 Willingdon Athletic 0

Although Rotherfield crashed out of the Montgomery Cup & suffered their second defeat of the season against Willingdon, the manner of the performance, especially in the second half, should give all the players confidence in the forthcoming matches.

Rotherfield were quickly into their passing game & when Sherwood in goal for Willingdon inexplicably picked up a pass back a free kick 15 yards from goal was an ideal opportunity. However the subsequent shot from Mark Pickles was blocked.

Early promise was somewhat dampened however when a long punt by Sherwood was misjudged in the howling wind by Rotherfield goalkeeper Nick Taylor & the ball ended up in the net for a bizarre opening goal. The home side then struggled to find any fluency in their game, whilst also unable to get to grips with Willingdon striker Stevens. The strong talented striker for the visitors was the focal point for all their play & when he headed a free kick across goal it was skipper Quigley who was first to react & steer an excellent header beyond Taylor for a second goal.

Despite now being two goals behind Rotherfield still tried to construct their passing game & Dan Taylor was unlucky to see his shot well saved by Sherwood, & then have a shot following a corner superbly blocked by Fitzgerald.

Rotherfield emerged for the second half in resolute mood & immediately took the game to their opponents. Taylor again saw his effort blocked & a fantastic tackle by Crouch denied Marc Kemp. Elliott Wilkins was beginning to drive holes in the visiting defence & had the final pass been more astute perhaps a clear opportunity would have been forced.

A Pickles free kick was well saved by Sherwood & then the keeper was again in inspired form to save at the feet of Wilkins after good work by Dave Kilby.

The home side were by now exerting real pressure & a few rash challenges were testimony to the pressure the visitors were under, but no clear opportunity could be forced.

At the other end Richard Clibbens had come to terms with marking the muscular Stevens & Dave Riley alongside him was, as always, inspirational to the youngsters around him. In goal Taylor made a fantastic save at the feet of Quigley to atone for his earlier error but at the final whistle the lack of an incisive final pass meant Rotherfield could not recover from the early defensive errors.

Squad: Taylor N.; Kilby; Riley ©; Clibbens; Holdway (King 78); Hughes (Davies 58); Kemp; Hammond; Taylor D.; Pickles; Wilkins (Saj 80).

Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division

Rotherfield 2 Balcombe 0

Rotherfield won their second Premier Division match despite having 7 first team regulars unavailable for a variety of reasons, with an extremely disciplined performance demonstrating the importance of all potential players being familiar with the style of play demanded.

The early exchanges saw Balcombe have the lion-share of possession without creating any opportunities to trouble Nick Taylor in goal for the home side. Once again the Rotherfield back four was superbly marshalled by inspirational skipper Dave Riley, which allowed Richard Clibbens, Tom Ford & Dave Kilby to thwart all attacks. Ford especially was showing maturity beyond his years & gradually the left back also offered in the Rotherfield attacks often combining well with Mark Pickles.

It took until the 32nd minute though for the home side to present a serious threat to Ruzicka in goal for the visitors. Kilby & Dan Done, making his first Premier Division appearance, combined well to release striker Elliot Wilkins whose left foot shot flashed narrowly wide. Wilkins & fellow strike partner Adam Davies were harrying the Balcombe defence but Millin was solid & giving no quarter. However the constant threat presented by the pace of the twin strikers was to prove influential at the end of the match.

Gradually Rotherfield assumed the ascendancy but then when Clibbens missed his only header of the whole match Hunsworth sped clear onto the ball. Taylor was quickly off his line & to the delight of the home side the shot went wide.

The second half saw Rotherfield grow in confidence with the ball as they realised that their opponents offered very little in attack to worry the home defence. Ben Holdway began to use his pace to good effect on the right flank before releasing Davies who sped clear of Hollingdale before pulling back a superb cross to the edge of the area. Unfortunately Davies only had Wilkins to aim for &the ball was cleared.

Then it was the turn of Wilkins to run the defenders before crossing for Davies. Millin managed to prevent an attempt on goal but the ball found its way to Pickles who miscued his shot over the cross bar.

A tactical reshuffle saw Davies withdrawn in an attempt to allow Kilby to run at his left back, & this very nearly had an immediate impact but again the ball was cleared. However within 2 minutes, & with only 5 minutes of time remaining, Rotherfield scored the opening goal of the match when substitute Craig Hacker found Wilkins, who in turn released Kilby behind the tiring defence. His cross to the back post was perfection where Done arrived unmarked with real stealth to head home. Two minutes later & the match was safe when Wilkins robbed defender New before embarking on a snaking run that ended with him firing a shot into the corner of the net for a goal that rewarded his gargantuan effort throughout the match.

Squad: Taylor N; Kilby; Riley (capt); Clibbens; Ford; Holdway; Done; Burton (Hacker 72); Pickles; Davies (King 65); Wilkins.

Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division

Uckfield Town II 0 Rotherfield 5

Rotherfield travelled to their near rivals with a number of first choice players unavailable, hence with some trepidation. At the end of the match these initial concerns were forgotten after a scintillating second half display left their opponents dishevelled & in total disarray.

Uckfield started the more assured with captain Mitchell sweeping behind Smith & Morris to extinguish any threat the imprecise Rotherfield attacks could muster, whereas in attack the physical threat posed by Booth was causing the Rotherfield defence some discomfort. From one headed knock down by Booth, Young should have done better than blaze a shot wide, & from another only a fantastic block by Rotherfield skipper Dave Riley prevented a goal. However as the imperious Dave Evans gained the upper hand in his personal duel with Booth, so the Rotherfield side started to gain a foothold in the match. An excellent attack down the Rotherfield right resulted in Dave Kilby releasing Elliott Hughes & although his dangerous cross was cleared the ball fell to left back Tom Ford who unleashed a powerful drive from 30 yards that flew agonisingly wide with Dadswell scrambling in the home goal.

With 10 minutes left in the first half Hughes played a low ball into Elliott Wilkins whose shot on the turn crashed against the cross bar with Dadswell groping at thin air.

Time still remained though for more last gasp defending by Evans, Riley & Ford to ensure that the visitors ended the first half with parity on the score line.

After encouraging half time words Rotherfield emerged for the second half with a challenge to improve the quality that was to often lacking in their first half play. They were quickly rewarded when after only 2 minutes Kilby intercepted an Uckfield attack & passed simply to Hughes who in turn played a forward ball to Simon Mason. Mason was allowed to turn & pick out a pass to strike partner Wilkins who had peeled off Smith. Wilkins came back inside his marker before caressing a right foot shot into the corner of the net. The confidence this goal gave to the young Rotherfield side was then clearly evident as Kilby collected the ball deep in his own half. The right back sped forward evading the challenges of 3 Uckfield players before advancing onto Mitchell who he then skipped around with ease before dinking a superb cross onto the head of Mason who did not miss the open goal. If Rotherfield were now relaxed they became ecstatic two minutes later when Wilkins seized onto a loose ball before storming past Morris & drawing Dadswell. The striker took the ball around the keeper but was blatantly tripped & a penalty was awarded. Mason coolly scored. Three goals in the first 9 minutes of the half certainly deflated the home side & Rotherfield scored again after 68 minutes when Wilkins was beautifully set up by Mark Pickles & substitute Adam Davies before despatching a low crisp drive. Then 6 minutes later Rotherfield completed the scoring, saving the best to last. A passing move that started on the Rotherfield left with a roll out from keeper Nick Taylor to fellow 17 year old Tom Ford, proceeded through the midfield engine of Marc Kemp & Ben Mansford before being delivered to the back post by substitute Craig King. Davies’ header flicked the ball onto the influential Pickles whose perfect left foot volley pass was invitingly delivered for Mansford who slid the ball home.

The attitude of this Rotherfield side was then evident when a good run by Uckfield substitute Flint was surely to going to result in a goal only for first Ford & then Evans to scramble the ball to safety to ensure a first clean sheet of the season.

Squad: Taylor N.; Kilby; Riley; Evans; Ford; Hughes (King 70); Mansford; Kemp; Pickles; Mason (Davies 65); Wilkins.

Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division

Rotherfield 1 Willingdon AFC 2

Rotherfield played their first home game of this campaign against the side that finished second in the Premier Division last season, & although the margin of defeat was narrow the gulf in quality was clearly evident.

After such a good performance on the opening weekend, it was surprising that the home side started so sluggishly. Despite a near perfect playing surface the Rotherfield players were struggling to match the control & passing of their opponents. Consequently it was no surprise when Willingdon took the lead after only 11 minutes. Slick passing play involving Morris & Stevens opened up the Rotherfield defence with ease & the final pass to the impressive Quigley gave him the space to coolly score.

Willingdon sensed that the newly promoted home side were on the ropes but resolute defending especially from Dave Evans denied further goal scoring opportunities, & gradually Rotherfield gained a foothold in the match. A thunderous shot from Stevens of Willingdon did strike the cross bar but a 1-0 deficit at half time would have been a positive for the home side.

Then on the stroke of half time Rotherfield attacked down the left flank. As full back Tom Ford tried to get behind the defence a last ditch clearance by Reed was hoofed down field. Amazingly the Rotherfield defence was static allowing Quigley time & space to control the ball & give Nick Taylor in the home goal no chance.

After a “tea-cup” half time discussion Rotherfield emerged for the second half in a more resolute mood. Driven on by Marc Kemp & Ben Mansford in the centre of midfield the home side started to at least threaten the Willingdon goal. Simon Mason was unlucky to see his superb turn & shot into the top corner ruled out for a dubious off-side, & on another day Elliott Wilkins may have seen his endeavour rewarded with a penalty after a clumsy challenge by Sherwood in goal for the visitors. However Willingdon were still dangerous with Taylor having to save brilliantly at the feet of Morris & then helpless as a shot from Quigley from fully 30 yards struck a post.

Then with 15 minutes remaining Wilkins was fouled about 30 yards from goal. Mark Pickles, who had been unusually quiet in the match, struck the ball beautifully into the top corner of the net with Sherwood static.

The last minutes saw Rotherfield show real tenacity as they tried to find an equaliser but they are quickly realising that they must improve the quality of their play if they are to break down sides at this level.

Squad: Taylor N.; King (Holdway 55); Riley (capt); Evans; Ford; Hughes (Kilby 60); Mansford; Kemp; Pickles; Mason (Taylor D. 70); Wilkins (sub not used Taylor W.)

Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division

Lindfield 1 Rotherfield 1

When the opening fixtures of the new Mid Sussex Football league season were published, Rotherfield were understandably nervous at an away trip to such an established Premier Division club as Lindfield for their first ever fixture at this level. Playing at the Leylands Park stadium in Burgess Hill also added to the occasion, but this probably inspired the players to perform at a level that not only competed but also often took the match to their hosts.

The initial stages of the match were cautious with both sides trying to keep possession whilst testing the respective defensives. For the visitors Richard Clibbens & skipper Dave Riley at the heart of the defence were in no mood to allow their opponents any space throughout the entire match, whilst the midfield quartet of Elliott Hughes, Dan Taylor, Marc Kemp & Mark Pickles were implementing the pragmatic predetermined game plan to perfection. Despite the home side having the majority of possession they were unable to break down the Rotherfield system & young goalkeeper Nick Taylor, making his debut in the first team, was untroubled. Slowly Rotherfield realised that they were the equal of their opponents, & with 30 minutes gone Pickles passed to the extremely lively Elliott Wilkins whose early shot was narrowly wide. However Lindfield started to build more pressure & when Riley was adjudged to have marked Foreman from inside his shirt a free kick was conceded just outside the penalty area. Walsh crashed his shot through a poor defensive wall giving Taylor no chance to open the scoring in the 39th minute. It was good goal but the verbal goading by skipper Walsh was uncalled for, although in hindsight it probably inspired Rotherfield to make him eat his words.

Then matters became worse for Rotherfield when with only a minute remaining in the half Dan Taylor was the victim of a brutal tackle that required an ambulance to be called. Thankfully Taylor suffered severe bruising to the shinbone just below the knee & not a fracture as was feared.

It was another cruel injury blow for this delightful artisan footballer who has been part of the Rotherfield ascent from the outset in 2001.

A long delay ensued, but when the game restarted it was Rotherfield who were the more focused. Wilkins was revelling in the service he was receiving & running his markers ragged whilst Simon Mason was increasingly influential using all his nouse to shield the ball quite magnificently to provide a focus for the Rotherfield play.

With a quarter of the match remaining Wilkins took a good pass down the right flank from Craig King in his stride. His pace left Dodds in his wake as he powered into the penalty area where he then flashed a low cross into the most dangerous of areas. The ball narrowly eluded Mason but was retrieved on the far side by Pickles who this time picked out Mason only for last seasons leading scorer to shoot wide. This narrow miss galvanised the belief of the visitors even more, & Wilkins especially realised that he had the beating of the opposition. Every time the striker collected the ball the home defenders were in two minds as whether to tackle or back off. If they retreated towards their penalty box Wilkins simply ran at them & although not always beating the markers he had now become the most influential player on the field.

With 15 minutes remaining the superb Dave Evans intercepted a Lindfield attack on yet another occasion. His simple pass to substitute Tom Ford allowed the 17 year-old to use his magic wand of a left foot to great effect as he picked out Mason. The experienced striker knew that Wilkins was running an acute channel & flicked the ball into his path. Wilkins sped past McDonald before drawing keeper Chapman who he then calmly went around to slide the ball into the net for a fantastic equalising goal.

Rotherfield did not try to protect this point but went for the winner with Wilkins firing a shot that flew narrowly wide after good work by Ben Holdway who had come on for Taylor in an unaccustomed central midfield role where he excelled.

Then with the last play of the match Lindfield forced a corner to test the resolve of the Rotherfield defence, but 17 year-old keeper Taylor punched the ball to safety when under severe pressure to receive the accolades from his teammates in a wonderful example of the camaraderie within the squad.

When the final whistle blew Rotherfield had won their first ever Premier Division point but more importantly for such a young side, they had given their more established opponents a real scare to boost their confidence.

There will be many more matches of this magnitude to play during the season & no doubt a series of disappointments but this result is certainly something to build on.

Squad: Taylor N.; King; Clibbens; Riley (capt); Evans; Hughes (Ford 63); Kemp; Taylor D. (Holdway 44); Hughes; Mason; Wilkins. Sub not used Davies.