Ringmer 4 Midhurst & Easebourne 2

03/11/07

Match Report by David Ruffles

 

The first half of this RUR Charity Cup Third Round match was more reminiscent of a pre-season friendly than a cup-tie. Ringmer took the lead in the sixth minute when Luke Gedling received a pass from Andy Hart and cut inside before unleashing a shot which the keeper failed to prevent crossing the line. From then on Ringmer dictated play by dominating the midfield with a controlled passing game but the Blues made little headway against a Midhurst defence of nine players behind the ball.

 

The visitors were reduced to rare excursions out of their own half invariably relying on a hopeful long ball which was easy for the Ringmer defence to defend. However, a rare lapse in concentration allowed Lewis Hamilton to collect a loose ball and run round keeper Joe Adams before stroking the ball inches wide of the far post. This warning served to alert home side to the danger of having just a single goal lead. A free kick from Joe Dryer was palmed away by Stuart Burt in the Midhurst goal and when the ball was returned into the box Steve Hunt was unlucky to see his header strike the top of the crossbar.

 

Danny McLaughlin had shot from thirty yards spilled by Burt down by the post before Mark Price burst into the box to score from close range. Midhurst should have pulled a goal back when Dan Bassil was allowed a free header but he could only put the ball against the cross bar.

 

However the complexion of the game was to change with two defensive errors in five minutes either side of half time. First a back pass from Steve Hunt appeared to pose no real threat until Adams made a complete mess of his clearance to gift Ryan Seacombe a simple tap into an empty net just before half time. Then Dan Bassil managed to get between Hunt and Adams as the trio chased down a loose ball on the edge of the Ringmer penalty area. Hunt managed to get his foot to the ball but he could only slide the ball into his own net to level the scores.

 

With Midhurst now alert to the possibility of winning the tie the game switched from end to end. However it was Ringmer who regained the initiative with the all important third goal when Luke Gedling managed to get his head to the ball under pressure from Burt and steered his header into the unguarded net with some thirty minutes left to play. Although Midhurst continued to attack in search on an equaliser the game was settled ten minutes from time when Joe Dryer cut in from the left and rounded the keeper before tapping the ball home from the narrowest of angles.

 

 

 

 

No	Players.Name....	Substitution ...,,	Goals	Remarks
1	Joe Adams	.	-	-
2	Andy Hart	Norbert Sule	.	.
3	Dan Evans	Nick Barden	.	.
4	Dave Soutar	.	.	.
5	Ryan MacMillan	.	.	(C)
6	Steve Hunt	.	.	.
7	Luke Gedling	.	2	06,58
8	Danny McLaughlin	.	.
9	Mark Whiteman	.	.	,
10	Joe Dryer	.	1	81
11	Mark Price	Jack Johnson	1	37
-	SUBSTITUTES	-	-	-
12	Miles Scerri	Not Used	.	.
14	Nick Barden	Used	.	.
15	Jack Johnson	Used	.	-
16	Norbert Sule	Used	.	-
17	Glen Matten	Not Used	.	.
.	.	.	.	.
Manager		Steve Johnson
Assistant Manager		Paul Thomsett
Sports Therapist		Ian Fairs
Referee		Paul Barratt
Assistant 1		Neal Saxton
Assistant 2		Dave Huggett
Attendance		49