Steyning 2, Loxwood 3: Magpies need extra-time to edge past Town in RUR Cup

It took Loxwood extra-time to edge past division-lower Steyning Town in an entertaining RUR Cup game on Tuesday night.
SCFL Premier Division: Loxwood, Manager Mark Beard. Pic Steve Robards  SR1608278  12-03-16 SUS-160315-135017001SCFL Premier Division: Loxwood, Manager Mark Beard. Pic Steve Robards  SR1608278  12-03-16 SUS-160315-135017001
SCFL Premier Division: Loxwood, Manager Mark Beard. Pic Steve Robards SR1608278 12-03-16 SUS-160315-135017001

A 95th-minute Sam Beard goal completed a dramatic turnaround for the Magpies, who found themselves two-goals down to a Lewis Levoi brace after just 13 minutes.

It was a speedy start for an impressive Steyning and an equally slow one for Loxwood, who got themselves back into the game just before half-time as Clyde Jacques headed home.

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Substitute Byron Napper levelled on the hour mark and it could have gone either way in the 90 minutes, before an equally-even added period, but it was Loxwood that edge it to book a place in the third round.

Sussex League Football

Mile Oak v Steyning Town. 

Pictured is Steyning Town Manager, Gerry Murphy.

Reporter: Steve Bailey
Picture: Liz Pearce

20/08/2016

LP1600672 SUS-160820-222136008Sussex League Football

Mile Oak v Steyning Town. 

Pictured is Steyning Town Manager, Gerry Murphy.

Reporter: Steve Bailey
Picture: Liz Pearce

20/08/2016

LP1600672 SUS-160820-222136008
Sussex League Football Mile Oak v Steyning Town. Pictured is Steyning Town Manager, Gerry Murphy. Reporter: Steve Bailey Picture: Liz Pearce 20/08/2016 LP1600672 SUS-160820-222136008

The clash was switched to Plaistow Road with Steyning still undergoing work on their new 3G pitch at their Shooting Field home.

The Barrowmen led after just eight minutes as Shaun Skipper, who replaced Chad Milner in the starting line-up after he was injured pre-match, broke down the wing and cut back for Levoi. The forward finished into the top corner from 12 yards.

Just five minutes later, it was 2-0 as Eddie French miss-controlled the ball and Levoi raced in to win possession and lob over Harrison Hilfiker from range.

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Steyning bossed the opening stages, but Loxwood finally stirred midway through the half as Beard forced a parried save from Ben Rose as he fired one from range and the stopper got a crucial foot on a Mark Cave header at the far post in quick succession.

Debutant Yassin Raman then put over the bar under pressure as a Cave ball ran all the way across the box.

The signs were there and not heeded as Jacques pulled one back on 45 minutes as he stooped low and headed Beard’s free-kick home with a diving effort.

The Magpies had penalty appeals waved away as Rhyan Ramsey went down in the box at the start of the second half, while at the other end Hilfiker raced out to save at the feet of Steyning sub Kris Harding.

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Double substitutes Toby House and Napper started to cause problems and the latter got Loxwood level on the hour-mark.

It came from a goalmouth scramble in which Ash Elms had blocked a Ramsey shot and Rose had made a smart save, only for Napper to head in the loose ball.

Rose pulled off another save to deny Ramsey’s angled effort, but Town weren’t going to roll over. Russ Wadey’s early ball to Harding was the best of the their chances, but his first-time effort hit Hilfiker and dropped wide. Rob Clark also tested the stopper as full-time approached.

In the first half of added time, a Ramsey ball across the box was controlled by Beard and he poked home past defenders for the lead.

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In the second 15 minutes, Harding headed home from an offside position, while Wadey was inches away from forcing a leveller late on and Hilfiker pushed away a deflected effort as Loxwood held out.

Steyning: Rose, Hare, Elms, Webb, Wadey, Skipper (Moles 70), Dodd (Harding 49), Hartley, Knowles, Clark, Levoi (Puttock 93). Unused sub: Milner.

Loxwood: Hilfiker, Jacques, French, Scally, Atkinson, Raman (Bachelor 80), Haulkman (Napper 55), Beard, Ramsey, Wood, Cave (House 55). Unused subs: Colbran, Camp.

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