Boars nearly cage Bears to register first win ... Horsham YMCA held by Stags

Broadbridge Heath 2 Roffey 2

SCFL premier

After the previous week’s 7-3 loss at Alfold, Roffey boss Jack Munday and his team had two midweek sessions to prepare for what was likely to be one of the toughest games of the season.

Roffey lined up with a new back four with Clyde Jacques and Damien Fortune flanked by Kaine Stephens and Joe Kirkham. Morgan Prill was pushed further forward to a more natural attacking role, Olly Brown joined Jamie Wanstall in the engine room and Kelvin Lucas started on the right. Tiago Andrade and George Cousins were up top.

From the start it was clear Roffey had a more secure shape about them and although the Bears had the lion’s share of possession for the first 20 minutes, they were mainly kept at arm’s length and Jasper Sheik had only one free kick to push away at full length.

Then Mason Doughty cut in and buried a fierce drive into the bottom corner.

Roffey started to push forward more and earned a couple of corners and it was 1-1 when Prill let fly with a rocket of a shot from over 25 yards out that flew into the top corner.

Roffey came out on the front foot in the second half. Fernandes replaced Brown and Prill, Lucas, Andrade and Cousins started to make the Bears defence look shaky. Andrade played Lucas in but he could only find the side netting. Prill nearly put Cousins in but a last-ditch tackle prevented the chance.

On 70 minutes a clever move saw Lucas in on goal and he finished clinically to put the Boars in front.

Every time Roffey broke away they looked dangerous but in the 85th minute that man Doughty found space in the box to blast past Sheik.

At 2-2 with little time remaining, Roffey could have parked the bus but the last few minutes were more like a basketball match with the attacks swinging from one end to the other.

There were mixed feelings in the away dressing room having come so close to three points away to a top team – but the Boars had shown they are capable of picking up plenty of points.

by SAM CHAPMAN

Horsham YMCA 1 Midhurst 1

SCFL premier

After taking the lead very early, Horsham YMCA entertained hopes of a home win, but in the end they had to be content to share the spoils with mid-table neighbours Midhurst & Easebourne.

A lovely football move got YM off to a perfect start, when, in the fourth minute Archie Goddard latched on to a great cross and whacked the ball into the net.

The visitors responded, putting YM under pressure, with keeper Aaron Jeal having to be at his best to pull off two saves from as many corners.

Then, just beyond the halfway mark, Midhurst equalised, Jordan Stallibrass breaking through on a solo run, the score remaining one each at the break.

YM made the early running in the second half, but Sekou Toure was off target from a corner, before a foray down the right came to nothing.

Yet it was Midhurst that looked likely to score when their captain, Harry Giles, was one to one against Jeal, but he let Horsham YMCA off the hook, blasting wide.

YM drew two saves from Josh Bird, followed by the sending-off of Hayden Neathey, reducing them to 10 men for the final quarter of an hour.

YM, though finished strongly with Goddard testing Bird, and Harry Law and Dean Lovegrove creaing chances but firing over, the final whistle sounding without further score.

On Saturday YM have a tough trip to high-flying Crawley Down Gatwick.

Reflecting on the Midhurst draw, YM Manager Dean Carden told the County Times: “It was another useful point, but if we could really click I’m sure we could move up the table.”

by MARTIN READ

JUNIOR FOOTBALL

Roffey Robins Atletico under-14s earned a 4-1 victory over Three Bridges.

Atletico, down to only 11 fit players performed with composure, class and confidence to secure the victory against robust opposition.

Defender Ben Cann put in an assured performance on his debut alongside the experienced Romario Moratalla.

Dan Campbell and Michael Gomes controlling midfield for Atletico. Aaron Woodhams on the left wing pulled the strings for Atletico, getting an early assist with a cross that Luca Harris converted.

Later he crossed for Harley Quy to dummy, allowing Joshua Bellamy to double Atletico’s lead.

Three Bridges made full-backs Henry Dinsdale and Will Anderson defend stoutly. Three Bridges pulled a goal back but Atletico responded quickly as Woodhams received the ball, spotted the keeper off his line and produced a stunning finish to lob the keeper and restore the two-goal lead.

Keeper Theo Botevyle pulled off some fantastic saves but Atletico got a fourth when Moratalla played a delightful through ball to Harris who slotted the ball home for his second.

Manager Ricardo Moratalla said “I’m delighted for the boys. The weather has been so poor we haven’t played regular football since October. We were down to our bare bones but we played with resilience and confidence and fully deserved our victory.”