East Grinstead Town Fourth XI reached the quarter finals of the Parsons Cup with a 1-0 away victory at Barcombe II.
On a sloping pitch the game was always going to be the cliched "game of two halves". With Grinstead playing downhill in the first half, they tended to dominate with man of the match Walsom winning the battles in midfield with his tenacious tackling along with the illustrious striker Fort making a brief return from University. However, despite having the majority of the play Grinstead could not find the net and it seemed that the deadlock would only be broken by something special. Indeed, that something special occured on 40 minutes when an overhead scissor kick effort from Seruwagi beat the despairing Barcombe keeper.
As expected, Grinstead had to defend resolutely in the second half with Chart, Cox, Pither and the father and son Willsher duo keeping Barcombe at bay. Goalkeeper Gary Willsher was asked to make some good saves as Barcombe sought the equaliser but it was not to be and Grinstead held on for the win and a quarter final meeting away at Rotherfield II on 13 March.
TEAM: Willsher G, Cox, Chart, Willsher A, Pither, Porter, Seruwagi, Walsom, Jones (Holah P 68mins), Garrett, Fort
Despite not playing to their usual high standard, East Grinstead Town IV comprehensively beat local rivals Ashurst Wood II in this cup encounter.
The game got off to a slow start with both sides playing tight and defending well with no real opportunities to score either end. However Fletcher set the Wasps on their way with a fine left food looping volley on the half hour and this opened the game up with Wood seeking the equaliser but to no avail as it was Grinstead that extended their lead on the stroke of half time when man of the match Ross Jones made it 2-0 with a firm left foot drive.
The early part of the second half belonged to Ashurst Wood with Wasps making many midfield and defensive errors. Wood were soon rewarded with their efforts when they beat the Wasps high line offside trap and put away a firm drive away from the despairing dive of Willsher. At 2-1 Wood sensed they could find the equaliser but moments later Wasps made it 3-1 when Garrett unleashed a thunderbolt volley from 25 yards.
Wasps began to settle as they now had regained the two goal advantage and looked likely to extend their lead further. Supersub James Bagley, who came on for Fletcher with 20 minutes remaining, did just that and grabbed a confidence-building brace. A consolation goal from Ashurst Wood, caused by a defensive error by Day to the annoyance of goalkeeper Willsher, made the final score 5-2. Town could have scored many more on the day if it was not for some superb saves from the Ashurst Wood keeper.
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN IV: Willsher, Cox, Pither, Day, Chart, Jones, King, Bean, Ray (Bagley 70) Garrett, Fletcher (Walsom 65)
Wasps extended their unbeaten run to seven games from seven played this season with this fine victory against Burgess Hill Albion III.
The visitors started brightly and their early pressure almost resulted in a goal with a long range effort beating Seruwagi but clattering the cross-bar. It was a handball in the Albion penalty area that settled Grinstead nerves and goalkeeper Seruwagi opted to take the penalty which he converted with a strike that sent the Albion keeper the wrong way. Fletcher made it 2-0 shortly after and Grinstead seemed to be in control but Albion pounced on a lapse in concentration minutes later to bring the defecit back to one and themselves back in the game. A free kick from man of the match Dan Cox made it 3-1 to Wasps on the stroke of half time to relieve some more pressure.
Grinstead withstood pressure once again in the second half with Albion having some good spells. Another defensive lapse allowed a cross to go unchallenged and Albion made it 3-2. However, this seemed to spur Grinstead on further and some good passing and movement off the ball culminated with Hewitt scoring his first goal for the team with a fine effort past the despairing dive of the Albion keeper.
4-2 the final score and Grinstead Fourth XI remain top of the table with six league wins and one draw from seven played.
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN IV: Seruwagi, Cox, Jones, Day (Porter,60) White, Walsom, King, Ray, Hewitt (Holah,65) Leslie, Fletcher (Bagley 70)
A brace from Matt Garrett and a goal from Jack Porter ensured that the Wasps Fourth XI lead the table with a 100% three league wins out of three with a victory against Willingdon Athletic III.
Despite two strikes hitting the Grinstead crossbar in the early stages, the Wasps confidence grew as the match wore on. The bone dry and uneven pitch surface did not suit Grinstead's style of play but a goal from Garrett before half-time calmed the nerves and his sublime volley in the second half began to put the outcome beyond doubt. However Willingdon continued to fight on and pulled a goal back with a well-taken volley with ten minutes to go but Porter reinstated the two goal margin with a simple tap in from a goalmouth scramble. East Grinstead take a rest now from league proceedings and entertain Horsted Keynes in the Parsons Cup at East Court Recreation Ground this Saturday.
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN IV: Seruwagi, Cox, Pither, Day, Irwin, Porter, King (Fletcher, 70), Holah G, Holah P, Garrett, Bagley (Ray, 60)
East Grinstead Town Fourth XI made sure it was two wins from two games with this deserved victory at East Court Recreation Ground.
They could not have asked for a better start when straight from the kick-off a flowing move eventually found striker Fort who cleverly hooked a shot past the despairing Hoathly keeper. Grinstead dominated the first half with goalkeeper Willsher barely involved but nevertheless the home side could not extend their lead until the stroke of half time when Cox's freekick on the edge of the penalty area seemed to fool everyone and found the net. 2-0 at half-time.
In the second half, Hoathly started brightly and Grinstead had to defend well to keep a clean sheet but a superb left foot and sweetly-struck power drive from Craig Pither mid-way through the second half made it 3-0 and put the match beyond doubt.
Two wins from two games and yet to concede, East Grinstead Town IV have made a good start to their campaign and are joint top of the league with Halsford Lions.
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN IV: Willsher, Cox, Pither, Day, Irwin, Porter (Bagley, 70), Walsom (Hewitt,70), Bean, Holah, Garrett (Leslie, 75), Fort
