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Third Team Match Reports
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Rydon Group - Main Sponsors of East Grinstead Town F.C.
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Click Here for the 2005/2006 season match reports!
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| :: East Grinstead Town III 1, Keymer & Hassocks 1 (East Grinstead won 4-2 on penalties) :: |
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CONGRATULATIONS to the third XI who became the first Grinstead side to win a Mid Sussex League trophy for over ten years when they held their nerve in a penalty shoot-out to lift the Stubbins Cup at Hassocks FC.
Because of suspension, manager Ian Nicholls had to convey his instructions to the bench by mobile phone and Ian and the coachload of Grinstead supporters must have feared the worst when Keymer, who are second in the league, opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Rafferty's volley from the edge of the box found the top corner.
The concession of that goal seemed to spur Grinstead on, however, and both Lewis Richards and Zac Curtis hit the woodwork before the equaliser came seconds before half-time. Colin Day's cross eluded the Keymer fullback and found Matt Garrett who cut inside from the right before finding the bottom corner with a powerful, low shot.
The second half saw a succession of wasted chances from Grinstead despite some excellent work by the attacking quartet of Garrett, Dean Coomber, Rory Trenholme and Ronnie Nicholson.
The game went into extra time and on 104 minutes Grinstead looked as if they might pay for their missed chances when Keymer were awarded a penalty, but Alex Over came to his side's rescue with a wonderful one-handed save.
Moments later Wasps were down to ten men when midfielder David Major was sent off for a tackle which although mis-timed was certainly not malicious.
Neither side could force a winner which meant penalties and here Grinstead kept their nerve.
Over made another save and Keymer hit the bar with their second spot-kick. And although Wasps missed their third effort, Olly Lockhead and Trenholme converted theirs to bring the trophy back to East Court.
Grinstead: Over, Day, Snape, J. Smith, C. Smith, Curtis, Major, Pollard, Coomber, Richards, Garrett. Subs: Nicholson, Trenholme, Lochhead, Labao, Willsher
Man of the match: Matt Garrett
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| :: Uckfield Town III 3, East Grinstead Town III 4 :: |
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With manager Ian Nicholls serving the last week of a month long club ban, assistant managers Roger Smith and Alex Over took charge at the Victoria Pleasure Ground as Waspsm faced Uckfield Town in the emi final of the Stubbins cup.
With Uckfield fielding a much changed side consisting of players from their first and second teams, Grinstead were up against it from the start.
Uckfield took the lead within the first seven minutes from a corner after a spell of early pressure.
Uckfield the scored their second from the penalty spot after Colin Day was adjudged to have brought down the Uckfield forward.
It wasn't until the 35th minute that Grinstead finally got into their stride when Zack Curtis was set free down the left after some neat football and his shot found its way into the net after an error from the Uckfield keeper.
Going into half-time in touch with their opponents, matched perfectly into the managements game plan and the instruction was given by Roger Smith to switch from a 5-3-2 formation to a more attacking 4-4-2 allowing Man of the Match Dean Coomber and the lively Zack Curtis freedom down either flank.
The change in tempo and formation worked almost immediately as Uckfield withstood wave after wave of attack from a rampant East Grinstead Town.
The back four of Rory Trenholme, Chris Smith, Dan Snape and Colin Day were rarely troubled and with Dave Major and Tom Pollard dominating the midfield, East Grinstead's front four ran riot.
The equaliser came from a corner swung in by Ronnie Nicholson when Chris Smith showed great athleticism at the far post to volley home the rebound from his own saved header. Shortly after, Major played a 40 yard pass to Coomber who glided past his man before delivering a perfect cross to Nicholson who powered a great header back across the keeper into the top corner.
Substitutes Alex Thompson and Lewis Richards were introduced soon after and Richards raced clear to seemingly put the result beyond doubt with his first touch after good work from Thompson and Major.
This should of seen East Grinstead through but with 20 minutes to play Trenholme was dismissed after a second yellow card and Uckfield began to dominate for the first time in the half. The team was quickly re-shuffled with Pollard dragged into right back and Matt Garrett transferring his great work rate from upfront into midfield. Within minutes, however, Uckfield grabbed a third goal after a slip from Town keeper Alex Over.
For the last 15 minutes Town withstood constant pressure but with Substitute Olli Lockhead brilliant in midfield and the back four defending for their lives they just held on.
Team: Over, Day ( Thompson 68 ), Smith, Snape, Trenholme, Curtis, Pollard, Major, Coomber, Nicholson ( Richards 68 ), Garrett ( Lockhead 75 ); Unused Subs: W Loban , R Smith
Man of the Match : Dean Coomber
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| :: East Grinstead Town III 3, Maresfield Village 2 :: |
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With most of the current team unavailable for selection, stand in manager Roger Smith had to reshuffle the side and brought in a lot of youth players for this fixture.
For the majority of the first half Wasps had the upper hand and came close to scoring through a terrific ball in by Rory Trenholme only to see Dean Coomber narrowly missing the target. Then totally against the run of play Maresfield took the lead just before half time.
In the second half Wasps carried on where they left off and had most of the possession which paid off when veteran Bob Wallis chased down a lost cause ball and from an acute angle lofted the ball over the keeper.
Maresfield then piled on some pressure resulting in them taking the lead after keeper Alex Over pulled off a great save only to see their forward score off the rebound. Grinstead then put in a never give up attitude and played some great football with some great passing and movement on a bumpy pitch.
Wasps got their reward when the ball fell to youth striker David Knight just inside the box and he fired the ball into top corner giving the keeper no chance.
Maresfield were struggling all game to cope with the pace of Dean Coomber and Zac Curtis and it eventually paid off when Curtis put through new Brazilian signing Wallace Loban who went on to beat two players and then lifted the ball over the keeper making it 3-2.
Smith said: It was the best the side had played all season and the work rate from all the players was superb and the youth players were a credit to the club.
Man of the Match Dean Coomber
Team: Over, Agate-Wilson, Coomber, C.Smith, Hole, Lockhead, Curtis, Loban, Trenholme, Knight, Wallis Subs: Holah, R.Smith
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