Season 1948-49

12TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The twelfth season of the Club, that of 1948-49, was an interesting one, though not very successful from the point of view of match results.

1ST TEAM

The first team finished in ninth position out of fourteen teams in the Hastings League Division One, with a playing record rather inferior to that of the previous year. They were knocked out of the Hastings Junior and Sussex Junior Cups in the second round and lost at the first attempt in the Rye Charity Cup. The overall league record showed twenty-six games played, nine wins, two draws, fifteen defeats and twenty points gained, but it is interesting to compare a very unsuccessful first half of the season with one win, one draw and eleven defeats in thirteen matches with the second half where eight wins and a draw were achieved with just four defeats.

The improvement came about without any plunge into the local transfer market, and the recovery of form of the regular players together with the promotion of Frank Baker and Michael Wood from the second team, turned the tide. Great credit was due to the side and to Alf Holdstock as captain, for their good spirit during the long and depressing bad patch. Frank Baker (23 goals) was leading goal-scorer followed by Alf Holdstock (17) and Charlie Ades (14).

John Archer had the misfortune to break a leg in the match with Hastings and St Leonards on the top pitch at the Pilot Field in January. Bob Burnett played for Sussex against Surrey and Kent in the Southern Counties Junior Championship, and for English Universities versus Scottish Universities at Chesterfield, as well as for the Hastings Football Association against the Brighton Football Association at Crawley.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
11/9/1948Old CentmodiansAwayFriendly1 – 1Frank Baker
18/9/1948Hollington United IIAwayLeague1 – 4Fred Tritton
25/9/1948TicehurstHomeSussex Junior Cup Preliminary Round4 – 2Alf Holdstock 2, John Archer, Gordon Hickman
9/10/1948Hastings and St LeonardsHomeSussex Junior Cup 1st Round3 – 4 *Alf Holdstock 2, Gordon Hickman
16/10/1948Hastings and St LeonardsHomeSussex Junior Cup 1st Round Replay2 – 3 ^Peter Gutsell, George Roberts
23/10/1948WestfieldAwayLeague1 – 1Alf Holdstock
30/10/1948WhatlingtonHomeHastings F A Junior Cup 1st Round4 – 0Alf Holdstock 3, Harry Kennard
6/11/1948Red Lake RangersHomeLeague7 – 2Alf Holdstock 4, John Archer, Harry Kennard, Frank Baker
13/11/1948Bexhill Athletic IIAwayLeague0 – 4
20/11/1948Rye United IIAwayLeague0 – 2
27/11/1948Hastings Rangers IIAwayLeague2 – 7Frank Baker 2
4/12/1948Sedlescombe UnitedHomeLeague1 – 3Frank Baker
11/12/1948Civil ServiceHomeHastings F A Junior Cup 2nd Round2 – 2John Archer, Peter Shearer
18/12/1948Civil ServiceAwayHastings F A Junior Cup 2nd Round Replay0 – 10
27/12/1948Ore UnitedHomeLeague0 – 5
1/1/1949Hastings Rangers IIHomeLeague1 – 2John Howell
8/1/1949Civil ServiceAwayLeague0 – 12
22/1/1949Hastings and St LeonardsAwayLeague2 – 7Charlie Ades, John Howell
29/1/1949Red Lake RangersAwayLeague2 – 7Cyril Rich, Charlie Ades
5/2/1949Rye United IIHomeLeague0 – 4
12/2/1949Hastings and St LeonardsHomeLeague4 – 2Charlie Ades, Alf Holdstock, Frank Baker, Gordon Hickman
19/2/1949WestfieldHomeLeague0 – 3
26/2/1949Bexhill Athletic IIHomeLeague6 – 0Charlie Ades 3, Oliver Campbell, Frank Baker, John Howell
5/3/1949Robertsbridge UnitedAwayLeague6 – 2Frank Baker 4, Charlie Ades 2
12/3/1949Hollington United IIHomeLeague2 – 2Charlie Ades, John Howell (pen)
19/3/1949Sedlescombe UnitedAwayLeague7 – 3Frank Baker 3, John Howell 3, Alf Holdstock
26/3/1949Civil ServiceHomeLeague2 – 3Frank Baker, Peter Shearer
2/4/1949Little CommonAwayLeague3 – 0Alf Holdstock, Oliver Campbell, Frank Baker
5/4/1949Rock-a-NoreHomeRye Charity Cup 2nd Round2 – 4Frank Baker, Gordon Hickman
9/4/1949Robertsbridge UnitedHomeLeague4 – 3Charlie Ades 2, Frank Baker 2
16/4/1949Sidley United IIHomeLeague0 – 2
18/4/1949Little CommonHomeLeague5 – 0Charlie Ades 2, Frank Baker 2, Alf Holdstock
28/4/1949Ore UnitedAwayLeague3 – 8Alf Holdstock, Frank Baker, Gordon Hickman
6/5/1949Sidley United IIAwayLeague2 – 1Charlie Ades, Frank Baker

2ND TEAM

The second team had a better season in Division Three of the Hastings League and also competed in the Robertsbridge Charity Cup where they lost to Winchelsea in the first round. This was the first cup match the side had played. In the league the team finished seventh out of fifteen clubs gaining twenty-nine points from twenty-eight games, with twelve wins, five draws and eleven defeats. Leading scorers were Harry Fellows (19 goals), Cyril Jeffery (16), Cyril Rich (13) and Jack Brown (11).

Almost all the regular 2nd XI players had one or more games for the 1st XI during the year. In general, the second team lived up to the Club’s reputation for clean play, but there were a few games spoilt by dissent, with the frequent absence of official referees in Division Three a contributory cause. Bill Jeffery, as captain, set an excellent example and Andy Dunlop again acted as team manager and reserve-to-travel.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
11/9/1948WinchelseaAwayFriendly1 – 9Bill Jeffery
18/9/1948UdimoreAwayFriendly3 – 5Frank Baker 2, Harold Field
25/9/1948WhatlingtonAwayLeague3 – 2Cyril Jeffery 2, Cyril Rich
2/10/1948Westfield IIHomeLeague2 – 2Cyril Jeffery, Oliver Campbell
9/10/1948Sedlescombe United IIAwayLeague3 – 1Cyril Jeffery 2, Cyril Rich
16/10/1948Brede IIAwayLeague4 – 4Bill Jeffery 2, Cyril Jeffery, Cyril Rich
23/10/1948Civil Service IIHomeLeague1 – 1Cyril Rich
30/10/1948East Guldeford IIAwayLeague6 – 3Cyril Rich 3, Albert Cane, Cyril Jeffery, Bill Betts
6/11/1948Old Centmodians IIAwayLeague5 – 3Jimmy Jury, Cyril Jeffery, Cyril Rich, Oliver Campbell, Fred Tritton (pen)
13/11/1948BeckleyHomeLeague2 – 3Cyril Jeffery, Fred Tritton
20/11/1948Battle Rangers IIHomeLeague0 – 2
27/11/1948Brede IIHomeLeague0 – 0
11/12/1948WinchelseaAwayRobertsbridge Charity Cup 1st Round0 – 2
18/12/1948Bexhill Athletic IIIAwayLeague1 – 9Fred Tritton
27/12/1948Old Centmodians MinorsAwayFriendly8 – 2Harry Fellows 6, Fred Tritton, Harold Field
8/1/1949Bexhill Athletic IIIHomeLeague2 – 3Jack Brown, Cyril Jeffery
15/1/1949UdimoreHomeLeague5 – 3Harry Fellows 3, Jack Brown, Cyril Rich
29/1/1949Sedlescombe United IIHomeLeague7 – 3Cyril Jeffery 3, Harry Fellows 2, Fred Tritton, Bill Jeffery
5/2/1949Ukranian RangersAwayFriendly0 – 11
12/2/1949Civil Service IIAwayLeague2 – 7Cyril Jeffery, Harry Fellows
19/2/1949Westfield IIAwayLeague6 – 5Harry Fellows 2, Oliver Campbell 2, Cyril Rich, Fred Tritton (pen)
26/2/1949UdimoreAwayLeague3 – 4Bill Jeffery 2, Harry Fellows
5/3/1949Robertsbridge United IIHomeLeague4 – 1Cyril Jeffery 2, Harry Fellows, Cyril Rich
12/3/1949CatsfieldAwayLeague1 – 4
19/3/1949WhatlingtonHomeLeague2 – 3Jack Brown 2, Oliver Campbell
26/3/1949BeckleyAwayLeague1 – 3Harry Fellows
2/4/1949Northiam IIHomeLeague5 – 2Jack Brown 3, Cyril Rich 2
9/4/1949Robertsbridge United IIAwayLeague1 – 4Harry Fellows
16/4/1949Northiam IIAwayLeague2 – 1Jack Brown, Harry Fellows
18/4/1949CatsfieldHomeLeague2 – 0Jack Brown, Charlie Ades
23/4/1949Old Centmodians IIHomeLeague0 – 3
30/4/1949Battle Rangers IIAwayLeague0 – 7
5/5/1949East Guldeford IIHome<League2 – 2Jack Brown

3RD TEAM

The third team again functioned for a number of friendly games with home matches being on the Church Field, Icklesham. Owing to the failure of players to turn up, some of these were played with scratch or shared teams and these matches have been omitted from Club records due to being unofficial or unrepresentative. Great credit was due to David French for his untiring work in connection with the 3rd XI, despite a number of discouragements.

3RD TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
16/10/1948Rye Modern School IIAwayFriendly3 – 3Peter Wood 2, David French
6/11/1948Old Centmodians IIIHomeFriendly2 – 6John O’Neill, Nigel Parry
13/11/1948Hollington Old Church Boys ClubHomeFriendly0 – 20
20/11/1948Brede IIIHomeFriendly7 – 6Gilbert Jeffery 2, Nigel Parry 2, David French 2, Bernard Jeffery
27/11/1948Udimore MinorsHomeFriendly8 – 4David French 4, Charlie Ades 3, Nigel Parry
4/12/1948Brede IIIHomeFriendly4 – 1Cyril Jeffery 2, David French, George Noakes
15/1/1949John Farrow’s XIAwayFriendly2 – 1
22/1/1949Catsfield IIHomeFriendly10 – 0Bernard Jeffery 3, Cyril Jeffery 2, George Noakes 2, J Pain 2, Peter Wood
29/1/1949Rye Modern School ‘A’AwayFriendly2 – 2George Noakes, Nigel Parry
19/2/1949West Hill Youth ClubHomeFriendly2 – 10C Prew, Gilbert Jeffery

MINOR TEAM

The minor team played one game in the Hastings Youth Cup against Hollington Methodist Youth Centre which they lost 3-2.

MINOR TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
18/12/1948Hollington Methodist Youth CentreAwayHastings F A Youth Cup 1st Round2 – 3George Noakes 2

GENERAL MATTERS

At the end of the season, Fred Tritton, a Club member for several seasons, took a job in Clacton, while Peter Bryant and Peter Gutsell joined the R A F and Oliver Campbell was about to join the Army.

By arrangement with Icklesham Cricket Club, the cricket pavilion was again hired as changing rooms and this worked very well. The marking-out was better shared out than in any other previous season, but the first team were very careless in failing to help take down the nets after matches.

During the season, George Roberts resigned his position as treasurer, and at very short notice, Jack Benge agreed to take over. The thanks of the Club were due to them both. The larger number of league and cup games entailed higher expenditure for referees and travelling expenses and the Club was grateful to those who gave generous and practical help with transport. Owing to the lateness of the harvest season, it was not practicable to organise any very useful pre-season practice.

The Annual General Meeting was held at the Queen’s Head, Icklesham on Thursday, 28th July 1949 at 8 pm.

CLUB OFFICIALS