Season 1955-56

19TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The nineteenth season was a difficult one but there were some good games and the young players gained valuable experience.

1ST TEAM

The first team had their best run to date in the Sussex Junior Cup, beating three good sides before losing away to Eastbourne Electricity. Poor shooting spoilt the league record – fewer goals were conceded than by the League Champions – but only the bottom two teams scored less. The 1st XI suffered a great misfortune when Alf Holdstock, the captain, broke an ankle in November and did not play again during the season. Other senior members led the side with determination, notably Tony Gibson and Frank Baker, but the team never looked quite so well balanced again.

Cyril Jeffery played in all but one of the twenty-nine matches and John Parsons (27), Dick Crisford and Fred Swaine (25 each) and Frank Baker (24) all appeared regularly. Arthur Watkins led the goal scorers with 21 goals, including eight in the 11-0 Hastings Junior Cup win away to Northiam. Arthur missed the 1st team’s victory at Robertsbridge in the 3rd round of the Sussex Junior Cup as he was being sworn in as a policeman in Hastings and then a further four months of the season whilst attending Police Training College. Frank Baker also netted on 13 occasions.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
10/9/1955Battle Rangers IIAwayFriendly0 – 1
17/9/1955WestfieldHomeFriendly6 – 3Cyril Jeffery 3, Arthur Watkins 2, George Noakes
24/9/1955Robertsbridge UnitedAwayLeague3 – 3Arthur Watkins 2, Alf Holdstock (pen)
1/10/1955Sidley United IIHomeSussex Junior Cup 1st Round6 – 2John Parsons 2, David French, George Noakes, Arthur Watkins, Cyril Jeffery
8/10/1955SandhurstAwayLeague3 – 2Alan Turner 2, George Noakes
15/10/1955Battle Rangers IIAwaySussex Junior Cup 2nd Round2 – 1Arthur Watkins, John Parsons
22/10/1955Etchingham UnitedHomeRobertsbridge Charity Cup 1st Round5 – 1Arthur Watkins 2, Frank Baker, Own Goals 2
29/10/1955Cross-in-HandAwayLeague1 – 1Arthur Watkins
5/11/1955NorthiamAwayHastings F A Junior Cup 1st Round11 – 0Arthur Watkins 8, Denis Care, Tony Gibson, John Parsons
12/11/1955Robertsbridge UnitedAwaySussex Junior Cup 3rd Round1 – 0Frank Baker
19/11/1955Battle Rangers IIHomeLeague0 – 2
26/11/1955Observer AthleticAwayLeague2 – 2Arthur Watkins 2
3/12/1955Eastbourne ElectricityAwaySussex Junior Cup 3rd Round1 – 4Frank Baker
10/12/1955Corbens SportsAwayHastings F A Junior Cup 2nd Round2 – 3John Dunk, Frank Baker
27/12/1955Rye United XIAwayFriendly2 – 6John Dunk, Alan Turner
31/12/1955Observer AthleticHomeLeague10 – 3Frank Baker 3, Trevor Vince 2, Alan Turner 2, Ron Barden, Own Goals 2
7/1/1956WestfieldAwayLeague1 – 3John Dunk
14/1/1956MountfieldHomeRobertsbridge Charity Cup 2nd Round1 – 3Alan Turner
21/1/1956Little CommonHomeLeague2 – 0Frank Baker, Trevor Vince
28/1/1956Hollington United IIAwayLeague2 – 3Arthur Ades 2
25/2/1956Old CentmodiansAwayLeague2 – 2John Dunk 2
10/3/1956Hollington United IIHomeLeague1 – 1George Noakes
17/3/1956Robertsbridge UnitedHomeLeague0 – 4
31/3/1956WestfieldHomeLeague0 – 3
7/4/1956Cross-in-HandHomeLeague4 – 2Frank Baker 2, John Dunk, Cyril Jeffery
14/4/1956Little CommonAwayLeague8 – 0Ron Barden 2, Arthur Watkins 2, Cyril Jeffery, Trevor Vince, Frank Baker, Own Goal
21/4/1956Battle Rangers IIAwayLeague0 – 2
28/4/1956Old CentmodiansHomeLeague3 – 1Cyril Jeffery, Arthur Ades, Cyril Rich
3/5/1956SandhurstHomeLeague3 – 0Frank Baker 2, John Parsons

2ND TEAM

In a difficult year, the second team were hit hard by the call-up of Alwyn David, John Turner and L Neville during the season and of Bryan Butler near the end. As with the first team, bad shooting cost several games where a win or draw might easily have resulted. Eric Hollingsworth missed just one game and Denis Swaine (22) and Cyril Rich (20) also turned out most weeks. Cyril Rich was top scorer with 15 goals and Alwyn David contributed 14.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
17/9/1955Observer Athletic IIAwayFriendly5 – 6Alwyn David 3, L Neville, Des Burrett
24/9/1955Robertson Street Young People’s SocietyHomeFriendly3 – 8Alwyn David, Cyril Rich, Arthur Ades
1/10/1955TicehurstAwayLeague2 – 5Arthur Ades (pen), Alwyn David
8/10/1955MountfieldHomeLeague0 – 6
15/10/1955NorthiamAwayLeague3 – 6Alwyn David, Arthur Ades, Cyril Rich
22/10/1955Hastings TownAwayLeague2 – 7Cyril Rich 2
29/10/1955MountfieldAwayLeague0 – 12
5/11/1955Silverton RangersAwayLeague4 – 1Alwyn David 2, Cyril Rich 2
12/11/1955Battle Rangers IIIHomeLeague6 – 4Alwyn David 3, Cyril Rich, Bob Rich, Arthur Ades
19/11/1955Battle Rangers IIIAwayLeague2 – 3Alwyn David 2
26/11/1955Sedlescombe UnitedAwayLeague0 – 3
3/12/1955BredeAwayFriendly4 – 8Alwyn David, John Dunk A N Other 2
27/12/1955Robertson Street Young People’s SocietyAwayLeague2 – 4Eric Hollingsworth 2
31/12/1955Guldeford Old BoysAwayFriendly3 – 2Arthur Ades 2, Arthur Baker
7/1/1956Battle Rangers IIIHomeHastings League Lower Divisions Cup 1st Round4 – 1Cyril Rich 3, Arthur Ades
28/1/1956Punnetts Town IIAwayLeague2 – 4Bob Rich, Cyril Rich
3/3/1956BodiamAwayHastings League Lower Divisions Cup 2nd Round5 – 7C Buttin 2, Cyril Rich, Tony Gibson, Bob Rich
17/3/1956Punnetts Town IIAwayLeague1 – 5C Buttin
24/3/1956Robertson Street Young People’s SocietyHomeLeague1 – 2Cyril Jeffery
2/4/1956NorthiamHomeLeague6 – 1Cyril Rich 3, Trevor Vince 2, Arthur Baker
7/4/1956Heathfield United IIHomeLeague2 – 0Derrick Pope 2
14/4/1956Silverton RangersHomeLeague1 – 2Bob Rich
21/4/1956TicehurstHomeLeague1 – 2Bernard Jeffery
28/4/1956Heathfield United IIAwayLeague1 – 5Ron Barden
2/5/1956Sedlescombe UnitedHomeLeague0 – 7

3RD TEAM

A 3rd team played two friendly matches suffering heavy defeats in both games.

3RD TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
15/10/1955Rye MinorsHomeFriendly1 – 7Chris Larkin
10/3/1956St Thomas Sports ClubAwayFriendly1 – 11Bert Glazier

MINOR TEAM

The Minor XI story was a disheartening one in 1955-56 because the withdrawal of almost all the weaker teams from the Youth League left the team with unreasonably strong opposition. Captained with determination and good humour by Peter Stone and managed by Bert Glazier, the side maintained the good name of the Club, and by the end of the season held a very strong Round Table Boys Club team to 3-0 – only 1-0 a few minutes from time. Given a better organised league, the Club had young players who would hopefully do well in the future. Peter Stone was selected to play for Sussex Minors ‘B’ but snow prevented him from showing his skills in goal.

MINOR TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
24/9/1955Round Table Boys ClubAwayFriendly3 – 11D Turner 2, Chris Larkin
8/10/1955St Thomas Sports ClubAwayFriendly1 – 5Chris Larkin
22/10/1955Collington MinorsAwayLeague0 – 5
29/10/1955Round Table Boys ClubHomeLeague0 – 7
5/11/1955Bexhill Town Athletic MinorsHomeLeague0 – 8
19/11/1955St Leonards MinorsAwayLeague0 – 10
26/11/1955St Leonards MinorsHomeLeague0 – 10
3/12/1955Army Cadet Force ‘B’HomeLeague0 – 6
24/12/1955Rye United MinorsHomeLeague1 – 7Chris Larkin
7/1/1956Army Cadet Force ‘A’AwayLeague0 – 17
3/3/1956Round Table Boys ClubHomeHastings F A Youth Cup 1st Round1 – 7R MacDonald
31/3/1956Army Cadet Force ‘B’AwayLeague4 – 5R MacDonald 2, Allan Pope, John Clarke
2/4/1956Bexhill Town Athletic MinorsAwayLeague0 – 8
14/4/1956St Thomas Sports ClubAwayLeague0 – 8 #
21/4/1956Collington MinorsHomeLeague3 – 7Chris Larkin 2, M Cutting
24/4/1956Round Table Boys ClubAwayLeague0 – 3
28/4/1956Army Cadet Force ‘A’HomeLeague4 – 0Chris Larkin, Allan Pope, M Cutting, Colin Relf
1/5/1956Rye United MinorsAwayLeague2 – 3Colin Relf, Des Burrett (pen)

GENERAL MATTERS

Off the field, dances were held at Winchelsea and Pett Level and a whist drive at Guestling.

The Annual General Meeting was held at the Robin Hood Inn, Icklesham on Thursday 26th July 1956 at 8 pm.

CLUB OFFICIALS