Cup Wins

VETERANS

HASTINGS F A VETERANS INVITATION CUP WINNERS 2015-16

The Hastings F A Veterans Cup had a slightly different format in the 2015-16 season. With Icklesham Casuals Veterans having been the winners of the first competition run solely on a league basis throughout the season in 2014-15, in 2015-16 there was a group stage held early in the season with each team playing the other once with the top two teams qualifying for the final held at the Pilot Field in December.

The Veterans took ten points from the first four fixtures and despite suffering a defeat in the final group match this was enough to top the group on goal difference from Little Common Veterans. A very closely fought final saw the Veterans retain the trophy with a 2-1 victory.

The road to the final…..

GROUP STAGE

The Veterans kicked-off their defence of the Hastings F A Veterans Invitation Cup with an excellent 3-2 home victory against a Little Common Veterans side packed with current and former County League players.

It was Little Common who took the lead in the 6th minute when they broke away to score following an Icklesham free-kick but the Casuals were level a minute later as Karl Tarrant fired into the roof of the net from 20 yards. Icklesham went in front in the 10th minute when Sacha Patterson converted a penalty after he was fouled in the area following good work by Karl Tarrant and then increased their lead when Vernon Deller scored from close range in the 26th minute, after a centre from Mark Stace had been headed back across goal.

Little Common came on strongly in the second half and put the home side under considerable pressure with Wayne Partridge outstanding at the back for Icklesham but the Casuals also had chances to increase their lead on a number of occasions. Little Common reduced the arrears with four minutes remaining but Icklesham held on for the win.

VETERANS v LITTLE COMMON VETERANS Wednesday, 19th August 2015 Back row (left to right):- Robert Palmer, Mark Stace, Sacha Patterson, Dave Southall, Mark Taylor, Karl Tarrant, Wayne Partridge, Vernon Deller. Front row (left to right):- Nigel Sellman, Stuart Adams, Martin Tytherleigh, Roy McInnes, Mike Beaumont (captain), Steve Tytherleigh.

The following Wednesday saw a close match with a good Peche Hill Select Veterans side which resulted in a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Karl Tarrant netting the Icklesham goal.

The Veterans continued their promising start to the season’s Hastings F A Veterans Cup competition with a 7-1 home victory over the Junior Club Tackleway Veterans.

It was Tackleway who started the brighter but Icklesham took the lead in the 8th minute through Gavin Moor and Dave Southall doubled the advantage three minutes later, finding the roof of the net with a shot from wide on the left wing. Sacha Patterson made it 3-0 in the 24th minute following a bad error by the Tackleway keeper. Both sides continued to create chances and Tackleway deservedly reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time.

The opening period of the second half was fairly even until Karl Tarrant effectively made the game safe in the 48th minute superbly lobbing the opposing keeper from fully forty yards. Icklesham finished the game strongly with three goals in the final fifteen minutes. Karl Tarrant got his second of the match after 66 minutes, Vernon Deller netted the sixth in the 75th minute and two minutes from time Sacha Patterson headed in following good work by Steve Tytherleigh down the right.

The Veterans then defeated Sedlescombe Rangers Veterans 6-0 away on Wednesday, 9th September. Icklesham led 3-0 at the interval and doubled their advantage in the second period thanks to hat-tricks from forwards Karl Tarrant and Sacha Patterson. The team now had ten points from four matches played with one game to play in the group stage.

A disappointing performance in the final group game against a strong Bexhill United Veterans side saw the Veterans go down 3-1. The teams were level at the interval with Steve Tytherleigh scoring the Icklesham goal but Bexhill netted twice in the second period to win the game.

The Veterans had to wait for the results the remaining group matches to see if they had done enough to qualify for the final and it turned out that the ten points gained were sufficient to win the group on goal difference.

FINAL

VETERANS HASTINGS AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION VETERANS INVITATION CUP FINAL 2015-16 (Pre-match photograph) Back row (left to right):- Paul Sully, Nigel Sellman, Martin Tytherleigh, Vernon Deller, Mark Taylor, Karl Tarrant, Sacha Patterson, Stuart Adams. Front row (left to right):- Steve Tytherleigh, Pete Gumbrell, Mike Beaumont (captain), Roy McInnes, Gavin Moor, Mark Stace, Dave Southall.

The Veterans retained the Hastings F A Veterans Invitaion Cup by defeating Little Common Veterans 2-1 in a very close final at the Pilot Field on a Monday evening in December.

Icklesham began the game well and went ahead in the 12th minute when Little Common keeper Kevin Pratt spilled Gavin Moor’s shot and, after scramble in the area, Mark Taylor toe-poked the ball into the net.

Little Common gradually got on top, but good goalkeeping from Casuals keeper Roy McInnes, some solid defending, and a long range shot striking the crossbar meant the Veterans went in at the interval with their lead intact.

The second half saw Little Common pile on the pressure, creating a number of chances with Roy McInnes in the Icklesham goal continuing to be in inspired form, although the Casuals forward line of Sacha Patterson and Karl Tarrant were always dangerous on the break.

The constant pressure finally told with eight minutes remaining when a left foot shot from Duncan Jones found the bottom corner of the net.

With extra time looking on the cards, it was Icklesham who struck back four minutes later when Pete Gumbrell won the ball in midfield before driving forward and playing in Sacha Patterson on the left, who superbly lobbed past the keeper for the winner.

It was a battling all round team performance from Icklesham against a strong Little Common side that saw captain Mike Beaumont lift the trophy, with goalkeeper Roy McInnes awarded man of the match.

More Photographs from the Final

Cup Final Poster and Match Programme

The Trophy and Medal Presentation

VETERANS HASTINGS AND DISTRICT FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION VETERANS INVITATION CUP WINNERS 2015-16 Back row (left to right):- Sacha Patterson, Karl Tarrant, Mark Taylor, Paul Sully, Nigel Sellman, Vernon Deller, Stuart Adams, Dave Southall, Martin Tytherleigh. Front row (left to right):- Pete Gumbrell, Mark Stace, Mike Beaumont (captain), Roy McInnes, Steve Tytherleigh, Gavin Moor.