Season 1990-91

54TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The fifty-fourth season was a case of ‘could have been better’ for both the first and second teams with both putting in good performances against sides they may have been expected to lose to but dropping points to teams they should have beaten.

The 1st XI finished in sixth place for the East Sussex League Sportsmanship Trophy therefore maintaining the club’s sporting reputation.

1ST TEAM

The first team suffered from inconsistency. They would follow a good performance one week by a poor one the next and on several occasions it seemed to take a goal from the opposition for the side to wake up. On a positive note, the two victories against Wadhurst United would be remembered and also the draw against defending champions Rock-a-Nore where only a last minute penalty robbed the team of victory. The most disappointing aspect of the season was without doubt the 9-0 defeat at Tenterden when the side appeared simply to give up. The 1st team finished in eighth position in a league reduced to ten teams by the late withdrawal of two clubs before the start of the season.

The 1st XI had a good run to the semi-finals of the Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup where they again met Tenterden and a much improved display saw a narrow 3-2 defeat. The first round tie in the competition is worth a mention, not so much for the result of the game – a 2-1 win against Hastings Rangers – but for the scorers, Gavin Stace and David Mayne. Paul Milton, who was unable to play in the match, telephoned to find out the result and who got the goals. Who are the two players least likely to score, Paul was asked. His reply, ‘David Mayne and Bob Baker’!

It was good to see the return of Jon Fuller in goal after missing almost the whole of the previous two years through injury and also Steve Beale who played regularly in the last few months of the season. Gavin Stace was the first team Player of the Year for his consistent performances in defence and was the only player to appear in every game.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
1/9/1990MisfitsHomeFriendly0 – 3
4/9/1990Hastings PostalHomeFriendly1 – 5Christian Kipps
22/9/1990Hooe SportsHomeLeague2 – 1Mark Stace, Own Goal
29/9/1990FirehillsAwayLeague0 – 3
6/10/1990Shinewater AFCHomeLeague1 – 3Martin Tytherleigh
13/10/1990Inland Revenue IIAwayA F A Intermediate Cup Preliminary Round2 – 1Christian Kipps, Stuart Adams
20/10/1990Hawkhurst UnitedAwayLeague0 – 1
27/10/1990Rock-a-NoreAwayLeague3 – 3Christian Kipps 2, Bob Baker
3/11/1990Wadhurst UnitedAwayLeague3 – 1Christian Kipps, Martin Tytherleigh, Bob Baker
10/11/1990Old Salvatorians IIHomeA F A Intermediate Cup 1st Round0 – 1
17/11/1990FirehillsAwayHastings F A Intermediate Cup 2nd Round1 – 5Gavin Stace
24/11/1990Hooe SportsAwayLeague4 – 0Martin Tytherleigh 2, Hugh Sullivan, Bob Baker
1/12/1990Rock-a-NoreHomeEast Sussex League Challenge Cup 1st Round0 – 4
8/12/1990Hastings RangersAwayRobertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup 1st Round2 – 1Gavin Stace, David Mayne
15/12/1990Tenterden St MichaelsAwayLeague0 – 9
5/1/1990WestfieldAwayLeague2 – 2Derek French, Steve Fuller
19/1/1990Shinewater AFCHomeLeague0 – 2
26/1/1990BodiamAwayLeague1 – 3Own Goal
2/2/1990Hawkhurst UnitedHomeLeague3 – 2Bob Baker, Steve Fuller, Russell Drew
23/2/1990BodiamHomeLeague0 – 1
2/3/1990FirehillsHomeLeague2 – 4Mark Stace (pen), Russell Drew
9/3/1990Wadhurst UnitedHomeLeague5 – 1Bob Baker 2, Martin Tytherleigh, Steve Fuller, Paul Milton
16/3/1990WestfieldHomeLeague2 – 3Steve Fuller 2
23/3/1990Tenterden St MichaelsHomeLeague0 – 5
30/3/1990Rock-a-NoreHomeLeague2 – 4Steve Beale, Derek French
17/4/1991Robin HoodHomeFriendly2 – 1Russell Drew, Bob Baker
20/4/1991Wadhurst Toc HAwayRobertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup 2nd Round4 – 2Steve Fuller 2, Bob Baker, Own Goal
9/5/1991WestfieldHomeFriendly6 – 2Mike Beaumont 2, Martin Tytherleigh 2, Stuart Adams, Raj Rayan
14/5/1991Tenterden St MichaelsNeutral<Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup Semi-Final2 – 3Steve Beale, Bob Baker

NEWSPAPER REPORTS

2ND TEAM

The second team was probably the strongest for several years with a number of players emerging who it was hoped would be pressing for first team places before too long. The main problem, as with a number of seasons, was the inability to field a settled a side. The 2nd XI finished just below mid-table in Division Six of the East Sussex League, but this could have been several places higher had points not been dropped to teams below them. This was particularly disappointing as victories were deservedly gained against three of the top four sides – 4-3 at home to league champions, Fast Heat Sports, 2-1 away to runners-up, Redgrove and 3-0 at Travaux. The win at Redgrove was in fact the only points they dropped at home all season.

A marked improvement was shown on recent seasons with almost as many victories being gained as in the previous three years put together. Much credit for this went to Bill Black as team manager. The second team still appeared to have an inability to win cup matches.

Trevor Hoath top scored with 13 goals and Brian Spiers, a very reliable left-back, was a clear winner of the 2nd team Player of the Year Trophy, having just missed out the previous season. Matthew Hogan, who joined the club from Rye United at the beginning of the season, won the Bert Glazier Cup.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
29/8/1990The Junior Club Tackleway IIHomeFriendly1 – 3John Dudley
3/9/1990SilverhillHomeFriendly4 – 2Wayne Bumstead 3, Alex Carmichael
12/9/1990Robin HoodHomeFriendly3 – 1John Dudley 2, Trevor Hoath
22/9/1990Mountfield UnitedAwayFriendly1 – 5John Dudley (pen)
29/9/1990SedlescombeHomeLeague3 – 3Tony Whiteman, Nick Demeza, Trevor Hoath
6/10/1990East Hoathly IIAwayEast Sussex League Fred Eade Cup 1st Round1 – 3Trevor Hoath
13/10/1990Mayfield IIHomeLeague7 – 0Tony Demeza 3, Steve Pratt, Hugh Sullivan, Trevor Hoath, Own Goal
20/10/1990Herstmonceux IIIHomeHastings F A Lower Divisions Cup 1st Round0 – 2
27/10/1990Duncombe Sports IIIHomeA F A Junior Cup 1st Round0 – 2
3/11/1990Travaux IIHomeLeague2 – 6Tony Whiteman, Tony Demeza
10/11/1990Mountfield UnitedAwayRobertsbridge Charity Junior Cup 1st Round1 – 4Stephen Crisford
17/11/1990Hastings Rangers IIIHomeLeague2 – 3Tony Demeza, Own Goal
1/12/1990FrantAwayLeague1 – 4Tony Whiteman
8/12/1990Rock-a-Nore IIHomeHastings F A Junior Cup1 – 3Trevor Hoath
15/12/1990RedgroveHomeLeague2 – 6Warren Feist, Stephen Crisford
19/1/1991East Hoathly IIHomeLeague2 – 1Nick Oak 2
26/1/1991Hastings Rangers IIIAwayLeague0 – 4
2/2/1991Mayfield IIAwayLeague1 – 0Own Goal
2/3/1991Travaux IIAwayLeague3 – 0Trevor Hoath, Nick Oak, Chris Morrell
16/3/1991Ticehurst IIHomeLeague5 – 0Steve Fuller 2, Paul Milton, Nick Oak, Brian Spiers
23/3/1991FrantHomeLeague2 – 4Nick Oak 2
30/3/1991Ticehurst IIAwayLeague2 – 5Chris Law, Nick Oak
6/4/1991RedgroveAwayLeague2 – 1Bob Baker, Nick Oak
10/4/1991St VincentsHomeLeague1 – 2Trevor Hoath (pen)
13/4/1991Fast Heat SportsAwayLeague0 – 3
16/4/1991Seeboard (Hastings)AwayLeague0 – 1
20/4/1991BainbridgeAwayLeague2 – 1Trevor Hoath (pen), David Mayne
24/4/1991SedlescombeAwayLeague4 – 2Martin Tytherleigh, Trevor Hoath, Nick Oak, Christian Kipps
27/1/1991East Hoathly IIAwayLeague0 – 1
1/5/1991St VincentsAwayLeague1 – 3Martin Tytherleigh
4/5/1991Fast Heat SportsHomeLeague4 – 3Trevor Hoath 2, Brian Spiers, Paul Milton
10/5/1991Seeboard (Hastings)HomeLeague6 – 2Hugh Sullivan 2, Trevor Hoath 2 (1 pen), Brian Spiers, David Mayne
11/5/1991BainbridgeHomeLeague1 – 1John Dudley

VETERANS

High hopes were held this season for the veterans in the Hastings F A Veterans Cup with possibly the strongest ever veterans team being fielded.

Two semi-veterans friendlies were arranged in the hope of getting players fit for the cup games to follow. These were against the Robin Hood and the Junior Club Tackleway with both ending in draws. However, for the third successive season, the side were drawn against holders and winners for the previous four years, Rye United Veterans in the first round of the competition and perhaps showed them too much respect at the start of the match and it was not until the side were 2-0 down the they started to attack them, eventually losing 3-2, but not without giving Rye United one or two scares on the way. It was good to see Dave Coombes, who travelled all the way from the West Country to play in the game.

VETERANS PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
19/4/1991Rye United VeteransAwayHastings F A Veterans Cup 1st Round2 – 3Hugh Sullivan, Bob Baker (pen)

SEMI-VETERANS

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
3/4/1991Robin HoodHomeFriendly0 – 0
12/4/1991The Junior Club TacklewayHomeFriendly1 – 1Martin Tytherleigh

SEASON AWARDS

ICKLESHAM CASUALS SIX-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Saturday, 21st July 1990

The Six-a-Side Tournament was again organised at the summer fete and once more proved a success, helping to increase the amount raised by around £500 on the previous year.

Twelve teams again took part including two representing the club. Viking, winners in 1989, defended their title defeating Claverham 2-1 in the final.

BOUNDARIES

The club entered two teams in a new four-a-side indoor league set up at Boundaries on the Ridge in Hastings which involved a number of divisions with continuous league competitions run over a short period.

After playing a ‘grading match’ the 1st team were placed in Division Two which they won after losing only one game but found promotion to Division One a much harder proposition although the side were successful in the play-offs held at the end of the main competition.

A 2nd team was entered after the 1st team and found themselves in Division Six. They played two successful league competitions, finishing third and then winning the division. They then started a revamped event but with the organisers struggling financially the indoor league folded.

GENERAL MATTERS

The club was saddened by the death during the season of it’s president, Frank Crisford, who had been connected with Icklesham Casuals for over fifty years, being one of the founding members and club chairman from 1941-42 to 1971-72. Frank made 294 appearances for the club between 1937 and 1954, scoring 61 goals and played in goal when the first team won the Robertsbridge Charity Cup in the 1947-48 season, the first ever trophy won by the side. He would be greatly missed by all those who were associated with him.

Towards the end of the season, the club received a letter from the East Sussex League as the playing surface of the pitch had been reported by a referee as not conforming to the standard required for intermediate status. It was presumed that this related to the match against Rock-a Nore at the end of March when the ground was rutted following two games on a wet pitch the previous week. The pitch had since been rolled and the surface considerably improved. A letter was sent to the league requesting a re-inspection of the playing surface with advice of what work, if any now, was required to bring this up to the required level.

The end of season presentation evening was held at the Bexhill Leisure Centre and although this was fairly enjoyable, could have been better attended. This was partly due to the late choice of venue as the club were let down by the Fairlight Lodge Hotel, but the event was something that needed further consideration.

The club again took part in the Sedlescombe Six-a-Side Tournament with a squad of Norman Robbins, David Mayne, Clive Suggitt, Dave Harding, Ian Carter and Christian Kipps but did not progress past the group stage winning only one of three matches.

The Annual General Meeting was held in the pavilion at Icklesham Recreation Ground on Friday, 12th July at 8.15 pm.

CLUB OFFICIALS