Season 2001-02

65TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

After the abandonment of the previous year, the weather was kinder and the season was completed without the need for evening games. It was an unremarkable one as far as the playing records were concerned with both the first and second teams finishing comfortably in mid-table in their respective divisions while the third team struggled and ended bottom of the league. Disappointingly, two matches had to be called off as the club were unable to raise a side – the 2nd XI fixture at East Dean in the Sussex Junior Cup and a 3rd XI league game away to White Knight II.

The matches on Saturday, 9th March provided wins for all three sides for the first time in recent memory and more remarkably, each team won by the same 4-1 scoreline. The 1st team’s success was perhaps the most expected against Division One strugglers Heathfield Hotspurs. However, the second team’s win at the expense of Crowhurst, Division Five leaders at the time, was a major upset and the third team earned a creditable victory away to Wadhurst United III. The goal scorers were also of interest and spanned the generations with 16-year-old Peter Harris scoring his first two goals for the club in the third team win whilst for the first team, player manager Bob Baker showed the benefit of having an old head on 46-year-old shoulders by coming on as substitute and also netting.

1ST TEAM

The first team started the season well, winning the first three league games and being awarded the points for an unfulfilled fixture against Hampden Park Athletic. When they did lose, 4-0 to Ninfield United, they were again given the points as Ninfield fielded an ineligible player. The side were actually top of the table in November but a poor run of five defeats in six matches followed. They did return to the top in March after the 5-4 victory over eventual champions Heathfield United where substitute Bob Baker grabbed a late winner, but having played more games than all the other teams promotion was never really a possibility.

Inconsistency was a problem. As well as the victory over Heathfield United, runners-up Battle Rangers were also beaten at Icklesham, but several heavy defeats were suffered. The first team reached the semi-final of the Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup after their best performance of the season, a 5-1 win against Premier Division Rock-a-Nore. Karl Tarrant with 17 goals was top scorer.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
1/9/2001Punnetts TownAwayLeague5 – 2Karl Tarrant 3, Adam Bourne, Luther Sullivan
8/9/2001Willingdon Athletic IIHomeLeague5 – 1Simon Corke 3, Karl Tarrant 2
15/9/2001BodiamHomeHastings F A Junior Cup 1st Round0 – 2
29/9/2001SlinfoldHomeSussex Junior Cup 1st Round2 – 0Pete Gumbrell, Michael Beaumont
6/10/2001Heathfield HotspursHomeLeague5 – 3Tony Forster, Pete Gumbrell, Adam Bourne, Ryan Bull, Jim Taberman
20/10/2001Ninfield UnitedAwayLeague0 – 4
27/10/2001Cranbrook TownHomeLeague2 – 3Mike Beaumont, Adam Bourne
3/11/2001Battle RangersHomeLeague3 – 1Adam Bourne 2, Richard Brady
10/11/2001Hampden Park AthleticAwayLeague0 – 3
17/11/2001Heathfield UnitedHomeLeague2 – 2Karl Tarrant 2
1/12/2001Rock-a-NoreHomeRobertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup 1st Round5 – 1Richard Brady 3, Adam Bourne 2
8/12/2001TicehurstAwayLeague1 – 5Karl Tarrant
22/12/2001Battle RangersAwayLeague1 – 7Karl Tarrant
5/1/2002Willingdon AthleticHomeLeeford Place Challenge Cup 2nd Round2 – 4Simon Corke, Adam Bourne
12/1/2002Ninfield UnitedHomeLeague1 – 4Karl Tarrant
9/2/2002Willingdon Athletic IIAway<League0 – 3
16/2/2002TicehurstHomeLeague7 – 4Karl Tarrant 2, Richard Brady 2, Sean Baker, Karl Angell, Mark Taylor
9/3/2002Heathfield HotspursLeagueAway4 – 1Karl Tarrant 3, Bob Baker
16/3/2002Heathfield UnitedAwayLeague5 – 4Karl Tarrant 2, Mark Taylor, Mike Beaumont, Bob Baker
30/3/2002Punnetts TownAwayLeague1 – 2Mark Taylor
6/4/2002Cranbrook TownAwayLeague0 – 6
26/4/2002Hollington UnitedNeutral>Robertsbridge Charity Intermediate Cup Semi-Final0 – 4

2ND TEAM

The second team season was very similar to that of the first team with some outstanding performances interspersed with some decidedly mediocre ones and a halfway finish in the league. Scoring goals was not a problem with the side only failing to find the net in one match, but too many goals were also conceded and again like the 1st XI a number of losses by wide margins were sustained.

The highlights were the 4-1 away win in the first round of the Sussex Memorials Challenge Cup over Heathfield United II, the runaway winners of Division Four and a 2-1 victory in the next round against Mountfield United, also from Division Four. Disappointingly and summing up the season, the side failed to reach the semi-finals after losing 6-4 in the 3rd round to Peche Hill Select II, who finished bottom of Division Five.

The goals were evenly shared around with Paul Link leading scorer with 7 goals. Wayne Bumstead was 2nd XI Player’s Player of the Year with Sean Baker winning the Bert Glazier Cup.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
8/9/2001Peche Hill Select IIAwayLeague2 – 0Paul Milton, Sean Baker
22/9/2001White KnightAwayLeague2 – 4Sean Baker, Dave Harding
29/9/2001Ticehurst IIAwayLeague2 – 1Wayne Bumstead, Richard Brady
6/10/2001Little Common IIAwayLeague2 – 4Troy Whyborne 2
13/10/2001Chertsey Old Salesians IIIAwayA F A Junior Cup Preliminary Round2 – 4
20/10/2001HerstmonceuxHomeLeague6 – 3Steve Fuller 2, Troy Whyborne 2, Martin Tytherleigh, Sean Baker
27/10/2001Hillcrest IIAwayHastings F A Lower Divisions Cup 1st Round1 – 2Steve Fuller
10/11/2001Old HastoniansAwayRobertsbridge Charity Junior Cup 1st Round 2 – 7Tom Herrieven, Karl Angell
24/11/2001Old Centmodians IIHomeLeague1 – 1Karl Tarrant
8/12/2001CrowhurstHomeLeague2 – 7Troy Whyborne, Bob Baker
15/12/2001East Hoathly IIAwayLeague
6 – 2Luther Sullivan 2, Steve Baker 2, Martin Tytherleigh, Dave Harding
5/1/2002Old Centmodians IIAwayLeague0 – 4
12/1/2002Heathfield United IIAwaySussex Memorials Challenge Cup 1st Round4 – 1Wayne Bumstead, Paul Link, Tom Herrieven, Trevor Saunders
19/1/2002White KnightHomeLeague0 – 3
2/2/2002Victoria BaptistsHomeLeague4 – 0Paul Link 3, Paul Milton
16/2/2002Victoria BaptistsAwayLeague5 – 4
23/2/2002Mountfield UnitedHomeSussex Memorials Challenge Cup 2nd Round2 – 1Paul Link 2
2/3/2002Peche Hill Select IIHomeSussex Memorials Challenge Cup 3rd Round4 – 6Paul Link, Paul Milton, Sean Baker, Wayne Bumstead
9/3/2002CrowhurstAwayLeague4 – 1Steve Fuller 2, Tom Herrieven, Paul Milton
16/3/2002HerstmonceuxAwayLeague1 – 2Martin Tytherleigh
23/3/2002East Hoathly IIHomeLeague3 – 5Tom Herrieven 2, Sean Baker
6/4/2002Peche Hill Select IIHomeLeague5 – 5Tom Herrieven, Paul Milton, Gary Osborn, Trevor Saunders, Sean Baker
27/4/2002Little Common IIHomeLeague1 – 11Martin Ray

3RD TEAM

The season was a difficult one for the third XI who found themselves bottom of Division Seven. The season started brightly with a 1-0 win over Bohemia United but only two further league victories and one draw were gained.

In the second round of the JCF Jewellery Challenge Cup the side once more defeated Bohemia United, this time 3-2 on penalties after extra time, with Andrew Dunlop converting the decisive penalty. Michael Hambridge, Graham Payton and James Lock, who was voted 3rd XI Player’s Player of the Year, appeared in every match.

The third team was a young side that fought hard all season and never gave up trying.

3RD TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
15/9/2001Bohemia UnitedHomeLeague1 – 0Perrie Hart
22/9/2001Little Common IIIAwayLeague0 – 4
29/9/2001White Knight IIHomeLeague0 – 3
6/10/2001Hastings A P FAwayLeague0 – 4
13/10/2001Sedlescombe IIHomeLeague0 – 12
20/10/2001Bohemia UnitedAwayLeague1 – 2Paul Link
27/10/2011Herstmonceux IIHomeLeague5 – 1Stephen Crisford, Martin Ray, Perrie Hart, Paul Link, Peter Wilson
3/11/2001Punnetts Town IIAwayLeague2 – 4Martin Tytherleigh, Gary Osborn
10/11/2001CatsfieldHomeLeague0 – 4
17/11/2001Sedlescombe IIAwayLeague0 – 3
24/11/2001Bohemia UnitedAwayJCF Jewellery Challenge Cup 2md Round1 – 1 *Martin Ray
1/12/2001Magham Down IIHomeLeague1 – 2Danny Juniper
8/12/2001Herstmonceux IIAwayLeague0 – 1
15/12/2001Punnetts Town IIHomeLeague1 – 3Steve Wood
22/12/2001Hastings A P FHomeLeague2 – 6Jon Fitton, Nick Bridger
12/1/2002Little Common IIIHomeLeague0 – 4
16/2/2002Sedlescombe IIHomeJCF Jewellery Challenge Cup 2md Round2 – 7Jon Reardon, Stephen Crisford
23/2/2002Wadhurst United IIIHomeLeague1 – 1Andrew Dunlop
2/3/2002CatsfieldAwayLeague0 – 4
9/3/2022Wadhurst United IIIAwayLeague4 – 1Peter Harris 2, Jon Reardon, Chris Whitfield
23/3/2002Magham Down IIAwayLeague1 – 3Peter Harris

VETERANS

The veterans showed improvement on recent seasons but still failed to progress from the group stage. A 3-1 defeat to Westfield, the eventual winners of the competition, in the opening game proved to be costly. Victories in the next two matches, 5-2 over Peche Hill Select and 5-0 against Robertsbridge United were not enough to qualify for the final.

VETERANS PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
5/9/2001Westfield VeteransAwayHastings F A Veterans Cup1 – 3Martin Tytherleigh
12/9/2001Peche Hill Select VeteransHomeHastings F A Veterans Cup5 – 2Martin Tytherleigh 2, Mark Mills 2, Bob Baker
19/9/2001Robertsbridge United VeteransHomeHastings F A Veterans Cup5 – 0Bob Baker 2, Pete Gumbrell, Martin Tytherleigh

SEASON AWARDS

GENERAL MATTERS

The club were extremely appreciative once more of Rush, Witt and Wilson who generously provided the sum of £843 in sponsorship which allowed the purchase of two new kits.

Towards the end of the season, consideration was given to arrangements for the following year as Bob Baker had informed the club that he was unable to continue as first team manager. Being unable to find anyone prepared to manage a side in the higher reaches of the East Sussex Football League, the dropping the 1st XI and a reduction from three teams to two became a serious possibility. An advertisement for a 1st team manager had been placed in the local press but had not attracted any interest.

The Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday, 19th June 2002.

CLUB OFFICIALS