14/2. Report not available. United scorers: Sam White, Sam Henham, Mark West.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Sean Parker-Harding, 3 Jordan Yahya, 4 Martyn Durrant, 5 Lewis McGuigan, 6 Sam White, 7 Sam Henham, 8 Billy Craig, 9 Noel Martin, 10 Luke Newman, 11 Mark West. Subs used: Tom Matthews, Sam Barrett, Toby Carr.
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7/2. United returned to league action this morning for the first time since mid-December, with a visit from an Eastbourne Town side who had won seven of their eight league games to date. But despite the lengthy, Christmas and weather enforced lay-off, United produced a fine performance to take all three points and upset one of the title favourites. The U's started the game on the front foot, not letting the visitors settle, and with their quick and direct approach, the home side dominated the opening half an hour, creating several good chances. Noel Martin had a shot saved, Tom Matthews missed the target when clean through on goal, and Sam White went closest of all, hitting the crossbar from twenty-five yards out. United finally made their superiority count, when Luke Newman cut in from the right hand side and unleashed a stunning strike into the top right hand corner, but the U's were soon punished for their earlier missed chances, when some sloppy defending allowed a Town forward to turn on the edge of the area, his shot taking a wicked deflection off United skipper Dave Seymour on its way into the net.
The second half started more evenly than the first, with a few half chances on either side, but it took a mistake from the Eastbourne keeper to help the U's get back in front, his misjudgement of a White corner leading to him punching the ball into his own net. United then enjoyed plenty of possession, and looked the more threatening side, with Matthews again going close, and Mark West and White both getting into good positions, only to lack a quality finish. The U's were then punished again, when a quick attack down the right resulted in keeper Ben Freeman dropping a routine cross straight onto the head of an Eastbourne player, who could scarcely believe his luck. United refused to let their heads drop however, and continued to create chances, with Toby Carr having a thunderous strike from thirty yards brilliantly saved, before the substitute capped a brilliant twenty minutes on the pitch by winning a penalty in added time, which Newman dispatched at the second attempt, after his initial effort had been saved. It sealed a well deserved win for United, and although their approach play was not always pretty to watch, it certainly proved effective, and their fitness levels were impressive as well, after so long without a game. They worked tirelessly throughout, seemed to be first to every challenge, and were constantly willing to help each other, a performance summed up by the impressive Billy Craig and Martin in the U's midfield.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Sean Parker-Harding, 3 Martyn Durrant, 4 David Seymour, 5 Billy Craig, 6 Noel Martin, 7 Sam White, 8 Connor Benton-Powell, 9 Luke Newman, 10 Tom Matthews, 11 Jordan Yahya. Subs used: Toby Carr, Sam Henham, Mark West.
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13/12. Report not available.
United line-up: 1 Ryan Douch, 2 Sean Parker-Harding, 3 Martyn Durrant, 4 Lewis McGuigan, 5 Tom Youngman, 6 Sam White, 7 Sam Henham, 8 Billy Craig, 9 James Hart, 10 Connor Benton-Powell, 11 Mark West. Subs used: Tom Matthews, Sam Barratt, Toby Carr.
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15/11. Report not available.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 David Seymour, 4 Martyn Durrant, 5 Sam White, 6 Tom Youngman, 7 Sam Henham, 8 Sam Willett, 9 Noel Martin, 10 Ashley Kidman, 11 Sam Barratt. Subs used: Mark West, Lewis McGuigan, Billy Craig.
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1/11. Report not available.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 Lewis McGuigan, 4 David Seymour, 5 Martyn Durrant, 6 Noel Martin, 7 Luke Newman, 8 Sam Henham, 9 Sam Barratt, 10 Sean Parker-Harding, 11 Billy Craig. Subs used: Peter Beaumont, Mark West, Tom Matthews.
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25/10. Report not available. United scorers: Sam Barratt (2), Sam Henham.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 Lewis McGuigan, 4 Martyn Durrant, 5 David Seymour, 6 James Hart, 7 Ashley Kidman, 8 Luke Newman, 9 Sam Henham, 10 Noel Martin, 11 Sam Barratt. Subs used: Mark West, Tom Matthews, Billy Craig.
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14/10. United scored six goals for the second match running, but will have been disappointed at conceding three to Bexhill in a nine goal thriller at the Pilot Field this evening. In a game that the hosts dominated for long spells, Luke Newman put the U's ahead after only nine minutes with an accurate free kick, before Ashley Kidman collected a simple ball through the Bexhill defence to finish with ease after eighteen minutes. Just seven minutes later, Sam Barratt made it three, doing well to make space for himself to fire home a powerful shot from just inside the penalty area. United keeper Ben Freeman thwarted a rare Bexhill attack on thirty-five minutes, coming out quickly to block an effort on the edge of the box, but he could do nothing six minutes later, when a free kick from all of thirty-five yards out was struck with precision and pace and nestled in the roof of the net. United still had reason to feel hard done by though, as Martyn Durrant appeared to have won the ball in the challenge that resulted in the free kick, the referee unfortunately believing otherwise.
Kidman scored United's fourth on fifty-four minutes, after beating a defender just inside the eighteen yard box and firing into the top left hand corner, and barely two minutes later, Newman got his second of the night, after a good exchange of passes gave him a chance to shoot low past the keeper from a central position. Bexhill somehow missed an excellent chance to reduce the deficit, before doing so from a corner, the ball taking the faintest of touches to beat Freeman after seventy-one minutes. Newman got his second hattrick in four days shortly after, the pacy Mark West receiving a throw, and crossing for Newman to head home firmly from five yards out. Bexhill got the final goal of the evening with a couple of minutes remaining, after Freeman came for a cross and failed to collect, and with United easing down, Bexhill could well have narrowed the deficit still further in stoppage time. The U's were certainly worthy winners though, a fourth successive league victory taking them to the top of the table, at least until Sunday, when United are without a fixture.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 Lewis McGuigan, 4 David Seymour, 5 Martyn Durrant, 6 Sam Henham, 7 James Hart, 8 Noel Martin, 9 Sam Barratt, 10 Luke Newman, 11 Ashley Kidman. Subs used: Sam Willett, Billy Craig, Mark West.
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11/10. Report not available. United scorers: Luke Newman (3), James Hart (2), Sam Barratt.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 Tom Youngman, 4 David Seymour, 5 Martyn Durrant, 6 Sam White, 7 Luke Newman, 8 Sam Henham, 9 Ashley Kidman, 10 Sam Barratt, 11 James Hart. Subs used: Noel Martin, Lewis McGuigan, Tom Matthews.
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6/10. United travelled to Lewes this evening, to try and take one more step in the FA Youth Cup. It ultimately proved a challenge too far, against a strong side boasting a 100% record in all competitions this season, and who had beaten Crowborough Athletic, one of United's County Youth League rivals, 20-0 in a County Cup game three weeks ago. United's prospects, which already looked somewhat bleak, took another turn for the worse when the influential Luke Newman was forced to pull out through illness not long before kick off, but manager Sean Ray was nonetheless at least able to field a side featuring several Reserve Team regulars.
The U's started brightly, applying plenty of pressure, and forcing the home side into a few mistakes, but despite their obvious enthusiasm, United were unable to test the Rooks' keeper. After a quarter of an hour, the game settled into a pattern that would last for the remainder of the first half, with Lewes playing a good, patient passing game, at a windy and damp Dripping Pan, and enjoying a strong wind at their backs during the opening forty-five minutes. The home side had claims for an early penalty, after good work by George Jones, but their appeals were waved away, while Tom Dullaway gave a fine performance in goal for United, and did well after nineteen minutes to prevent Lewes taking the lead from a long range effort. The U's were relying on the counter-attack to launch the occasional assault on the home goal, and Sam Willett had their first effort on target after twenty-one minutes, but was unable to beat the keeper. Arron Hopkinson was giving United's defence lots to think about meanwhile, making several good runs down the right wing, although his crosses failed to find a team mate more often than not. On twenty-seven minutes, United had a great opportunity to take the lead, but Connor Benton-Powell hesitated momentarily, and fired wide under belatedly heavy pressure. A further chance went begging on thirty-one minutes, a header from a corner drifting wide of the Lewes goal. United's last chance of the half came from a run by the speedy Ashley Kidman, who was fouled as he approached the penalty area. Sam Henham blasted the free kick, from a central position, over the bar on thirty-eight minutes. Lewes then resumed their dominance of possession, and very nearly took the lead just before the interval, when the ball broke following a Lewes corner, and arrived at the feet of Jamie Crellin, whose shot from twenty-five yards out left Dullaway a spectator, but the crossbar came to his and United's rescue.
Jack Wellard was replaced by Liam Hudson at the start of the second period, and as the home side continued to apply most of the pressure, Dullaway made another fine low save to deny Lewes once more after fifty-five minutes. With the wind now at their backs however, United were beginning to see a bit more of the ball in threatening positions, and the pick of the efforts during this spell, saw Joe Barham produce a decent cross from the left, but Bryce Masters was unable to keep his looping shot down. Another good save by Dullaway denied Harvey Storer, before the balance of play briefly switched again, United creating possibly their best chance of the game on sixty-one minutes, Kidman having an effort blocked by the keeper, and Sam Henham blasting the rebound wide from little more than ten yards out. Barratt made no mistake just a minute later, timing his run to perfection, and firing the ball into the net, only for the assistant referee to incorrectly flag for offside against other United players not interfering with play. The incident proved to be the turning point, just as United appeared to be stamping their authority on the game, and the home side suddenly hit the front on sixty-four minutes, after Ross Sutton beat his marker out near the touchline, and fired powerfully and low past Dullaway from the edge of the area, despite the keeper getting a strong hand to the shot. Jordan Yahya replaced Sam Barratt with twenty minutes remaining, but United generally appeared to be tiring by that point, and the home side went on to dominate the closing stages of the game, doubling their lead on eighty-three minutes, Jones beating four defenders, before laying the ball off for Tim Rivers to beat Dullaway with ease. Just two minutes later, the game was finally up for United, as Hudson conceded a penalty for a foul on Hopkinson, the spot kick being calmly tucked away by Rivers to seal Lewes' place in the third qualifying round.
Without doubt, the Rooks deserved their victory, but despite the defeat, United certainly put up a fight and gave a fantastic account of themselves, and Lewes certainly knew that they had been in a game. Ray commented afterwards, "I am extremely proud of the lads. They gave everything. It is a shame that Lewes scored when they did, after we had a legitimate goal ruled out. That changed the game. But I could not have asked the lads to have done anything more in terms of effort tonight. They were fantastic, and a credit to the Club."
United line-up: 1 Tom Dullaway, 2 Bryce Masters, 3 Connor Benton-Powell, 4 Jack Stapley, 5 David Seymour, 6 Sam Henham, 7 Jack Wellard, 8 Sam Willett, 9 Joe Barham, 10 Sam Barratt, 11 Ashley Kidman. Subs used: Liam Hudson, Jordan Yahya.
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4/10. United notched up their second consecutive home league win this morning, as they comfortably saw off Seaford Town with a solid display at the Pilot Field. The U's started the game brightly, with Sam Barratt racing through a static Seaford defence, only to see his effort saved, and two minutes later, United went close again, with Luke Newman bursting through, only to drag his shot wide. United were nearly made to pay for these missed chances, when the visitors almost scored twice in as many minutes, some poor defending presenting Seaford with a couple of gilt-edged opportunities, but on neither occasion was United keeper Ben Freeman forced to make a save.
As the first half settled down, United began to really impose themselves on the game, and although still not looking totally solid at the back, their quick passing and movement started to open up gaping holes in the Seaford back four. The U's finally took the lead when Jordan Yahya tapped into an open goal, after Ashley Kidman's initial effort had been well saved, and shortly afterwards, Sam Henham rose highest to thump home a header from a Newman corner. The second half continued in the same vein, with United dominating proceedings, and tightening up at the back as well, most effectively denying Seaford a single chance to test Freeman throughout a one-sided forty-five minutes.
Newman added two more goals to United's tally, with substitute Tom Matthews grabbing his first goal of the season, as United ultimately ran out convincing winners, and in reality, they could have scored more, as Barratt, Newman, Kidman and Matthews all failed to make the most of decent chances that came their way. United manager Sean Ray will have been delighted with his side's performances in the last three games. After a shaky start to life against tougher opposition, the U's have at last found their feet, and proved themselves capable of rising to the challenge of life in the County League.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 Tom Youngman, 4 Martyn Durrant, 5,Noel Martin, 6 Sam Willett, 7 Sam Henham, 8 Sam Barratt, 9 Sam White, 10 Ashley Kidman, 11 Luke Newman. Subs used: Tom Matthews, Lewis McGuigan, James Hart.
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27/9. Report not available. United scorers: Sam Willett, Ashley Kidman.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Jordan Yahya, 3 Tom Youngman, 4 Martyn Durrant, 5 Jack Stapley, 6 Sam Henham, 7 Sam Willett, 8 Luke Newman, 9 Sam Barratt, 10 Ashley Kidman, 11 Connor Benton-Powell. Subs used: Noel Martin, Lewis McGuigan.
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23/9. United will visit Lewes in the second qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup, after a comfortable victory at Saltdean this evening. On a rock hard pitch, the game got off to a lively start, with both sides prepared to attack at pace. The first real chance of the game fell to Luke Newman after ten minutes, the versatile striker doing well to get a shot in from a free kick, but it failed to trouble the home keeper. United took the lead just two minutes later though, with Ashley Kidman coolly finishing from six yards out, after a right wing cross. After eighteen minutes, the U's appeared to be coasting, as Sam Willett received a corner, drilled low to the edge of the box, and worked space well to fire his shot past a static keeper. And just a minute later, a Newman corner should have extended the visitors lead, but David Seymour's header was too week. Just as United were threatening to run away with the game, Saltdean suddenly battled their way back into the contest. A disallowed goal for offside was a warning for the visitors, but this signalled a period of pressure from the hosts, that saw them pull a goal back on the half hour mark, after United failed to deal with a left wing free kick. This shook the U's back to life though, and they gradually reasserted themselves, the half ending with a superb save by the home keeper to keep out a Sam Henham free kick, after Kidman had been fouled on the edge of the area.
The pace of the second half slowed somewhat. Another fine double save prevented Newman and Joe Barham from extending the U's lead. Tom Dullaway was then called into action at the other end, making a tremendous save after a quick Saltdean break on sixty-six minutes. A lull in the game was lifted with a decent effort from Newman, who attempted to lob the keeper from the left wing, the ball dropping onto the cross bar after eighty-one minutes. Another effort from Newman, three minutes later, forced the keeper into another good save, but Newman was not to be denied again on eighty-six minutes, as he received the ball from a flick on, the keeper only able to palm his powerful effort into the back of the net. As Saltdean pushed everyone forward, including their keeper, for a final effort to get back into the game once more, so United scored a fourth goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time, as Sam Barratt helped the ball towards the home goal, Newman sprinting to collect the pass to wrap a well deserved victory.
United line-up: 1 Tom Dullaway, 2 Bryce Masters, 3 Connor Benton-Powell, 4 Jack Stapley, 5 David Seymour, 6 Sam Henham, 7 Jack Wellard, 8 Sam Willett, 9 Joe Barham, 10 Luke Newman, 11 Ashley Kidman. Subs used: Sam Barratt, Lewis McGuigan, Jordan Yahya.
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20/9. Report not available.
United line-up: 1 Ben Freeman, 2 Martyn Durrant, 3 Jack Stapley, 4 Tom Youngman, 5 Sam Henham, 6 Jordan Yahya, 7 Luke Newman, 8 Connor Benton-Powell, 9 Sam Barratt, 10 Ashley Kidman, 11 Sam Willett. Subs used: Tom Matthews, Noel Martin, Lewis McGuigan.
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13/9. Report not available. United scorer: Ashley Kidman.
United line-up: 1 Ryan Douch, 2 Lewis McGuigan, 3 Martyn Durrant, 4 Sam Willett, 5 Jack Stapley, 6 Luke Newman, 7 Sam Barratt, 8 Sam Henham, 9 Jordan Yahya, 10 Ashley Kidman, 11 Tom Matthews. Subs used: James Hart, Tom Youngman, Connor Benton-Powell.
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9/9. United made it safely through to the first qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup, although they were made to work hard by their visitors from Kent, before eventually winning by a comfortable margin. Initially, it looked like the U's would coast through, with Roberto Martelini and Joe Barham each converting excellent crosses to put the home side two goals up within six minutes. Deal quickly pulled a goal back though, catching out the U's defence with a simple long ball, a pattern that was repeated with worrying regularity throughout the rest of the first half, with United perhaps fortunate to keep their noses in front at the interval. That said, striker Ashley Kidman did see a powerful shot deflected onto the crossbar, shortly after Martelini had been stretchered off with a leg injury.
Deal continued to press in the early stages of the second half, but the U's slowly started to look more assured at the back, restricting the visitors to longer range efforts that failed to trouble keeper Tom Dullaway. The all important third goal arrived in the sixty-eighth minute, Barham latching onto Sam Willett's through ball for his second of the game, with Connor Benton-Powell twice going close to a fourth, before Kidman finally obliged with five minutes remaining. Deal rather lost their shape and discipline in the closing stages, clearly aggrieved at having a goal disallowed for a contentious offside decision, and they were fortunate not to have a player sent off for kicking and punching out at the combative Willett. Substitute Tom Matthews almost added a fifth in the final minute, but United had already done more than enough to earn a trip to Saltdean in a fortnight's time.
United line-up: 1 Tom Dullaway, 2 Lewis McGuigan, 3 Luke Newman, 4 Martyn Durrant, 5 Jack Stapley, 6 Roberto Martelini, 7 Connor Benton-Powell, 8 Jordan Yahya, 9 Sam Willett, 10 Joe Barham, 11 Ashley Kidman. Subs used: Noel Martin, Sam Henham, Tom Matthews.
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6/9. Report not available. United scorer: James Hart.
United line-up: 1 Ryan Douch, 2 Luke Newman, 3 Connor Benton-Powell, 4 Sam Henham, 5 Sam White, 6 Sam Willett, 7 Peter Beaumont, 8 Jordan Yahya, 9 Noel Martin, 10 Ashley Kidman, 11 Sam Barratt. Subs used: Lewis McGuigan, Tom Matthews, James Hart.