Sidley ease away from danger

In their first Sussex County Football League Division One fixture for three weeks, goals from Kevin Barden and Kevin Bird put Sidley two-up at half time.

Another from Bird early in the second period made sure of the points and manager John Lambert would doubtless have been pleased with a rare clean sheet.

Elsewhere, Westfield went down 3-2 in a thriller at home to Division Two promotion hopefuls AFC Uckfield despite being 2-0 up during the first half through a Sam Willett 30-yard cracker and Joe Barham’s close range header.

Bexhill United lost 2-1 after extra-time away to Rustington in a Division Two Challenge Cup quarter-final even though Scott McDonald gave them the lead during the additional half-hour with his 15th of the season.

Full reports on each of these games will appear in Friday’s Observers.

Hastings United remain just outside the four relegation places in the Premier Division of the Ryman League despite their match at home to Kingstonian being postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Rye United’s trip to East Grinstead Town in Sussex Division One and Little Common’s Division Two Challenge Cup quarter-final at home to Clymping were also called-off.