Rye hit rivals for six to clinch title

A 6-0 win at home to Icklesham Casuals, featuring five goals during the second half, ensured Rye were crowned champions of Macron East Sussex Football League Division One with a game to spare.

In front of a very good crowd on a grey afternoon at The Salts, Rye were somewhat off key during the first half against an Icklesham side which they defeated 5-1 in September’s reverse fixture.

Perhaps they weren’t helped by having to make a quick dash to Chris Gould’s house to pick up their change strip for Icklesham to wear after the visitors arrived without a kit.

Rye did still fashion a few chances during the opening period, notably when Charlie Stevens had a header tremendously saved by Icklesham goalkeeper Jack Davies from point blank range.

The home side made the breakthrough two minutes before the interval. Stevens struck a shot which looked to be going wide, but Rob Levett smashed the ball home from close range.

Rye still felt the need, however, to switch things around at half time. Richard ‘Alfie’ Weller moved from in goal to up-front with midfielder Adam Hurley donning the gloves.

Sammy Foulkes came on for Joe Fraser in midfield as Rye sought to fill the void behind the front two having operated with three fairly similar and more defensive midfielders during the first half.

And the change worked a treat because barely 30 seconds after the restart Stevens got away down the right and crossed for Weller to score with a lovely finish on the half-volley.

Five minutes later Rye went 3-0 up in simple but effective fashion. A long kick from Hurley was flicked on by Weller and Stevens burst between two defenders before finishing emphatically into the roof of the net.

After that it was really just a question of how many Rye would score. And they were given a helping hand by their opponents in the 64th minute when Foulkes’ cross from Rye’s left was sliced into his own net by an Icklesham defender at the near post.

Dominic Cruttenden wasn’t far away with a free kick and Ben Heffernan saw a low shot saved by Icklesham’s goalkeeper at his near post before Rye scored a well-constructed fifth goal in the 76th minute.

After a terrific tackle by Foulkes in midfield, fellow substitute George Ball played a nice ball over the top into the path of Levett. His shot was half saved by Davies, but the ball rolled goalwards and Weller forced it home as he slid in with an Icklesham defender.

Levett, now playing up-front having earlier been operating wide on the left, brought a fine diving save out of Davies with a header from a free kick.

Rye rounded-off the scoring with a sixth goal in the 81st minute. Ollie Skinner played a neat ball through for Levett to score with a splendid finish which grazed the underside of the crossbar on its way into the net.

There was one more chance for Rye after that, but the impressive Davies denied Weller as he tried to round him.

Cruttenden was Rye’s Pikes Cleaning man of the match and their match sponsor was Carl Booth, from Taxi Booth.

Rye: Weller; Wilson, Cruttenden, Willis; Heffernan, Henham, Osborne (Ball 61), Hurley, Fraser (Foulkes HT); Levett, Stevens (Skinner 61).

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