Peacehaven keep up promotion hopes – Newhaven suffer setbacks – Uckfield and Saltdean to meet

Mark Shutt’s side moved up to second in the table with the three points, keeping pace with early leaders Hassocks and third-placed Crowborough Athletic on 16 points.

Tye were 3-0 up after 31 minutes against Varndeanians thanks to goals from James Waters. captain Ross Barclay and 17-year-old Billy Oliver.

Waters returned to score another in the 68th minute and sealed his hat-trick two minutes later with a sweet strike.

With five wins and a draw from their first six matches, Peacehaven continue to put themselves in the early promotion picture, with even better prospects in a season where four teams are now guaranteed to have play-off spots.

Elsewhere, Newhaven will be chasing the upper reaches of the table this season as well. The Dockers had a disappointing weekend on this occasion, with their FA Cup run ended at the first qualifying round.

In the club’s first run to that stage since the 1962-63 season, a trip to Isthmian South East division side Cray Wanderers was always going to be difficult, and proved as much when the hosts won 5-1. Rob Malila grabbed a 64th-minute goal for the Dockers to make it 3-1, but with Robbie Keith sent off ten minutes later, the Kent side took full advantage to romp home.

Andy Cook and Sean Breach’s side returned to action on Tuesday night but fell to a 3-2 home defeat to Lingfield. With the visitors 2-0 up within 15 minutes, it was a tough start for the Dockers before a 43rd-minute goal from Callum Connor reduced the deficit.

It remained 2-1 until the closing stages, with Lingfield scoring a third on the counter before Ryan Warwick smashed in a late consolation to make it 3-2.

Further down the table, AFC Uckfield Town slipped to a five-match losing run as they went down to Lingfield and Bexhill United in league action.

Goals from Stephen Hodge and Conor Wilford made the Oakmen’s trip to Surrey disappointing in a 2-0 defeat, before Bexhill – who were winless in the league beforehand – won 2-1 at The Oaks on Tuesday. A second-half rocket from Shane Harper almost got Uckfield back in the contest, but Jack Shonk’s first-half double was enough for the Pirates to take victory.

Saltdean United, meanwhile, picked up a point from their two matches this week. A 2-2 draw with Little Common saw all four goals scored in the first 22 minutes, with Ross Smith and Reece Edwards doing enough for the Tigers to share the spoils.

A visit to Eastbourne Town on Tuesday was not as profitable, with the hosts winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Frankie Chappell, Tom Vickers and Ollie Davies.

This weekend brings a meeting between Saltdean and Uckfield, with the two sides facing off at Hill Park in an important scrap for points.

Newhaven travel to 15th-placed Loxwood, while Peacehaven are at home against 10th-placed Horsham YMCA, with all matches having 3pm kick-off times.