Steyning Town warm up nicely for Sussex Cup semi with Horsham … Wick wallop Alfold

Hassocks 0 Steyning Town 4

SCFL premier

There are days when it clicks, and there are days when it doesn’t click. For Steyning Town Saturday was the day when it clicked. They headed over to the picturesque Beacon on a damp Saturday for an eagerly anticipated 3rd v 4th clash and put on one of the best displays of the season in the first half in which they dominated and effectively sealed the three points.

They went in at the break three goals to the good and in all honesty it could’ve and should’ve been more. Town added one more goal late on in the second half after a display in the second period that was professional, a bit ugly but very effective and didn’t give the hosts any opportunity of getting back into the game.

All-round another great performance against a promotion rival, after beating Crowborough and Newhaven (in the cup) in recent weeks, which has set the stall out that the Barrowmen are serious about a promotion push this season.If there was concern that Steyning may have one eye on Tuesday evening’s huge Sussex Senior Cup semi-final with Horsham these fears were quickly eradicated. The team were on it from the start and started attacking the hosts with pace from the outset.It didn’t take long for the breakthrough to come as the ball was worked across from the right hand side and a low pass across the edge of the box found Tom Chalaye, who stepped on to the ball beautifully and curled a low first-time shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner, giving Trigwell in the Hassocks goal no chance; a really cracking goal.Hassocks looked to muster an immediate response and started to find a bit of ball in the middle of the park and started to come at Steyning, but were limited to pot-shots from outside of the box that caused Lucas no concern. The defensive shape was fantastic and the midfield were working hard to snuff out space, often winning ball and giving Town the platform to break at speed.Town were looking very dangerous, going forward and forced a number of corners, and on 22 minutes from one of these corners, that man Cooper, an ex-Hassocks player, was there to stick out a long leg and sidefoot home from a corner as it dropped in the box. 2-0 and well and well in command.Steyning sensed blood and realised this game could effectively be killed off before half-time as Edwards and Barnes were getting on top in the midfield engine room.

Weller was impressing at right-back linking well down the right. However just as it looked there would be no extra score before half-time Meehan made a terrific run down the right, cut into the box near the byline and was brought down rather clumsily from behind for a stonewall penalty. Skipper Barnes stepped up at the spot, as he has done all season, and sent the keeper the wrong way rolling it home to the centre of the goal. 3-0.

The second half was a rather forgettable affair. Steyning were quite content to sit in and try to pick the hosts off on the break. Hassocks themselves, although playing with energy, really struggled to find a cutting edge up front. Any half chances they had were quickly snuffed out by the back four.

Hassocks did create a few half chances. However the fact that Lucas in the Steyning goal didn’t have a save to make all afternoon showed the quality of the performance in front of him.Late on hitman Chalaye put the icing on the cake as he broke down through the left channel after a move involving Rance and the impressive Francis, rounded the keeper and prodded home at the near post ahead of the recovering defenders. Full time and 4-0.

What a tremendous result for the Barrowmen as they edge into second place in the league.It was a big confidence booster ahead of Tuesday night’s senior cup semi-final at Lancing (7:30pm) against Isthmian premier team Horsham. Steyning hope all their friends in the football world in Sussex will go along and support them..Hassocks, as always, were great hosts. The pitch was in good condition despite all the heavy weather and seeing so many young Hassocks players at the club enjoying the afternoon shows what a great community club they are – and they are deservedly having a great season.Steyning: Lucas, Fuller, Cooper, Da Costa, Weller, Edwards, Barnes, Francis, Shooman, Meehan, Chalaye. Subs: Remfry, Rance, Clark, Rondel, Goldson.

RICHARD WOODBRIDGE

Wick 5 Alford 2

SCFL Division 1

Dave Crouch scored Wick’s quickest goal of the season when he poked them ahead after just 16 seconds.

The former Pagham forward found the bottom corner before some of the Dragons’ substitutes had taken their seats in the dugout and said later: “That’s the quickest goal I’ve ever scored.”

He then completed his second hat-trick of the season after the interval as the Dragons with Sam Conolly also on target and Josh Irish rolling in his 28th goal from the penalty spot.

The win took Wick’s unbeaten run in the Southern Combination Division One to a dozen matches, claiming 33 out of 36 points available to climb to fourth place in the table.

“We scored after just 22 seconds when we beat Copthorne on Horsham’s artificial pitch in November and that was fast,” said Dragons manager Lee Baldwin. “But this time we kicked off and Sam Conolly found Jack Bingham on the left, he played it up the line to Josh Irish and his lovely pass was tucked away by Crouchy before you knew it.

"I was very pleased with the overall performance after a rather boring 0-0 draw at home to Chessington in our previous match, especially as it was against Alford. They were the last team to beat us in the league, way back on October 24, and we were terrible that day but it gave us the kickstart we needed.”

Wick will be looking for more goals in front of their fans when they entertain Banstead Athletic on Saturday (KO 2pm).