Rampant Rye hit five with 10 men

The Quarterboys won 5-0 away to Lingfield in Sussex County Football League Division One despite having Duncan McArthur controversially sent-off at 0-0.

Liam Upton and Matt Maclean, pictured, put Rye two-up at half time, and further strikes by Sam Adams, Maclean and substitute Wes Tate completed a remarkable victory.

Other than Rye, though, it was a disappointing day for the local sides with Sidley United, Bexhill United, Little Common and Westfield all losing, and scoring one goal between them.

Sidley, who fielded new signing Chris Gould, were edged out 1-0 away to Peacehaven & Telscombe in a Division One match which ended 10-a-side. Dan Cruikshank was sent-off late on for Sidley.

Bexhill threatened to pull off an upset at home to Division Two leaders East Preston when Martin Denny put them ahead only for EP to pull through 3-1.

Common went down 1-0 at home to second-placed Hailsham Town after conceding near the end, while also in Division Two, Westfield slumped 4-0 away to Rustington.

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

Standings (played-points) – Division 1: 1 RYE UNITED 26-59, 2 Pagham 24-52, 3 Lancing 25-50, 4 Hassocks 26-47, 5 Three Bridges 21-47, 6 Peacehaven & Telscombe 26-42, 7 Lingfield 24-41, 8 Redhill 22-40, 9 AFC Uckfield 26-39, 10 Crowborough Athletic 29-37, 11 SIDLEY UNITED 27-36, 12 East Grinstead Town 30-36, 13 Selsey 23-31, 14 Horsham YMCA 26-29, 15 Arundel 25-26, 16 Ringmer 25-25, 17 Shoreham 25-24, 18 Worthing United 24-24, 19 St Francis Rangers 29-15, 20 Chichester City 21-8.

Division 2: 1 East Preston 23-62, 2 Hailsham Town 20-47, 3 Dorking Wanderers 21-43, 4 Eastbourne United AFC 24-37, 5 Littlehampton Town 21-35, 6 Storrington 24-35, 7 Southwick 23-35, 8 Mile Oak 25-33, 9 Wick 22-29, 10 Rustington 24-29, 11 BEXHILL UNITED 22-27, 12 Steyning Town 24-26, 13 Loxwood 21-25, 14 LITTLE COMMON 23-23, 15 WESTFIELD 21-20, 16 Oakwood 23-20, 17 Seaford Town 20-19, 18 Midhurst & Easebourne 21-14.