Subs: 12 D Leach (on for A Garman 63mins), 14 Ricky Martin (on for S Cole), 15 B Radley,
16 A McCann, 17 M Norris
Yellow Cards: S Cole, A Garman, S Loft
Red: Cards: None
Goals: D McArthur 45mins
Final Score: 1-1
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Gate: 160
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-Home Draw-
Rye U 1 - 1 Sidley U
A gusty wednesday evening saw these 2 unbeaten teams in the league go head to head. A fair turnout viewed a highly competitive match , numbers boosted by several from Little common recently promoted ,eyeing up future opponents. Rye started well and inside a few minutes Dom Clarks low strike was turned round for a corner by ex rye keeper Gavin Bourne. The resulting corner was headed over by Clark losing his marker.
Sidley replied with a tame shot easily dealt with by Gardener. Rye went close to opening their account when a looping angled header by Danny Ellis went over everyone's heads and hit the base of the far post, this effort from a free kick out wide. Sidley then had a free kick which held up in the gusty wind but Gardener was able to grab. His kick went onto Macarthur who in midfield lost possesion and sidley set off to raid Rye's goal. However the cross was harmlessly over hit for a goal kick with no sidley players in sight.
Rye were finding their fluid passing and a lovely in terplay between Cruttenden and S cole led to a rye effort going just wide of the mark. Sidleys first real attack of note came mid half when they hit the cross bar with a headed corner. the rebound lashed at goal was blocked near the goal line and was hit back again but went out for a goal kick.
On 25 mins Danny Pogue shot well over the ball probably in Winchelsea such was the force of the wind at times. A few minutes later Sidley managed to rob Rye of the ball but the final effort was easily gathered by the Rye keeper. He was called into action next when he came to the edge of his area to collect but was charged down meaning Gardener had to block the strikers attempt. He spilled the ball to the sidley player and the hooked shot went harmlessly high and wide. Ellis won a corner Bourne punched away for another corner.
This second corner was headed in under the bar only for the ref to blow for handball by a rye player. Rye then couldnt capitalise moments later when the last defend er had to head twice to get the ball back to Bourne. However it was Sidley who fortune chaged on 34 mins when Danny Spices effort evaded the Rye defence and he hit home at the far post. Play coming from winning a free kick when Rye lost the ball and tried to recover it.
Minutes later Sam Cole was fouled near the halfway line which led to tangled legs and elbows, the resulting melee involved nearly every player except the goal keepers, but the ref didnt se the need for any further action than afew words to players. Sidley were trying to get Rye to lose their rag and get a few carded into the bargain.
On about 45 mins Mcarthur won a corner which he took and swung out into the wind, Rye lost possesion ending up with sidley breaking away for a 1 on 1 with Gardner who upto now had been a spectator. Fortunately the keeper managed gather easily and the resulting kick set rye up into a similar attack. Mcarthur getting the ball in centre of goal hit a low powerfull drive wide of the kee pers outstretched left hand. The crowd went wild another for Macca his 8th in the league so far. The ref didnt allow sidley any time once the centre was taken and he blew for half time.
2nd half started in usual Rye fashion as they got the ball down and Ellis and Cole delivered great crosses into a swirling wind but were both too near the keeper. Rye then pressured sidley with 3 successive attacks. Garman took a long throw which carried to the near post only for bourne to pluck out of the air, immediately followed by maccas free kick square to Lofty whose shot went a foot over the bar.
Another free kick for Rye was passed to Macca whose shot was charged down and away to safety for a throw. on 6 minutes Sidley actually got into the Rye half and won a free kick. This was a really good effort that was bent around the wall and had Gardener scrambling to tip round the post.This turned out to be their only shot on target the whole of the second half.Rye settled down and Garmo was bec oming more involved winning several throws from Spices blocks until he got down close to the goal area.
Dom Clark headingone of these throws just over the bar and a few moments later he headed wide from another Macca free kick.Subs Cruttenden was replaced by Leach. It was Rye who kept the rout going and S Coles header lacked power but on target was caught by the keeper Sidley on 20 mins won a free kick in the rye half which ended dissapointingly for them in offside and was well over hit.
This wasted effort was to be last set piece in rye territory as the action from now on was all Rye. Sub Cole was replaced by Martin . Leach won a free kick that macca stroked to ellis, his shot hitting the bar. Ginge was brought down and this free kick was hit seemingly tame at goal by macca but obviously moved in the air as bourne couldnt hold it and it went out for a corner.
The resulting kick evaded all on the goal line except spice who somehow managed to get the ball over the crossbar wi th his back to goal. Sidleys last attempt at goal on the break ended in another well high over hit strike, Rye on the other hand had several more free kicks but didnt capitalise on one of their usual strong points. The only free kick worth a mention ended in Loftys effort forcing a leaping Bourne to tip over, One last long throw from Garmo fell to Macca ,whos scuffed shot wide of the keeper hit the back of Clarks legs and up onto his head, only to be cleared away.
Rye ended the game forcing Sidley to settle for corners as Spice swept most of ryes efforts to one side. The press will say he was m.o.m. as without him and Bourne Rye could have scored a hatfull. Good play from Rye and once again no heads dropped or foot off the pedal when we went a goal down. Very entertaining game with Sidley hanging on for a point.
Shots
Rye13
Sidley 6
yellow Rye Loft, Garman
Gullivers Sports Ground,
Glovers Lane, North Road,
Sidley TN39 5BL
1st XI Home Navy Shirts, Shorts and Socks
1st XI Away Yellow/Black shirts, Black Shorts and Yellow Socks