Subs: 12 D McArthur, 14 Paul Tuppenney (on for D Cruttenden 65mins),
15 B Radley (on for A McCann 80mins), 16 S Price, 17 N Godden
Yellow Cards: D Leach 89mins
Red Cards: None
Goals: D Ellis, P Tuppenney
Final Score: 0-2
 Rye United win

East Preston 0-2 Rye U

East Preston supporters scratched their heads when looking at the Rye team sheet as the leagues top scorer McArthur was on the bench, The team having a bit of a change around with Clark unavailable, Leach and Cruttenden started up front. The long awaited appearance of the Woodleys was put on hold as they were off with the reserves.

Rye started brightly enough on this warm and breezless afternoon but both teams didn’t settle down with the ball and although Rye had most of the possession it was East Preston who made the first mark with a corner. Rye repelled this to go on and win their own at the other end, taken short the cross was good but was not attacked by any Rye players.

Goalkeeper Norris was then asked to make a brave call and collect at the side of the area. On 10 minutes not much had happened until Cruttenden fired wide from an offside position and then Rye turned up the tempo. Two quick successive corners gained from a Garman shot which was tipped over by the keeper and then Lofty bringing out an identical save from another. Norris in the Rye goal then had to punch away an in swinging corner, cleared by Rye eventually finding Cruttenden whose curler went just wide.

Danny Leach was unlucky not to score when he twisted and turned well but his shot from 3 yards was blocked. Danny Ellis began to dominate the possession in midfield and won and sprayed the ball around with ease. It was mid half when Ellis robbed the last defender of the ball after being sold short from a panicking team mate. Ellis went around the keeper and shot from a wide angle into an open goal. In the next 2 minutes the keeper was forced to save from shots by Leach, Cruttenden and a free kick by Sam Cole.

The resulting corner taken by Ellis evaded everyone except a defender who somehow managed to scramble wide from the line. Rye still with the upper hand but were furious when presented with a free kick with the wall closer than 10 yards resulting in Shaun Loft’s shot deflecting off the wall harmlessly into the keepers hands.

However Rye turned up the heat again when Cruttendens overhead kick lacked pace but was on target, followed by East Preston goalkeeper miss kicked and hit it straight to Ellis who lashed very high and wide at an inviting empty goal. A foul on Garman took his boot off and once again Rye whipped balls into the area. At times though Rye gave the ball away when trying to walk the ball in the net instead of pulling the trigger. This led to Rye being vulnerable on the counter but fortunately the East Preston attacks gave away possession just as easily as they got it.

Second half Rye were straight out of the blocks and rye had the first 3 goal attempts, Leach had a shot saved, Cole’s was too high and Garman had an effort from a Leach cross. However the home side started to lift and Rye Captain Sean Kelly was called into action to bravely head away a corner. This in turn set Rye off into a breakaway with Cruttenden’s cross having to be snuffed out by the keeper. Ashley curled one just wide from the right after good pressure to close down and win the ball.

After 10 mins Cruttenden was injured when he fell inside the area charging towards goal, Leach picked up the loose ball only yards from the goal but stabbed inches wide. That missed effort nearly cost Rye as Norris was enticed out of his area to head a ball away , with East Preston clean through he missed it. What a promising young keeper he is, he didnt put a foot wrong all day. Tuppenney came on for Cruttenden who had done a good job of creating and keeping the ball.

Now both teams had settled into long periods of their own possession stroking the ball back to keep passes moving. The hosts had their first effort at goal on 20 mins , although it was wide of target Norris gathered easily. At the other end Ellis fired in a blaster only to be tipped over by the keeper which was acknowledged by the ref. 5 mins later and East Preston had the ball in the net but this was disallowed for what looked like an clumsy handball by their striker in the area.

Leach then caused East Preston to panic when his defended cross spun towards the keeper unwilling to pick it up and had to kick off his own line. However the best melee of the day came from 3 successive shots the first Was Ellis's shot blocked by the keeper, the rebound falling to Garman who took his time to place from 5 yards out but the defender managed to get in the way.

This last block fell to Ellis who crashed a shot wide of the keeper and against the far post. East Preston who had been pretty tame up to now had 2 more efforts at goal the last only going a foot over the bar from a free kick. Rye’s second goal put the match to bed when a Loft free kick set up Ellis out wide to cross in front of goal and Tuppenney slid in between defenders to net.

Minutes later Leach was clean through in a 1 on 1 situation, the lifted lob hitting the top of the cross bar and away. His frustration showed as he received a yellow for kicking the ball away. Basically Rye had most possession but did look vulnerable at times their attacking play is something to be recognised and all this without McArthur.

Man of the Match: Danny Ellis just shaded it from another great game by Shaun Loft

Shots: East Preston 4

RyeUnited 23

Yellow: Leach