Guest at the double as Herstmonceux bite back

'There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.'

(Julius Caesar, Shakespeare)

Above: Sam Purvis in action

Herstmonceux travelled to Wadhurst on Saturday hoping to convert last week's promising display against Premier side opposition into something more. Ryan Reid fielded a near full strength side with Toby Guest and Jack Nicholas returning to the team. Hopes of picking up some much needed points were high.

The sloping pitch at Wadhurst is a deceptively difficult surface to play on, and for the first 10 minutes the two sides sparred with each other, like wary old pugilists in a bare knuckle boxing match. The ball spent much of the time in the air, although Wadhurst did manage to test Purvis with a sharply taken shot which he did well to beat away. Herstmonceux were not finding it easy to keep the ball on the surface, but did not expect to find themselves behind when a speculative effort from midfield crept into the net off the inside of the post, with Sam Purvis expecting it to go wide.

Undeterred by this, the away team now began to play football, and after hesitation from the Wadhurst keeper allowed Toby Guest to charge down his clearance, he gleefully put the rebound into the net to level the scores at 1-1. We now had a football match, and with Conor Middleton running the show in the centre, it was Herstmonceux who began to look the more dangerous. A succession of telling balls from the left meant Ollie Brooks was able to use the wing freely, as despite the narrow pitch Herstmonceux began to pull the Wadhurst midfield to pieces. Kyle Whittlesey was a tower of strength in the middle of the park, winning challenges and distributing short passes with pin point accuracy, and it was no surprise when a telling ball from Middleton again sent Guest clear. 1 on 1 the keeper thought he might get lucky. Not a chance, and Guest slotted the ball home to put the visitors 2-1 up.

Above: Jack Nicholas had a fine game on Saturday

The Herstmonceux midfield were now buzzing and after stringing together a series of forays on the Wadhurst goal we saw the goal of the game. A cross from the right was met by a towering header from Jack Nicholas. The net bulged again and Herstmonceux had clear daylight at half time.

Ryan made one change at half time, with Jack Brooks making way for new signing Ant Doherty, who had a solid debut for the visitors.

The second half could have been a different story with the home team now playing downhill. As mentioned earlier the pitch is deceptively difficult, and slopes down and from left to right, but Herstmonceux now began working the right side of the pitch and another scintillating run from Ollie Brooks left him free to fire a cross/shot into the far corner of the net, through the fingers of the despairing keeper. 4-1 and the relief was palpable. Could this be the break that finally got the team the breaks their good play had earned?

A team which has been wounded is often at its most dangerous, and Wadhurst now began the fight back, almost literally. Some incisive runs from deep inside their own half were broken down time after time by Middleton and Whittlesey, who always seemed to be in the right place, and with Blewitt mopping up at the back the away team moved inexorably towards the win. A succession of fiery challenges saw the home team pick up 2 yellows, together with 1 for Mark Stillwell whose energy and enthusiasm was played on by the home side as they made the most of some tough challenges to earn him a caution. The visitors did manage to pull back a second goal, after the referee overruled an offside flag, but a second yellow saw them reduced to 10 men and the game was effectively over, although an intelligent piece of play from Ollie Brooks who saw the keeper off his line nearer made it 5.

Reid had earlier made his second change of the game bringing on young Toby Funnell, who was a lively addition to the team, as he nearly scored after a mazy run and cross from Toby Guest. That, together with the composure of Ant Doherty who slowed down the play and ensured that there were no further goals from the opposition, were two further plusses to this fine result. Herstmonceux were worthy winners and now move off the bottom of division 1. Next week the County Cup beckons, as we make the long trek to Chichester to take on Whyke from the West Sussex League. The manager will be hoping for a full strength squad as Herstmonceux look for a place in Round 3.