SCFL Division 1: Wick, Worthing United and Roffey all celebrate wins

Mile Oak 2 Wick 3

SCFL Division 1

Josh Irish banged in a hat-trick as Wick warmed up for Saturday’s FA Vase match at home to Haywards Heath by gaining their first win of the season.

The Dragons striker opened the scoring in the seventh minute at Mile Oak's Chalky Road with a shot which ripped through the net, then stuck away a second on the stroke of half-time.

He completed his treble early in the second half by rounding off a flowing move down the left, ghosting in at the far post to head home a pinpoint cross from the impressive Dave Herbert.

Mile Oak hit back with goals from Josh Cooper and Jacob Cook but Wick held on.

“Josh was superb and we were in cruise control in the first half, played some delightful football and could easily have scored more,” said manager Lee Baldwin.

“We became nervous after their second and started overthinking because we wanted that first win so much.

"But we fully deserved to win and we're up and running now.”

Herbert and Jordan Layton were impressive in midfield after signing from Littlehampton on dual contracts.

Baldwin added: “Dave worked hard and showed a lot of passion while Jordan put in a really good shift as well.

"We're grateful to Golds manager Mitch Hand for helping us out.”

Saltdean 0 Wick 2

RUR Cup

Jake Hawker’s scintillating strike from the halfway line and Josh Irish’s sixth goal of the season sent Wick to Sussex RUR Cup victory against ten-man Saltdean United at Hill Park.

Dragons centre-half Hawker hit his stunner two minutes into the second period and said: “We noticed their goalkeeper was off his line quite a bit in the first half and talked about it during the interval.

“So when I saw him move to the edge of the area just after the game restarted, I took aim from halfway and my shot sailed over his head and into the net as he backpedalled.”

The goal sparked wild celebrations and Hawker added:”‘It was probably the best I’ve ever scored.”

Irish found the net three minutes later with a fine finish off the far post.

And Division 1 outfit Wick could have scored more against the premier division Tigers.

The home side had Jordan Barstow dismissed just before the break for kicking out at George Bingham after a midfield challenge.

Lancing and Steyning are both through to the first qualifying round of the FA Cup after preliminary round victories.

Dave Altendorff’s Lancers had a nightmare start to their tie at Badshot Lea – conceding two penalties inside the first 12 minutes.

But they fought their way back into it and goals by Charlie Bennett, Henry Watson and Tyrone Madhani put them through to a home tie with Carshalton Athletic.

Steyning beat Peacehaven 3-0 and will visit Hadley next.

Worthing Utd 5 East Preston 1

SCFL Division 1

While the scoreline suggests an emphatic win, things could have been very different had the visitors made the most of early sloppiness from the Mavericks.

Mistakes were not punished and the home side made the most of it, scoring three first-half goals from Dean Sherwood, Liam Appleton and Brad Hunt.

EP got one back just before the break when a long free kick caught the wind and sailed in.

Any home concerns were quickly settled after the restart with Brad Hunt adding his second and Dan Hills getting a fifth. It sees United top of the early table.

Godalming 0 Roffey 2

SCFL Division 1

by Sam Chapman

With eight players unavailable due to weddings and holidays, it was a much-changed Roffey team that took the field away to unbeaten Godalming. Jack Stafford came into the defence, along with the returning Mark Bevan. Newly re-signed Dan Pearse and Jahobi Maher started in midfield, Tiago Andrade was back up top and Charlie Maguire made his debut on the left.

On a windy day with a bumpy pitch and a much changed team it could have been a difficult afternoon but from the first minute the new-look Boars took control.

Strafford, Findlay and Bevan were not only rock solid at the back but also the source of many of Roffey’s attacks with accurate passes. Dan Pearse and Jamie Wanstall dominated midfield allowing Jahobi Maher to break forward and support Andrade and Kelvin Lucas, with James Pearse also raiding down the right.

After 10 minutes Maher swung a corner into the far post for Dan Pearse to head across goal and Andrade applied the finishing touch, playing it through the legs of a defender on the line.

Godalming responded with some direct play which for a while keeping the Boars at bay earning a a couple of free kicks and corners never really threatened Alex Thynne’s goal. Then seven minutes before half-time, Bevan’s pass sliced through the home defence and into the path of Maher’s perfectly timed run and he calmly slotted it into the bottom corner. HT 0-2.

Roffey knew that if they managed the game by keeping possession and their shape, the three points would be theirs and unlike in a couple of earlier games, this is exactly what they did. They also opened up Godalming on several occasions and the home keeper pulled off saves to thwart Andrade and Kelvin Lucas twice.

The home team’s frustration resulted in a second yellow card for Robert Parrott and the Boars cruised to their second win of the season.

Roffey: Thynne, J.Pearse, Maguire, Bevan,(Morgan) Findlay, Stafford, Lucas, (Lyons) Wanstall, Maher, Andrade, D. Pearse. Sub: Munday.