Hollington win clash of last season's top two

Reigning Premier Division champions Hollington won 3-1 away to 2016/17 runners-up Battle Baptists to extend their winning start to four matches. Ross Southwood, Luke Woodley and Ade Olorunda were on target for a Hollington side which is three points clear at the top of the table. Dean Boyd scored for Battle, who had won their two previous fixtures. Rye Town are up to second after making it three wins out of three with a 4-2 victory at home to fellow promoted team Crowhurst. Richard ‘Alfie’ Weller bagged a brace to make it five in three games, and Charlie Stevens and Rob Levett were also on target for Rye. Stephen Greenfield and Steven McGowan netted for Crowhurst. St Leonards Social went third on the back of a 3-1 success at home to Sidley United. Shane Ryan, Brett Patten and Jack Eliott found the net for Social, rendering Sean Baldwin’s goal for Sidley academic. Hawkhurst United dropped to fourth after suffering their first defeat with a 2-1 loss away to Robertsbridge United. Two goals from Guy Ballard gave Robertsbridge their first points of the campaign. Bexhill Town also recorded their first victory with a 2-1 triumph away to Sedlescombe Rangers. Wesley Irving scored for Sedlescombe, but the goals of Ross Cook and Ben Cornelius gave Bexhill the points. The two teams who went into the weekend with 100 percent records in Division One went head-to-head and Hastings Rangers ran out convincing 5-1 winners at home to Bexhill AAC. Goals from Alex Williams (2), Tom Frazer Bates (2) and Mark Blanche gave new leaders Rangers a fourth win out of four. Darren Witham converted a first half penalty for AAC. Northiam 75 jumped above AAC into second place after maintaining their unbeaten start with a 6-2 success at home to Mountfield United. Scott Embery and Stephen Housago bagged two apiece for Northiam, whose other scorer was Dan Hackett. The biggest winners across any of the six divisions were Westfield II, who picked up their first points of the season in emphatic style with a 9-1 victory away to Rock-a-Nore. Alan Johnson plundered a hat-trick, while Toby Pearce, Billy-Jo Driver and Marc Barden scored two apiece. Little Common II also achieved their first win via a 2-0 success away to Wadhurst United. Toby Smith and Daniel Booth got the goals. Herstmonceux earned their first point with a 1-1 draw at home to fourth-placed The JC Tackleway. Steven Benton struck for Tackleway. Division Two looks wide open at this early stage in the season, with the top four teams covered by a single point. The top two at the start of play, Sovereign Saints and St Leonards Social II, played out a 1-1 draw with each other. Philip Broom scored for Saints, who are still unbeaten and a point clear at the top, and John Walker replied for a Social outfit which dropped to fourth. Icklesham Casuals soared to second via a 7-0 win away to Bexhill Broncos in a match where both teams had a player sent-off. Seven different players were on the scoresheet, namely Charlie Cornford, David Pugh, Sam Norman, Kieran Dighton, Michael Amar, Sean Baker and Christopher Osunsami. Bexhill United II went third on the back of a 5-0 victory at home to Mayfield, who have fallen to the foot of the table. Ben Barton, Andrew Matthews and Jack Matthews were among the scorers. Wittersham made it three draws out of three after their game away to Hollington United II ended 1-1. Graham Stovell netted for Hollington and Joseph Phillips for Wittersham. Battle Baptists II picked up their first points and moved off the bottom in the process by winning 3-1 away to Peche Hill Select. Josh Pickering (2) and Kieran Mayhew netted for Battle, and Sam Harris-Green for Peche Hill. Punnetts Town moved two points clear at the top of Division Three with a 4-1 success away to The JC Tackleway II. Jack Divall scored a hat-trick and Anthony Harvey got the other for Punnetts, who have won four out of four and scored 31 goals in the process. Andrew Olorenshaw netted for Tackleway. Sedlescombe Rangers II moved up to second after extending their unbeaten start with a 4-0 win away to Pebsham Sibex. Chris Ford and Liam Baker netted two goals apiece. Victoria Baptists dropped to third after seeing their 100 percent record ended by a 2-1 loss at Ticehurst, who had lost all of their first three matches. Toby Travers and Adam Brotherwood scored for Ticehurst. Fourth-placed Sandhurst are also on nine points following their 7-3 victory away to Magham Down, who are now the division’s only winless club. William Mantle (2), Andrew Turner (2), Adam Boyd and Harry Dance notched for Sandhurst, while Jake Barker, Graeme Whiteman and Jamie Bundy retaliated. Hawkhurst United II picked up their first points in style with a 6-1 triumph at home to Catsfield. Orington are the new leaders in Division Four on the back of a 7-2 win at home to Sovereign Saints II. Adam How scored a hat-trick, and Aaron Lillycrop, James McGrath, Daniel Hopgood and Andy Swindles claimed one apiece for Orington. Aaron Brindley and Nathan Thomas scored for Saints. Second-placed Bexhill AAC II made it 10 points from a possible 12 by winning 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller at home to West Hill United. Vinny Heron (2), Ashley Carey, Dominic Sinden and Matt Simmons scored for AAC, while Tyler Smith (2), Tommy Warren and James Walker netted for West Hill. Third-placed Bexhill Broncos failed to win for the first time this season as they were held to a 3-3 draw away to Parkfield. Matthew Stephens, Spencer Cornelious and Jack Harman grabbed the Broncos’ goals. A good 2-1 win away to Cranbrook Town lifted South Coast Athletico up to fourth. Connor Easton’s double did the trick for Athletico. Burwash claimed their first points with a 4-2 win at home to Ninfield VFC in a meeting of the current bottom two, although both teams have played a game less than everyone else. The goals of James Rose (2), Russell Fyfe and Peter Burchett won it for Burwash, despite the efforts of Grant Wright and Kenny Davison Mitchell for Ninfield. Hampden Park and Sedlescombe Rangers III remain neck-and-neck at the top of Division Five after both sides continued their perfect records with victories last weekend. Hampden Park have the edge on goal difference, although they were made to work for a 2-1 win at home to Battle Baptists III and conceded their first goal of the season in the process. Jamie Crouch scored for Battle. Sedlescombe also chalked up their fourth win out of four with a 4-1 success away to Beckley Rangers. Edward Manford Keen struck twice for Sedlescombe, whose other scorers were Robert Dale and James Hopkinson. Luke Townsend netted for Beckley. Robertsbridge United II are five points behind the top two in third place following their 3-3 draw away to Icklesham Casuals II. Paul Rockett, Neil Gofton and Michael Morgan scored for Robertsbridge. Herstmonceux II dropped to fourth after suffering their first defeat, losing 6-3 in a high scoring clash away to Wittersham II. Mark Stillwell helped himself to a hat-trick, yet still ended up on the losing side. West Hill United II collected their first points by dint of a 3-0 win at home to Northiam II, who are still seeking to get off the mark. Goals from Mike Hawley, Michal Zemanek and Josh Bolt did the damage.