Review of the year part 1

Sporting stars from across the locality have won national, European, Commonwealth and even world titles, again proving this corner of East Sussex is capable of producing top quality sporting talent. JANUARY * St Leonards snooker star Mark Davis is edged out 6-5 by defending champion Mark Selby at the Dafabet Masters after a splendid comeback from 4-0 and 5-2 down * Cathy Bargh, from Sedlescombe, beats two reigning world champions back-to-back to win the over-50 women’s singles at the 15th Yonex Scottish International Veterans’ Badminton Championships * John Maggs is sacked after just five months as Hastings United manager with the club lying fourth in Ryman Football League Division One South. Terry White steps up from coach to take over the reins * St Leonards-based runner Lee Emanuel clocks the fastest time in the world for the mile during the present indoor season. His run of 3:54:30 in New York was also number three on the British all-time list FEBRUARY * Tennis talent Frances Candy, from St Leonards, wins the over-60 women’s singles title at the British Open Seniors Indoor Championships 2014 in Dudley * Lee Emanuel wins the men’s 1,500m at the British Athletics Indoor Championships in Sheffield * Hastings Priory and Sussex cricketer Harry Finch is part of the England team which reaches the semi-finals of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in the UAE * The inaugural Falaise Open Singles bowls tournament - part of the national planetbowls.com open singles circuit - is declared a resounding success MARCH * Lee Emanuel makes his Great Britain debut at the IAAF World Indoor Championships 2014 in Poland * Hastings win the Sussex Men’s Winter Super League Darts Championship for the first time * The East Sussex Football League programme finally gets up and running again after being decimated for two-and-a-half months of remarkably wet weather * Rye United withdraw from the Sussex County Football League following a members’ vote at an extraordinary general meeting * Boniface Kongin becomes the 15th Kenyan winner of the Hastings Half Marathon in the last 17 years after romping to victory despite spending most of the previous day in bed feeling unwell. His compatriot Gladys Kwambai makes it a double celebration by winning the women’s race APRIL * Hastings badminton talent Lydia Powell represents England at the BWF World Junior Championships 2014 in Malaysia * South Saxons finish second-bottom of South Hockey League Kent/Sussex - Regional 2 after winning a final day battle to avoid the wooden spoon against Sutton Valence II * Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Club clinches promotion to London Three South East after winning a play-off between the runners-up in the Kent and Sussex leagues against Crawley * Hastings United are narrowly beaten 3-2 after extra-time away to Folkestone Invicta in their play-off semi-final MAY * Bexhill United are beaten 4-1 by Loxwood in the final of the Sussex County Football League Division Two Challenge Cup - the club’s first senior county final in 40 years * Rye CC plays its first ever match in the Sussex Cricket League having been promoted as East Sussex Cricket League champions in 2013 * Tony Cosens steps down as Hastings United secretary after 35 years * Hastings & Bexhill are pipped by a solitary point in the Sussex Shield final for the second successive year, losing 8-7 to Pulborough * Jethro Warren becomes manager of Westfield Football Club after long-serving trio Tony Harris, Duncan Jones and Mat Ball stand down JUNE * Marc Munday is appointed manager of Bexhill United after previous boss Kenny McCreadie was de-selected during a committee vote * Joe Cox produces the best ever Bexhill Cricket Club first team league bowling performance with figures of 8-35 in the victory at home to Three Bridges * Former Gillingham and Hereford United professional Richard Rose agrees to join Hastings United * Battle shooter Steve Scott wins the men’s double trap discipline at the European Shotgun Championships in Hungary