Icklesham Casuals had a mixed week with the 1st team reaching the last sixteen of the Sussex Junior Cup with a comfortable victory while the 2nd team could feel a little hard done by in their narrow defeat to Battle Baptists III.
Following a three week lay-off the 1st team returned to action with a long away trip in the third round of the Sussex Junior Cup to take on Horsham Crusaders Reserves but the journey was worthwhile with a comprehensive 7-1 win.
In difficult conditions the Casuals took an early lead when Charlie Cornford flashed the ball across the Crusaders’ six-yard box to give Kieran Dighton a tap in and they doubled the lead minutes later when Cornford breezed past his opposite number, drove into the box and finished past the keeper. Midway through the first half Cornford had his second when he dribbled passed four opposition players, rounded the keeper and slotted home. There was a brief moment of hope for the home side just before half time when they converted a soft penalty past stand-in keeper Solomon Cooke.
Icklesham put the game to bed early in the second half when, following a neat one two on the edge of the opposition box with Dighton, Steffan Davies powered the ball passed the Crusaders keeper. Dave Pugh followed with two bullet headers from consecutive Davies corners and Sam Norman wrapped up the scoring when he tapped home after the Crusaders keeper spilled a Cornford shot.
After the Christmas break the Casuals travel to Northbrook, leaders of Division One of the Brighton, Worthing and District League, in the next round.
The 2nd team started their match with Battle Baptists III well and created a number of chances which they failed to take. Battle then came into the game creating chances of their own and took the lead shortly before the interval.
Icklesham began the second half as they had the first and finally thought they had the equaliser when an initial shot was turned into the back of the net, only for the flag to be raised for offside despite the ball being played by two Battle defenders en route. A hard working performance deserved better than a 1-0 defeat.
Image Credits: Icklesham Casuals .