MATCH REPORT: RESERVES VS RINGMER AFC III

Rotherfield travelled to Ringmer in buoyant mood following their hard-earned win the previous week against Willingdon, to face-off against a youthful Ringmer 3s side on their excellent artificial surface.

The Rother started solidly, with the returning and resolute Sutton-Ridley-BowenHolman partnership aggressive against a youthful and dynamic Ringmer frontline – with both sides retaining possession well and probing cautiously in the opening 10 minutes. Ryan Blackstone continued where he left off from the week before, consistently threatening the opposition back line and stretching the game, with both Blackstone and his bullish partner for the week Fothergill both having several halfchances before the early Rotherfield breakthrough. The midfield maestro Jack Birdsall won another free-kick mid-way into the Ringmer half following a dominant opening spell, where a long ball behind their backline caused chaos before Striker Ryan Blackstone hammered the ball home from 10yards out – putting Rotherfield deservedly 1-0 up 20 minutes in.

Rotherfield continued to probe, with widemen Bobbie “safe hands” Ridley and Jonah Caird working tirelessly down the flanks, swinging in awkward crosses resulting in several set plays for the Rother, camping them firmly in the Ringmer half. It was unfortunately a Rotherfield attack that proved to be their own undoing.

Fothergill and Blackstone were put in behind the Ringmer fullback and both had several chances to pull the trigger whilst dancing across the edge of the penalty area before their attack was stifled by brave defending. Ringmer then broke from midfield, and a long ball misjudged by Player-Manager Bowen put the attacker through on goal, before a recovering Holman collided with the pro-active Gurney in goal to leave the striker with the simplest of finishes.

Ringmer then looked to press-on following their unlikely equaliser and spent much of the remaining half camped on the edge of the Rotherfield area, with the midfield duo of Chittenden and Birdsall proving to be thorns in the home-side with their diligent midfield marshalling. Rotherfield were pushed deeper into their penalty area, with a number of well delivered set-pieces and corners bringing the best out of the away-side. Young Jonah Caird in his first start for the Rother producing a spectacular scorpion kick goal-line clearance on the back-post to keep the green’s parity to the dismay of the home-side. The returning James Gurney looked commanding on his return following injury, collecting a number of dangerous Ringmer crosses before once again Rotherfield were the makers of their demise.

This time it was the other Rotherfield Centre-Back at fault, with O. Ridley losing his man on the blindside following a well-won nod-down from a Ringmer set-piece – putting the home side 2-1 up having wrestled control of the half. Ringmer again pushed the issue with the remaining few minutes of the half – requiring all 11 greens to be at their best and work together as a unit to keep the score at 2-1 going into half time. Bowen and recently-appointed Assistant Coach Ollie Caird rallied the troops at halftime, knowing their strong bench could turn the tide should the sides remain close going into the final quarter of the game. Ringmer continued the half where they left off, with most of the ball and most of the territory, but no real chances to speak of with Rotherfield skipper Owen Ridley putting his body on the line in the face of good forward play.

This time it was the home-side that were going to be hit against the run of play – with the ever-electric Blackstone being put through down the left with composed back-to-front play originating from the ever-present Will Sutton, before swinging in a difficult cross for both home and away players alike. The hardworking Fothergill plucked the ball from the air and brought it under his control with precision before swivelling and finishing deliciously into the far corner to bring the greens level with 30 to play. Coach Caird then rang the changes to capitalise on a deflated Ringmer, with the lively Sean Bristow and calm composure of Jevon Lelliot having an immediate impact – causing issues in behind the Ringmer backline and retaining possession respectively.

The away side were now in the ascendancy, with Ringmer only able to watch as the young greens wrestled control of the game and looked to grab the winner. More well-thought-out changes and more impact followed, with the lengthy stride of Connor Evans and youthful exuberance of Rhys Thomas stretching the game further and tiring the home side. Ringmer had since resorted to aggressive fouls and cynicism to try and stem the flow of Rotherfield attacks, with strong refereeing under watchful FA assessment allowing the away side to continue with the sustained pressure into the final throws of the well-fought tie. Ringmer were now the side camped on the edge of their box, showing the same resolute defending that the greens had shown for the much of the game, and it was only a supreme piece of magic that was going to unlock the backline. Harry Chittenden once again won the ball from the Ringmer midfield and tip-toed along the edge of the penalty area before unleashing an audacious scoop-pass over the heads of the gawping defenders to the ever-hungry Fothergill. Fothergill then delivered a finish of equal quality into the same corner as his first to double his tally and give Rotherfield a well-deserved lead with 10minutes remaining.

Oskar Furman entered the fray late-on to add some much needed legs to the tiring Rotherfield midfield and help the greens stem the flow of Ringmer attacks down the left flank. With Rotherfield now having a lead to hang on to, it was all-hands to the pump with the greens continuing the strong defensive display (from frontline all the way back to the goalkeeper) to see out the remainder of the game and secure another welldeserved 3 points. Man of the Match almost-unanimously was awarded to Harry Chittenden on his first start for Rotherfield in over 5years, with a masterful midfield display alongside baldPirlo Jack Birdsall. Richard Fothergill also received several bouts of praise for his hard-work and excellent forward play that ultimately won the game for the greens. The “green machine” now move onto Stratford Cup exploits with their first home game in over a month against Crawley United, looking to cap-off a series of excellent away performances with progress in a cup competition they exited early-on last time out.