Crowborough Athletic (0) 2-3 (2) Mile Oak FC
Saturday 26th September ‘09
Sussex County Football League, Division One
Crowborough Community Stadium 3:00pm kick off

Crows: R Gordon, L Leppard, C Ransome, D Adams (capt), J Trotter, J Hampson, S Treleaven, S Reid, J Buckett, T Saunders (J Pallett 79), N Millroy (R Campbell 59).
Subs Not Used: S Whibley, B Head (GK)
CRO ML O
6 Shots On Target 5
7 Shots Off Target 4
4 Corners 5
11 Fouls Committed 17
2 Offside 9

Attendance: 53
Half-Time: 0-2
Goals: C Ransome (assist S Treleaven)
R Campbell (assist C Ransome)
Man of the Match: Dave Adams.

By Anthony Scott

Despite a late come-back, Crowborough Athletic will rue missed first half chances as Scott Osbourne’s first game in charge ended in a defeat, but he will have a lot of positives to take from this match against Mile Oak.

Crowborough came close within 5 minutes, as Tom Saunders found Chris Ransome, whose drive went over the bar.
However, Mile Oak nearly broke the deadlock themselves, when Mark Rewell latched onto a ball over the top to go one on one with Rob Gordon, but Rewell’s tame effort was comfortably saved by the advancing keeper.
On 17, Dave Adams’ free-kick picked out Saunders, whose header was saved by Mark Stuart.
After that, Sam Reid’s drive across found Ransome, whose deflected shot looped narrowly over.
Then Boro again came close. Nathan Millroy’s free-kick picked out Jon Trotter, whose header was scrambled away, but fell to Ransome, but his drive across went narrowly wide of the far post.
After the half hour, Millroy played in Jamie Buckett, who took the ball away from the advancing Stuart, before crossing to Scott Treleaven at the far post, but his overhead kick was blocked by Chris Paine, the ball then fell back to Millroy, but his effort from 6 yards went straight to the keeper.
Moments later, Gordon’s goal kick was flicked on by Reid, and found Millroy who burst through on goal, but his drive went narrowly wide of the far post.
Mile Oak then broke and broke the deadlock against the run of play. Rewell, who seemed offside, latched onto a ball through, but Jon Hampson’s tackle on the striker resulted in a harsh penalty. Graham Martin stepped up to send Gordon the wrong way to give the visitors the lead.
Things got even worse in stoppage time. Mo Alwan found himself in on goal, and he composed himself to slot beyond the advancing keeper and into the near corner.

Crowborough started slowly second half, as Peter Martin’s shot was well saved by the diving Gordon.
Mile Oak then extended their lead 7 minutes in. Alwan laid the ball to Gary French, who from 12 yards, had bags of time to drive into the far corner.
Boro then woke up, and came close to coming back into the match after the hour. Ransome’s free-kick was headed away, but set Saunders up nicely on the edge of the area, but his volley went over the bar.
16 minutes from time, the Crows were given a lifeline. Graham Martin’s poor pass was capitalized on by Treleaven, whose low cross found Ransome at the far post, who drove the ball back across goal, away from the scrambling Stuart and into the far bottom corner.
On 84, Crowborough then netted a second, as Ransome’s excellent ball played in substitute Ross Campbell, who beat Clay Lamont to drive into the far bottom corner from a tight angle, to give the hosts belief they could come back to get at least a point… and they came inches from doing just that.
Lamont handled the ball just outside the area, Adams picked up the ball, and his effort couldn’t have been hit with more power. It comfortably beat the wall, dipped, beat the standing Stuart, who could only watch as the ball agonizingly rattled the bar.

Crowborough now face a mouth watering tie at home to a strong Crawley Town in the Sussex Senior Cup on Wednesday night, before travelling to Ringmer in the FA Vase First Round Saturday.