Crowborough Athletic FC (0) 1-2 (1) Pagham FC
Saturday 21st November 2009
Sussex County Football League, Division One.
Crowborough Community Stadium (3:00pm)

Crows: Williams, Tear, Clark, Adams (capt), Leppard, Trotter, Meek (Kelly 73), John-Baptiste, Carrington (Campbell 73), Wood (Treleaven 58), Saunders.
Subs Not Used: Ransome, Millroy.
CROW PFC
6 Shots 6
2 On Target 5
9 Corners 4
15 Fouls Committed 16
3 Offside 4

Attendance: 48.
Half-Time: 0-1.
Goals: Hotson (OG) 82 (assist: Campbell)
Man of the Match: Dan TEAR.

By Anthony Scott

Crowborough Athletic will blame luck again as they will be disappointed that they didn’t get at least the point they deserved against a poor Pagham side.

The Crows made 8 changes from midweek, as Dave Adams, Ashley John-Baptiste, Luke Leppard, Jon Trotter, Elliott Wood, keeper Alex Williams and Iain Meek all returned to the starting XI, as well as league debuts for Dan Tear and Anthony Clark.

The hosts started on the front foot, as Sam Carrington saw his drive go narrowly wide of the near post early on. Boro came even closer to taking the lead after 3 minutes, when Tom Saunders’ free-kick found Wood at the far post, who headed over Wes Hallett, but only for Jon Tucker to head off the line.
Pagham then had a spell of pressure, as Michael Frangou had an effort deflected wide of the post.
On 14, Tom Poole set up Scott Towers, whose volley was comfortably saved by the standing Williams.
Boro went back on the attack moments later, as Adams’ corner picked out Trotter, but he could only head over the bar. On 23, Tear’s cross found John-Baptiste, who flicked on to Clark, but his header went narrowly wide of the near post.
The visitors then broke, when Doug Peach’s ball over the top played in Towers, who one on one with Williams, saw his drive excellently saved by the advancing keeper.
Wood then laid the ball off to John-Baptiste, but he dragged the ball wide of the far post.
Pagham broke the deadlock before the interval. Lee Bradshaw played the ball forward, and Ryan Cox ran onto it before nodding the ball away from the advancing Williams and into the net.

In a less entertaining second period, the visitors doubled their lead soon after the restart. Carrington found Wood, but a poor first touch allowed Bradshaw to launch the ball upfield to Towers, whose effort beat the advancing Williams to find the net.
Frangou then was denied by Williams, and then the post, as his drilled free-kick was well pushed onto the upright by the diving keeper.
Crowborough put Pagham under intense pressure after the hour.
A scramble in the visitors’ penalty area found Adams, but his effort was blocked by the advancing Hallett.
Boro were given a lifeline 8 minutes from time. Substitute Ross Campbell crossed the ball in from the left, and George Hotson’s attempted clearance sliced off the outside of his foot to find the far corner.
But it was in vain, as the Crows failed to find the equaliser in the latter part of the game.

Crowborough now host Peacehaven & Telscombe on Saturday.