East Sussex Football League's top cup contest’s semi-finals take shape

Both booked their places in the last four of the Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup (for Premier Division clubs) courtesy of home wins on Saturday.

Punnetts were 2-0 victors over Robertsbridge United in their quarter-final thanks to goals from Alex Burton and Tristan Jarvis.

Strikes by Jules Phillips, Armandas Briedis and Sam Henham earned Rye a 3-0 success against Bexhill AAC.

Rye will host Crowhurst or Rock-a-Nore in the semi-finals, while Punnetts will entertain Westfield II or Sidley United, whose tie was postponed on Saturday.

Top of Division Two beat bottom of Division One as Ninfield progressed to the quarter-finals of the Wisden Sports Challenge Cup on the back of a 3-1 triumph at home to Battle Town II.

Jordan Uttley, Gary Bryant and Joseph Trigwell were the men on the mark for Ninfield, who will travel to SC Pass+Move Arrows in the last eight. Darren Griffiths provided the Battle response.

Ticehurst, from Division Three, went through to the quarter-finals of the Division Three and Four Challenge Cup following a 3-1 win over Hastings Athletic, of Division Four.

Darren Nicol's brace and one from George Brown secured Ticehurst a home tie against Hawkhurst United II or Welcroft Park Rangers II in the last eight. A Steven Rowlands strike was the afternoon's highlight for Athletic.

AFC Jesters finally contested their Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup first-round clash at the third attempt, but lost 5-2 away to Cuckfield Town.

Reece Davey and Josh Harris found the net for the Jesters, who gave themselves too much to do after falling 4-0 behind by half time.

Moving on to the league action and St Leonards Social received a walkover away to Rock-a-Nore in the one scheduled Premier Division fixture.

Hollington United II climbed two positions to second in Division Two by virtue of a 3-0 win away to Northiam 75.

Sonny Dullaway's hat-trick got the job done for Hollington and moved them within three points of unbeaten leaders Ninfield.

The match between SC Pass+Move Arrows II and Peche Hill Select, who were third and second respectively at the start of the weekend, was cancelled.

Victoria Baptists rose from sixth to fourth - and just a point adrift of Hollington - on the back of a 1-0 victory away to Hooe. James Bellett grabbed the all-important goal.

Sedlescombe Rangers II jumped up two positions off the foot of the standings thanks to a 4-0 success at home to Icklesham Casuals.

Nathan Biddiss, Zak Boutwood, Finnley Page and Riesse Stewart struck to earn Sedlescombe their first league win in more than two months - and leave their victims bottom of the table.

The third-versus-first clash in Division Three produced a nine-goal thriller, with leaders Herstmonceux triumphing 6-3 away to Crowhurst II.

Robbie Hodgson plundered a four-goal salvo for the top dogs, whose other scorers were Mark Stillwell and Nathan Hartney. Harley Millward (2) and Karl Tomlin retaliated for the Crows.

It was Crowhurst's first league loss of the season after five straight wins and they now trail Herstmonceux by 13 points having played five fewer matches.

Parkfield remain nine points off the pace in second, albeit with three games in hand, after winning 4-1 away to Westfield III in a contest where all the goals came during the second half.

Ethan Gabriel and Oliver Truman netted twice each for a Parkfield side enjoying a fine season so far, while Lewis Bellamy was Westfield's scorer.

Rye Town II went fourth after two Rob Levett goals, and one apiece from Arthur Karapetyan, Liam Sayer and Franz Cuison secured a 5-2 victory away to Bexhill AAC II. Charlie Morgan's double wasn't enough for AAC.

Orington slipped to fifth following a 2-0 defeat at home to a Catsfield team now unbeaten in four league and cup matches. Both goals came during the first half.

Mountfield United celebrated their second league success of the campaign with a 2-1 triumph away to Hastings Comets.

The goals of Steven Fortsch and Ben Waite lifted Mountfield four points above their second-bottom victims, whose reply came from Kyle Wood.

Welcroft Park Rangers II have established a huge 13-point lead in Division Four after winning 1-0 away to second-placed Battle Town III.

Steven Cherryman's first-half goal was enough to take Welcroft's tally to 28 points from a possible 30 and they already look almost certain to be crowned champions.

Sedlescombe Rangers Development missed the chance to leapfrog Battle into second spot after losing 3-1 at home to Hawkhurst United II.

A George Lawrence brace and one from Daniel Hough lifted the Hawks out of the bottom two, despite Kieron Booker finding the net for Sedlescombe.

Burwash jumped from sixth to fourth by virtue of a 4-3 victory at home to Robertsbridge United II in a match featuring seven goals and a red card for either team.

Frank Flint, Willy Pugh-Jones, Rhys Kuhler and Robert Swaine were the Burwash scorers, while the goals of Matthew Anderson, James Baldock-Apps and Chris Cotton couldn't prevent Robertsbridge dropping beneath their conquerors to sixth.

Westfield IV slid below Burwash to fifth on the back of a 2-0 reverse away to The JC Tackleway II, who moved up a position to seventh through the goals of Danny Croft and Jamie Pelling.

Standings - Premier Division (played-points): Bexhill Town 8-21 (+12 goal difference), Crowhurst 9-15 (+16), Rye Town 6-15 (+9), Punnetts Town 7-13 (+9), Westfield II 6-10 (+2), St Leonards Social 8-10 (-15), Hawkhurst United 9-9 (-6), Rock-a-Nore* 9-7 (+2), Bexhill AAC 6-6 (-1), Sidley United* 7-5 (-10), Robertsbridge United 7-3 (-18). * = points adjusted

Division 1 (played-points): The JC Tackleway 7-19 (+26), Sandhurst 5-12 (+5), AFC Jesters 7-12 (-1), SC Pass+Move Arrows 5-10 (+6), Wadhurst United* 8-6 (-2), Little Common II 8-6 (-14), Battle Town II 6-1 (-20). * = points adjusted. South Coast Athletico withdrawn

Division 2 (played-points): Ninfield 7-17 (+10), Hollington United II 7-14 (+8), Peche Hill Select 7-14 (+4), Victoria Baptists 7-13 (+8), SC Pass+Move Arrows II 8-12 (-3), Northiam 75 8-10 (+4), Bexhill Rovers 7-9 (-1), Sedlescombe Rangers II 8-6 (-4), Hooe 6-6 (-6), Icklesham Casuals 9-5 (-20).

Division 3 (played-points): Herstmonceux 11-28 (+24), Parkfield 8-19 (+8), Crowhurst II 6-15 (+9), Rye Town II* 8-14 (+3), Orington 8-12 (+2), Sovereign Saints II 8-11 (-4), Catsfield 8-11 (-4), Bexhill AAC II 8-10 (-5), Ticehurst* 6-6 (+6), Mountfield United 8-6 (-7), Hastings Comets 7-2 (-12), Westfield III 8-1 (-20). * = points adjusted

Division 4 (played-points): Welcroft Park Rangers II 10-28 (+29), Battle Town III 10-15 (+8), Sedlescombe Rangers Development 8-15 (+2), Burwash 9-15 (+1), Westfield IV 7-12 (+5), Robertsbridge United II 8-12 (+1), The JC Tackleway II 9-10 (-1), Hawkhurst United II 8-10 (-9), SC Pass+Move Arrows III* 8-8 (-13), Hastings Athletic 9-1 (-23).

Saturday December 3 fixtures (kick-off 2pm unless stated) - Premier Division: Bexhill Town v Hawkhurst United, Punnetts Town v Robertsbridge United, Sidley United v St Leonards Social.

Division 1: Battle Town II v Little Common II, The JC Tackleway v Wadhurst United.

Division 2: Hollington United II v Sedlescombe Rangers II, Victoria Baptists v Hooe.

Division 3: Hastings Comets v Crowhurst II, Mountfield United v Westfield III, Parkfield v Bexhill AAC II.

Division 4: Robertsbridge United II v Battle Town III, SC Pass+Move Arrows III v Hastings Athletic, Westfield IV v The JC Tackleway II.

Sussex Bluefin Junior Challenge Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): Angmering Saturday v Ninfield, Herstmonceux v Horsham Trinity, Icklesham Casuals v Eastbourne Athletic, Rudgwick II v Bexhill Rovers, SC Pass+Move Arrows v The Unicorn Bognor Regis II. 1st round: Sovereign Saints II v AFC Southbourne.

ESFL Graham Ormston Premier Travel Chauffeurs Challenge Cup quarter-final (1.30pm): Crowhurst v Rock-a-Nore.

ESFL Division Three and Four Challenge Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): Hawkhurst United II v Welcroft Park Rangers II.

Macron Store Hastings Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): Northiam 75 v Bexhill AAC, Sandhurst v Westfield II.

Hastings & District FA Lower Divisions Cup, 2nd round (1.30pm): Burwash v Ticehurst.