Six-shooting Sidley blast to semi-finals

Past experience and league position suggested it was anyone's guess who would go through to meet Selsey in the semi-finals, but Sidley were simply inspired as they came from a goal down to surge into a 4-1 lead by the interval.

Joint manager Glen Sully admitted that he was one of many expecting a close game. He said: "I told the players beforehand that we were not going to get many chances."

Not that he was complaining though. "First 10 minutes they were slightly the better side because we weren't picking up runners but I was looking at our side and I thought 'I fancy us today - we can get a few goals here or certainly create a few chances'.

"In fact it could have been more. I thought we played football at the right times. We passed it when we could pass it - our choices were right most of the time."

This tie had been switched to Gullivers because of the poor condition of the Arundel pitch but it was the visitors who made themselves feel at home by taking the lead after only 10 minutes, Pete Ansley finishing off a neat move with an emphatic drive from 12 yards.

A superb James Latter save denied Dave Carey an instant response, but Sidley didn't have to wait long to get on the scoresheet because even before a quarter of an hour had been played Russell Eldridge hit the target with a low free-kick which went in off the inside of the post.

On 24 minutes Dave Ward fired Sidley in front with a well-placed drive from a partially cleared corner. Things got even better when Shae Spreafico embarked on a dazzling run down the left wing which saw him beat two defenders, get fouled, pick himself up, dummy another opponent and finally set up Wes Tate to make it 3-1.

Tate went close to adding another with a shot against the post before Eldridge's fine finish from an Adam Day through ball pretty much ended the match as a contest just before the interval.

The teams traded goals in the second half. A Norgate header reduced the deficit on 56 minutes only for Sidley to restore their three-goal advantage from virtually their next attack, Tate doubling his tally after Jason Finch had won possession near the Arundel box.

Spreafico piled on the agony after 70 minutes by finishing off a sublime pass from Carey before Miles Scerri's precise free-kick softened the blow for a well-beaten Arundel, to leave the final score 6-3.

Sidley: Shoesmith, Ward, Eldridge, Ball, Wood, Copley, Finch (Balch), Day, Tate (Rose), Carey (Freeman), Spreafico. Subs not used: Linch, Lusted.