Crowborough Athletic 4 Rusthall 2

Match 28/17/1478 - Thursday, 7th September 2017 - SCEFL Premier

Crowborough Athletic (1) 4 Muggeridge 2, Pearson 65, Carrington 72,82
Rusthall (1) 2 Harper 30, Mitchell 85
Attendance: 112
Played at Maidstone United

Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 20/1,666

Match Report

This was an old school reunion with no less than 13 of the respective squads having played at Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells and several having played for both Rusthall and Crowborough. It is usually a recipe for a bit of needle but the game was fought out largely on a good spirit and a very good game ensued.

Four years ago, this fixture as a league match was almost unthinkable, add in the East Sussex club playing at Maidstone in Kent, makes it all the more surreal.

Crowborough have made the 4G surface at the Gallagher their temporary home whilst a similar surface is laid at the Alderbrook Recreation Ground.

Rusthall adapted well to the surface to the surface over the 90 minutes but were caught cold going behind after just 90 seconds when Tom Phipp played in Henry Muggeridge to step inside a defender and bury his shot into the bottom corner.

Crowborough threatened to run away with the game in the early stages but the Rustics slowly found their feet with Crows’ goalkeeper Dan Ellis saving from Joe Fuller and also pushing away a 20 yard effort from Danny Powell.

Rusthall’s leveller was fully deserved when it arrived with just past the half-hour mark.

Stewart Gostlow sent a deep free-kick into the penalty area and Dan Mitchell rose at the far post to send a looping header over Ellis with Powell seemingly having the last touch before the ball crossed the line. However, the goal was officially credited to Mitchell.

Powell found his way into the referee’s notebook after steering the ball into the net with his hand and the Crows Connor Pring ended a good first half with a shot from 20 yards that wasn’t too far wide.

The game remained open after the restart with Fuller’s header cleared from the line by James White.

Crowborough finally edged their noses in front after 65 minutes when Pring took a poor clearance from Rusthall keeper Joe Cullip to feed Tom Pearson who fired into the bottom corner.

Rusthall might have fortunately levelled quickly when a miscued cross bounced of the top of the crossbar but they went 3-1 behind when an interchange of passes between Sam’s Crabb and substitute Carrington ended with the latter scoring despite Cullip getting a hand to the ball.

The score took on a flattering look with eight minutes remaining when Carrington doubled his tally with a shot on the turn that Cullip might have done better in saving.

Three minutes later Rusthall gave themselves some hope when Mitchell converted with a header at the far post but Crowborough held on for the points.