Saxons beat Mid Sussex 4 - 1 to go through to Sussex Cup quarter final

A bright club day afternoon and a high spirited home crowd were the ideal recipe for Saxons. Playing their first fixture of the season, and introducing a new intake to the squad Saxons took a while to settle.

The first ten minutes of the game were deadlocked with Saxons and Mid Sussex looking equally matched. As the half progressed it was a ball down the right of the field that enabled Paul Merison to find Jonathan Orr in the D. To eliminate his marker quick thinking Orr dropped the ball back to Oliver Cornelius and then posted up for a perfect return pass to make the score 1 - 0. This along with cheers from the home crowd spurred Saxons on.

Another well worked move allowed Ben Simmons to find the net to bring the score to 2 - 0 at half time.

There were many positives to take in to the half time team talk. The instructions being to hold formation, maintain the width and put the game to bed early in the second half.

Saxons started strongly and pressed Mid Sussex within their own half. The home crowd did not have long to wait for another goal. Simmons again showing that he had not lost his touch and goal scoring ability from last season, once again finding the backboard.

As Mid Sussex began to tire a four on three attack allowed Saxons to pass the ball around the Mid Sussex defence and youngster Isaac Wall to fire a superb shot high into the net.

With the score now at 4-0 Mid Sussex pushed for a breakaway of their own. A foot in the D secured them a penalty corner on the final whistle. A well executed manouvre gave the visitors a consolation goal. Saxons finishing 4-1 winners.

Saxons now progress to the quarter final of the Sussex Cup and will face, higher placed division 2 opposition, Worthing who were comfortable 11-1 winners in their cup game against Southwick.

The team voted Isaac Wall as their man of the match.

Team: M.Sutton, D. Bontoft, R Coleman (C), M. Stevens, E. Chapman, E Stroud, O. Cornelius, I. Wall, J. Orr, P. Merison, B. Simmons, H. Dyas, J, Tryphonos,