Arundel FC

The Mulllets once again didn’t finish a match with 11 men and found themselves again on at the end to eventually battle to a hard earned point at high flying Peacehaven and Telscombe.

Midfielder Rory Biggs saw red with around 15 minutes to play after a recklace challenge earned him a second yellow card within a matter of minutes, following a rather harsh first minutes earlier for kicking the ball away. This left the ten men to try and hang onto a one goal lead they had at the time, given to them by Josh Biggs late in the first half.

Good work by Scott Tipper freed Biggs down the right who cut in and sent a cross-shot across the box but with the slice on the ball and with the aid of a bobbly pitch it crept in at the far post.

The play up until that point had been fairly even with both sides enjoying their share of posession without creating too many clearcut chances. The Arundel defence had to clear a number of balls into the box that luckily didn’t fall for any of the hosts fowards, while Roy Pook was occupying both David Walker and Paul Grantham with some good runs in the channel.

The biggest scare for the visitors came after they had taken the lead when Ben O’Connor took his eye off an overhit through and let it run under his foot and

towards the empty net. O’Connor scampered back towards goal and gratefully smothered the ball before it crossed the line in what could have been an embarrassing moment for the usually very reliable stopper.

The away side were convinced they should have had the opportunity to go into the break two up when the ball clearly struck the outstretched arm of the ‘Haven right back in the box but the referee for some reason appeared disinterested.

As the second half began it became evident that the Mullets would be happy to contain their hosts in a bid to hang onto the one goal lead they had earned in the first period. This appeared to be going to plan as the reds defence was dealing with everything the home side could throw at them, limiting them to a handful of shooting opportunities from long range.

The mood changed though with 15 minutes remaining when Biggs was giving his marching orders and it was immediately going to be a backs to the wall job to hang on. Richard Towers left Gary Norgate and Scott Tipper upfront in a bid to occupy the home defence but Peacehaven began to enjoy more and more posession and exert extreme pressure on the Mullets goal.

This pressure eventually paid off with 7 minutes of the ninety remaining in rather fortuadous circumstances. Much like the Mullets goal in the first half, defender Craig Hall sent in what was most definately a cross from the right hand side, but it sailed over all his awaiting teammates in the box and caught O’Connor off guard and he was unable to claw it over the bar and the home side were level and looking to snatch it late on.

They thought they were going to be given the opportunity in stoppage time when they appealed strongly for a penalty but it was waved away by the referee who eventually cautioned the home player for simulation.

Team: O’Connor; Pickford (Sneller), Grantham, Walker, Hall; Biggs(R), Biggs(J), Neighbour, Axell (Huckett); Norgate, Tipper.