Sussex F.A. Junior Cup

3rd Round

Saturday 4th December 2021

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.31

Goring-by-Sea Cricket 1 Victoria Baptists 3, attendance 3

16’ 1-0

29’ 1-1

84’ 1-2

88’ 1-3

@ Goring Recreation Ground

Fernhurst Drive

Goring-by-Sea

BN12 5AU

No Admission or Programme.

I was drawn towards this tie (a pity only two others thought the same!) as it was 1st in West Sussex League Division 4 South (Step 12) versus 6th in East Sussex League Division 2 (Step 10). It thought I may have to take a chance that this would survive the weather, as the F.A. Find a Club website had no contact phone numbers for either club to check it out. I did find a number for the home club, but a text message wasn’t replied to. Goring hadn’t updated their Twitter account for 4 years and Victoria Baptists hadn’t tweeted since September, so I was pleasantly surprised when the visitors replied to my enquiry within five minutes, saying they were already en route, so it was good to go.

There certainly didn’t look to be two levels between the teams. Goring started brightly and went ahead after sixteen minutes, volleying in a left wing cross at the far post. A stooping header at the near post saw Baptists draw level just before the half hour mark. Goring had the better chances, but it remained 1-1 at the break. The second half saw a marked drop in quality and the game deteriorated badly. Neither side looked capable of getting a winning goal and when Baptists No.17 missed an open goal, shooting eight yards wide, from inside the 6 yard box with no player within ten yards of him, it looked like we would be heading for extra time. The glaring miss didn’t affect him too much though, as he put the visitors in front with six minutes left, shooting into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box and followed this up with a volley from close range, which sealed a 1-3 win two minutes from time.