Manager Rhys Williams stuck with the same starting eleven who had picked up their first win of the season the week before, the only change being Jamie Funnell who took a place on the bench after missing the previous two weeks. Long-serving hitman Pete ‘Barndoor’ Burchett continued to gain some form in The Reserves, which meant 17 year old Marcus Barbe started up front alongside Neil Lucey. It was The Archers first ever foray into this Sussex wide competition and they made the short journey to the other side of Heathfield where East Sussex League side Punnetts Town were the opposition. Williams had left nothing to chance in his preparations for the match, as the team arrived at the ground over an hour and a half before kickoff, putting his players through a series of gruelling warm up drills in searing temperatures.

On an inviting flat and expansive playing surface it was the home side who, despite being a division below The Archers, started the brighter. Town certainly had the better of the opening ten to twelve minutes as they stroked the ball around confidently from the back, Fletching somewhat timid and nervous in their approach. Although any real threat was authoritatively snubbed out, Williams’ side failed to maintain any decent possession, looking more to the aerial route, which resulted in a scrappy opening passage of play.

The East Sussex side were finding gaps in behind left back Steve Barbe, but he was ably supported by the rest of his back line as he acclimatised himself to the tempo of the game. The inspirational ‘Sheepy’ Cork and new signing Douglas in the centre ensuring Fletching remained on level terms, with Duff working up and down well to provide cover and Holford winning everything from a barrage of throw-ins from the hosts down the right hand side. Punnetts Town should have opened the scoring early on, but 17 year old goal keeper, Jack Fingerneissl, promoted from The Reserves this season, made a fantastic close range save with his legs, and from then on in The Villagers began to dominate the half.

Fletching took the lead fifteen minutes in and against the run of play. A brilliant weaving run by James Barter saw him nutmeg his man before threading Lucey in down the line, continuing his run into the box where The Northern Monkey’s pin point cross (it had to be!), was firmly met by the wingers right bullock which sent the ball sailing past the keeper. Moments later and Williams saw his side double their lead. Town failed in their attempt to clear from a crowded box, the ball falling to northern hitman Neil Lucey who smashed home from close range for his tenth of the season in all competitions.

By now the host’s heads had dropped, and clearly rocked by an unjustified deficit they were forced back into their own half. The pace of Barter and Lucey down the right hand outlets were causing all sorts of problems for Town as they failed to deal with some deep long passes off the boot of Holford and Douglas at the back. Stand in skipper Michael Duff was also pinging some cross field deliveries, and linking up short with Marcus Barbe.

Lucey should have furthered the lead when he was put through one-on-one with the keeper. Smashing the off-side trap he cut into the box, driving with pace, the hosts defenders already giving up on a lost cause, before firing his shot past the keeper only to see is acute effort come cannoning back off the post.

Moments later and once again Lucey found himself through on goal, as he waltzed passed a static back four, but clumsily lost the ball in his feet as got into the box and looked to pull the trigger. It was a let off for the home side, who at two-nil could still get back into the tie, as they continued to try and play some attractive counter attacking football. However The Archers managed to maintain a weighty tempo, pushing men forward in a wave of attacks.

A succession of corners failed to yield any further advance in the score line as Fletching looked to keep Town on the back foot. The tireless, consistent running and physicality of Marcus Barbe just behind his strike partner, coupled with Mike Cronin wannabe ‘Fun Time’ Frankie Egleton’s exquisite touch and vision are beginning to form an efficient combination in the centre of the park alongside old campaigner Bradford. It was Barbe who almost put Lucey in again, his threaded ball had a little too much on it giving his strike partner no chance as the goalkeeper made the block from a tight angle close in on goal. Further half chances were created from good possession, but the victors could not find a way past a determined Punnetts side, going in at the break with a comfortable two goal cushion.

Williams replaced Duff at half time, as resurgent pretty boy Luke ‘YTS’ Donnelly came on in place of the skipper – Neil Lucey taking the armband. But the interval came as a welcome break for the hosts, who came out for the second period with much more application and vigour. Despite few, if any changes they looked a completely different team, one who were still very much capable of gaining something from the tie. A much more evenly contested second half ensued, as The Archers seemed to take their foot off the pedal, as the game became a fragmentary midfield contest.

Town began to work The Villagers back line, but had to be content with a couple of half chances. ‘Sheepy’ Cork carried on his good work from the first half, meeting the ball and nipping ahead of his man. Stuart Douglas alongside him was commanding as ever, mopping up and winning the important aerial challenges in an adoptive sweeper role. It should be noted that the wing backs of Holford and Barbe were also virtually faultless, going about their duties in a confident and unassuming manner. Fingerneissl in between the sticks was rarely called into action, but was off his line early to mop up anything that found its way through, as time and time again the hosts failed to judge the weight of the final ball.

Neither side created much that was noteworthy in an industrious midfield tussle, as Neil Bradford wound back the clock thirty years to put in another towering performance alongside his younger teammates, some of whom were a nearly a third of his age! The Archers front two worked their socks off looking for a third goal, with boundless energy and enthusiasm on what was an energy zapping day. They worked the channels and continued to get in behind the hosts defence, but had little support for the final ball. This changed with the introduction of youngster John Aygate. His whippet like qualities proved him a handful on the right as Donnelly switched to the left wing. However, Town did exceptionally well to contain the danger, restricting the threat to the corners, as they snubbed out Fletching advances.

The Villagers made their final change with twenty minutes still remaining as Egleton made way for Jamie Funnell, who has found a new lease of life this season, with his trademark drop of the shoulder and simple passing style. Punnetts Town got a deserved goal back with a little over ten minutes remaining, which made for an exciting finale, a result of The Archers sitting far too deep, inviting pressure for the remainder of the game, Bradford playing almost as fifth defender. Despite this The Mid Sussex side’s front two kept a high line playing on the back four and fashioned further openings. Barbe twisting and turning before firing his left footed effort straight at the keeper, as an entertaining cup tie came to a conclusion, The Archers holding on for a warranted win, which now sees them face a 110 mile round trip to Bosham in the next round.

Team: Fingerneissl, Holford, Douglas, Cork, S.Barbe, Barter (Aygate), Duff (Donnelly), Bradford, Egleton (Funnell), M.Barbe, Lucey