This week Fletching returned to cup action as they hosted division one league leaders Turner’s Hill for a first round match in the Mowatt Cup. For the fourth week running Hyland had the same squad to choose from, making two notable changes as captain Jamie Funnell had a familiar starting place at center back alongside Mark Dann, Neil ‘Nails’ Bradford making way, whilst Greg Roberts took a turn on the bench to give utility man Michael Duff a run out on the right of midfield.

With The Archers being clear underdogs and having nothing to lose going into this cup tie, they played an enjoyable and controlled game with the emphasis fully on attack and this showed straight from the off as Burchett almost scored within thirty seconds. Straight from the kick off a lovely move ended up with the visitor’s keeper parrying a stinging shot from Fletching’s long established striker before hacking it away from danger. Kicking down the hill, but against an intense wind, The Villagers built on this chance and continued their great start, knocking the ball around convincingly, with the midfield of Wolvey, Hyland, Rider and Duff enjoying the extra space the division one outfit were affording them. The hosts took a deserved lead ten minutes into the game with another flowing one-touch passing move involving several players. Wolvey broke up the play in the middle of park playing a one-two with Hyland before laying it off to Holford whose pinged ball down the line towards Duff found it’s target before the quick wingman swept a dangerous ball into the area where Burchett reacted the quickest to poke home. Hill steadily began to find their feet, enjoying some possession in the middle and own half of the pitch and had a few attacks of their own, looking to get in behind The Archers back line but failed to cope with the swirling gusts, as time after time over hit though balls found their way to ‘Minty’ Phillips.

The turning point occurred twenty minutes in, when Phillips fumbled a routine catch from another Hill long ball, allowing the visitors nippy striker in. In a moment of madness, and one of the most comical scenes witnessed at The Recreation Ground, as the Hillian forward went round his big frame the shot stopper grabbed onto his shorts and refused to let him pass. Eventually wriggling free and with his sorts half way round his knees the hitman somehow managed to put it wide of the open goal when only five yards out! The referee brought play back, awarding Turners Hill a penalty and Phillips a red card. With Minty shown his marching orders it was left to Mark Dann, the usual back up keeper, to take his place between the sticks, his first job being to make a fine diving save to his left, which he held at the second attempt after and initial block. Hyland reverted to a 4-3-2 formation with Wolvey dropping back alongside Funnell, as Fletching prepared to battle for a long seventy minutes.

Despite only having ten men, the hosts still poured forward and had clear cut opportunities to further their lead, Duff, Lucey, Rider and Burchett all just firing wide. Fletching’s back four did well to restrict Hill to long range efforts, but thought they had equalised when their hitman broke the offside trap, passing the ball across to his team mate to roll it in, but despite no flag from the linesman, the referee adjudged this to have been offside, much to the home sides relief. The Villagers battled gamely until the break, with Michael Duff and Paul Rider causing the visitors all sorts of problems, as the score remained 1-0 at the break.

Buoyed by their first half performance and the fact that despite being a man down they were still creating chances, the Tangerine Machine came out for the second period in a confident mood. The Hillians looked to up the tempo as they abandoned their long ball game in favour of threading it along the ground as their tried to break Fletching defences but the work rate and positioning of Barbe, Funnell, Wolvey and Holford was outstanding and the visitors were struggling to get through. With the Archers looking to counter attack, Barbe picked up the ball at left back and pumped a long pass up field to Neil Lucey, who left his marker standing to finish extremely well into the bottom corner. Three changes were made, with Duff, Hyland and Lucey all coming off for Roberts, Bradford and Unwin. Hyland’s gamble nearly paid dividends when minutes after coming on Greg Roberts found a way through on the right before cutting the ball across for Burchett who saw his shot fly just inches over.

Fletching should have had the tie sewn up with the chances they had created, but were in for a frantic remaining fifteen minutes. Despite Hill’s striker being clear through on goal he shot just wide of the post to give The Archers some what of a reprieve. It didn’t last long though, as the visitors pushed men forward and despite three successive shots that were subsequently blocked by some courageous defending in a crowded danger area Hill scrambled a header home at the far post to set up a grandstand finish. The Archers dangerously sat back, inviting the pressure, Mark Dann had to pull off one great save from a far post header, and another shot also went whistling past the host’s post, but the referee blew the final whistle went to spark wild celebrations as Fletching claimed their biggest ever scalp.

View From The Dancefloor with Billy Elliot (a.k.a Chris Hyland)

Well where do you start after a performance like that? On the day everyone was outstanding, but it proves again what a difficult place Fletching is to come play football. We have been so close to beating big teams before, Hartfield’s last minute winner here last year springs to mind, but this result tops them all. Turner’s Hill never really got into their stride, perhaps guilty of an expectant victory, but despite The Archers being reduced to ten men for seventy minutes, there was only one team that deserved this victory. It must be said that lady luck smiled on us at times, but with the rotten luck we have had this season, we no doubt deserved it. We were defiantly worth the win and if anything the score line does not do us justice, as we created numerous chances throughout the game, with the front two causing the visitors endless problems. However, it is back to normality next week, as we begin our third cup competition, with a home fixture to AFC Ringmer. A special mention must also go to Jamie Unwin, who retired after the game to follow his boxing aspirations. Thanks for your efforts over the years.

Team: Phillips, Holford, Funnel, Dann, Barbe, Rider, Wolvey, Hyland (Bradford), Duff (Roberts), Lucey (Unwin), Burchett.