With no less than seven First Team players missing from the team that has showed great improvement over the past couple of months, The Archers were always under dogs against the free scoring champions-elect who made the long trip to The Recreation Ground. Williams was without the services of goalkeeper Fingerneissl, Cork, Dowding, Agate and Leeves who were all absent, whilst Funnell and Duff missed out through injury. The Villagers were thankful to a fixtureless Reserve Team as Eastoe came in for his first competitive game in a several months; he was joined by Mark Dann, Jefford, Keoshgerian, Carter, Burnett and Burchett, all of whom made the step up.

In atrocious, almost gale-like, hail-ridden winds Fletching never looked like threatening the visitor’s keeper, as they kicked up the slope and against the wind. To his credit Dann in the hosts goal did his best with kicks, but even he struggled at times, as The Villagers failed to get the ball out of their own half, and were predominantly on the back foot for most of the first period as Roffey coasted with a distinct advantage. Egleton shone in the middle on the rare occasions his side got the ball down, taking on numerous players with a hatful of tricks, but on the whole Burchett and Carter was isolated up top. It was only a question of when the West Sussex based side would score, as they played some attractive passing football across the whole of the park. Roffey’s league position speaks for itself and they opened their account with a fortunate goal on seven minutes after a long range effort somehow squirmed through the arms of stand in goalie Mark Dann. It took until late on in the first period for them to double their lead, after a corner. The away side made it three virtually from the re-start, robbing the Archers midfield and slotting home, as Williams side went in three down at the break.

Williams made changes at the interval as long term servant Stuart Jefford and youngster Ollie Carter came on to make his first team debut. Seemingly out of the game and buoyed by the flow of the natural conditions Fletching settled more and showed glimpses of quality, but once again failed to create any clear cut openings against a well organised Roffey back line. The visitors succeeded where their opponents failed in the first forty-five, intelligently keeping the ball on the deck. Roffey made it four on the seventy minute mark, before Burchett wasted the home side’s best chance of the game. A rare lapse from Roffey at the back allowed the all time leading marksman to break onto a long ball, but he fired well over an advancing keeper with the goal at his mercy. The high flyers hit straight back to compound a miserable day for The Tangerine Machine, when the striker struck his third of the afternoon, as they travelled back to the Horsham area with a comprehensive three points.

Team: M.Dann, Harper, Eastoe (Jefford), Dickens, Holford, Donnelly (Williams), Barter, Keoshgerian, Egleton, Carter (Burnett), Burchett