22nd September 2001
 

Pease Pottage 2-0 Upper Beeding
(H-T: 2-0)
If Upper Beeding Manager Mick Barry had any doubts about the differences of
County League Football, as opposed to the West Sussex League, he certainly
hasn't now.

After four opening straight wins, Beeding have slumped to three defeats and
a draw in their second four and Barry is somewhat unimpressed.

"Although Pease Pottage were the best side, by a mile, we have played so far
this season, I still believe that we are our own worst enemies." "Some of
our marking was not what I expect and the quality of our passing and
movement is not up to the standards we have set ourselves in the past." "If
we do not start keeping the ball, we are going to put ourselves under
continual pressure."

This was shown as early as the seventh minute when Mark Friend-James allowed
Lee Carney far too much space on the right and the gifted mid fielder hit
the bye line and crossed low for Andy West to score the opener.

West should have doubled the home sides' lead after 15 minutes, putting wide
Lance Earlys' cross from the edge of the six yard box. Beeding lost Glyn
Edmonds after just 19 minutes with a reoccurrence of an old back injury
which will keep him out of the League representative side on Wednesday.

Friend-James nearly made amends for his earlier failings setting up Ian
Barber on the half hour but after Barber fed Lee Strange, Mike Moony was
quickly down at his near post to deny the Beeding top scorer from last
season.

Beeding did have the ball in the back of the net after 35 minutes.
Friend-James's' corner headed back across goal by Steve Barber and Gary
Salter steered the ball in, only for referee Andy Goddard to rule the "goal"
out for pushing.
Although Beeding had their chances, it was Pease Pottage who played most of
the football and Neil Lambert should have done better than head Tony Mays
cross wide.

Beeding showed that they had learnt none of the lessons of the opening
period when they fell two behind a minute from the break.

Again, Carney received the ball on the right, in acres of space. This time
drawing Mark Salter before slipping the ball on to May. The full backs' low
cross was met by West for a carbon copy of the opening goal.

Things did not get better for the visitors after the interval with only
Steve Barber and Gary Salter standing between the home side and a more
comfortable score line.

But as the half wore on Beeding did come back into the game and for the last
30 minutes rattled last seasons Mid Sussex Champions.

The introduction of Simon Friend James allowed David Smith to take a more
forward role, and Stuart Barrys' pace began to upset the home side.

Strange looked back to his best with a classy flick and turn which left Paul
Oatway for dead, his through ball found Smith with just Mohoney to beat,
but Smiths' finish was poor and the danger had passed.

For the last fifteen minutes it was all Beeding but for all their possession
few good chances were created, and those that were, were spurned.

Simon Friend-James did have his goal bound header cleared off the line in
the dying moments by Tony Lane but really it was too little to late.
 

Upper Beeding: S. Redfern; G. Edmonds, S. Barber (Capt), G. Salter,
M. Salter; J. Tarrant, P. Barker, D. Smith, M. Friend - James, I. Barber, L.
Strange.

Subs: T. Gretton (Edmonds 19")
S. Barry (Barber 68")
S. Friend-James (Tarrant 68")