Upper Beeding 2-1 Selsey Reserves
(h-t:1-0)

Upper Beeding slipped quietly into the Semi-finals of the Vernon Wentworth
Cup on Saturday with a comfortable 2-1 home win over Selsey Reserves.

The strong wind, blowing the length of the Memorial Field, was always going
to have an effect on the outcome, but as the home side started with it at
their backs it seemed more of a hindrance than an advantage.
Time after time, both Mark Salter and Glyn Edmonds, Beedings' wing backs,
over hit either crosses or intended through balls, leaving Gary Salter and
Lee Strange frustrated up front.

The monotony was broken in the fourteenth minute with the sending from the
touch line of the Selsey Manager for an alleged violent outburst aimed
directly at referee Ray Upton of Crawley.

It took a full twenty five minutes for the first shot on goal when Edmonds
picked out Mark Salter on the left, but the Beeding skippers' 25 yard effort
flew wide.

Selsey nearly took a surprise lead two minutes later. Beeding 'keeper Scott
Redferns' dreadful clearance fell to Dave Williams, but the Selsey strikers'
woeful finish made Redferns' distribution look competent.

As often happens, Redferns' resultant goal kick found Mark Salter who
crossed for brother Gary and instead of being a goal behind, Beeding found
themselves one up.

Beeding upped the tempo with David Smith creating more and Paul Barker and
Mat Doo doing most of the mid field donkey work. Indeed, it was Smiths'
clever reverse pass that found Mark Salter in a good position, but Salter
chose the shooting option rather than using his brother who remained
unmarked in the box.

In truth, Selsey were fortunate not to go in at half time dead and buried.
Gary Salter had a couple of rasping drives just over, as did his strike
partner Strange.

If Selsey thought that patience was the order of the day in overhauling a
single goal deficit, those thoughts were dispelled after just two minutes
of the second half.

Smith and the Salter brothers combined beautifully on the left, and when
Gary Salter drove the ball across the edge of the penalty area, Strange
stepped over and Doo cannoned the ball past Dave Turner in the Selsey goal.

Strange could have made it three after ten minutes. Edmonds's ball down the
right saw Stranges' pace take him clear, but his cross shot beat the far
post as well as the flailing hand of Turner.

Redfern was forced to deal with good efforts from Williams and Simon
Rishman, but Beedings' back line looked at ease, well marshalled by the
impressive, if not yet fully fit, Gary Woolgar.

Doo came close just after the hour mark after good work from Strange as
Beeding looked better playing into the wind than they did with it.

Manager Mick Barry replaced Smith with Simon Friend - James, Barker with
John Burgess and Doo with Mark Friend - James - all three returning from
holiday. It did unbalance Beeding somewhat for a while and this was not
helped by the Friend - James brothers tendencies to back heel the ball at
almost every opportunity, irrespective of location.

Indeed, it was unfortunate when Mark Friend - James's difficult back pass
was not cleanly dealt with by Redfern and the ball rebounded off brother
Simon into an empty net.

There was still time for Turner to save from Edmonds with his feet and for
Strange to hit a post. Beeding are pleased to travel to Peacehaven for a
Semi-Final of a competition which they have lost in only once since 1997.

UBFC: Scott Redfern; Jamie Ireson, Gary Woolgar, Terry Gretton; Glyn
Edmonds, Paul Barker, David Smith,
Mat Doo, Mark Salter (Capt.); Gary Salter, Lee Strange.

Subs: Simon Friend James (Smith 64)
Mark Friend James (Barker 78)
John Burgess (Doo 78)