Brilliant Byerley inspires Blues

IT'S never easy to predict Ringmer's fortunes these days as, once again, the pundits were confounded by this smooth victory over one-time league leaders Pagham.

The Blues have now stolen 13 delicious points off the half dozen teams who reside above them in division one with the formidable luxury of several games to spare. Yet the run up to Saturday's encounter was fraught with difficulties. A number of players made late withdrawals which stock piled seven absentees when lumped in with those already suspended.

There were timely boosts to events, though - Paul Thomsett made a swift recovery from his badly blackened foot to start the game and the Johnson twins, Chris and Andy, were selected in the same XI for the first occasion in over 12 months. Richard Branson returned to guard the net but the afternoon's real success story was teenage goal-getter Warren Byerley.

Overlooked at the Dripping Pan this term, Byerley was thrust straight into Glen Burvill's plans by Leighton Allen Achilles trouble. His impact was monumental in an opening 20 minutes that ensured an instant Caburn hero had arrived.

A glittering collection of Ringmer attacks all heavily featured the new boy, who first squared for Andy Johnson to hum a drive over the top before getting round the back to unlock a giddy Pagham defence himself. Eventually, it was Paul Ford's touch that needed scooping off the line.

The visitors' Darren Akmenkahns was then required to clear Andy Johnson's clipped shot from a driven corner away from the vulnerable goal frame as Ringmer went for the jugular. Securing the signature of Johnno No 2 just over a fortnight ago has proved a turning point indeed as the former St Leonards connoisseur showed off his inexhaustible assortment of skills by ever so nearly compromising non-plussed keeper Wesley Hallett with a honey-glazed chip on ten minutes.

Byerley soon had another opportunity deflected wide prior to The Lions' solitary roar of the 90 when Robin Josephs' jack knife effort came back off the crossbar. Branson may well have helped it on its way, but the linesman's flag nullified the situation in any case.

Back at the business end, a quenchless Byerley made Hallett work hard at his near post and Tom Holden matched Josephs pound for pound by juddering the woodwork.

At last, two express strikes inside the final five minutes of the half swung the scales of justice rightly in The Blues' favour. Chris Johnson's compelling run through the heart of The Lions was spotted by brother Andy. Chris then stroked home his tenth goal of the campaign the first Blue to hit double figures.

In added time, Holden's left wing cross proved too good for Pagham's Greg Conway who tucked it past his own keeper to increase the margin yet further.

The second half contained more of the same as Ringmer overpowered one of the County League's finest offerings. Keeper Hallett was saved from an early bath by a covering defender when he handled outside the box but no-one between the sticks was about to thwart Byerley a goal scoring debut. From Holden's pass across, Andy Johnson instigated a shooting chance for the youngster who cannoned the ball into Hallett's already over-strained net.

The closing moments were notable for the dismissal of Pagham captain Matt Beard for verbally insulting the referee and the appearance of sprightly substitute Burvill who saw a good deal of the action during a brief cameo.

Afterwards, a recovering Burv took time out to comment, 'I had the opportunity today to put out a side that I otherwise might not have done and all the lads involved were magnificent. As for me, I had plenty of the ball, it's just a shame that I couldn't do anything with it!' Assistant Adam Brown, who hasn't yet been asked to don his boots, sounded out the star of the day, 'what a debut for Warren Byerley. He is exactly what we've missed all season long. We've got a squad here now that is the envy of anyone in this league and I seriously think we'll finish in the top three or four.'

RINGMER: Branson, Chris Brown, Holden (Rhodes 73), Hamilton, Isted, Ford, Craig Brown (Burvill 80), Chris Johnson, Byerley, Thomsett, Andy Johnson. Sub (not used): Haworth. MOM: Warren Byerley.