Football: Oak too mighty for Sids in cup

Sids had lost four players to injury – Joe Leggat, Andy Hounsome, Dan Bassil and John Pope were all missing. And with Brad Miles on holiday and three others unavailable, the management had a tough task to get a side together.

Into the squad came Dean Reed, Ben Evans and Fraser Evans – the latter two making their debuts.

The game started well for Sids with a lovely move down the right and the ball found its way into Tom Bayley, whose pinpoint pass released Graeme Dowden. He calmly lofted the ball over the advancing keeper to make it 1-0 with only two minutes.

The lead didn’t last long: a long through-ball found the Oakwood winger, who crossed early for Darren Tidey to tuck home at the back post after six minutes.

Oakwood took the lead when Jack Nourse fired in from 20 yards into the top left-hand corner.

The goal shook Sids and for the remainder of the half they were under pressure, making silly mistakes and giving away possession too easily.

On 43 minutes John Phillips lost the ball in the middle of the park and Jamie Lovegrove had the freedom of Sidlesham to walk through the defence, round the keeper and tuck home.

A stern half-time team talk seemed to work as Sidlesham finally got to grips with the game and started to show what they are capable of.

A 20-minute spell of domination should have seen them get back into it and even lead but poor finishing and bad luck kept it at 3-1.

Reed spurned the best chance of the afternoon and Bayley cannoned a drive against the post when one goal would have changed the complex of the game.

Typically, Oakwood’s first attack in the second half ended with their fourth being slotted home from close range by Nourse.

Sids continued to push and should have scored through a succession of corners but it wasn’t to be and it finished 4-1.

Next up for the yellows this Saturday is a home league tussle with Midhurst at the Rec (3pm).

SIDS: Griffiths, Devine, Carrigher, McCoy (B Evans), Grantham, Jefkins, Phillips, Millins, Dowden, Bayley, Reed (F Evans).

* Last midweek, Sidlesham travelled to Storrington looking to build on their opening-day Southern Combination division-one win but were beaten 3-2.

Graeme Dowden’s free-kick cancelled out the hosts’ opener but Storrington scored twice more to lead 3-1 with ten minutes to go.

John Phillips gave Sids hope when he tapped home on 85 minutes after a delightful knock-down from Dan Bassil but it wasn’t enough.

* Midhurst had an afternoon to forget, crashing to a 9-0 loss at Southwick in the Peter Bentley Cup. Four of the goals came in the final 12 minutes. They will hope for a big improvement at Sidlesham on Saturday.

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