Sunday football: Defences go on holiday as Butlins hold on for victory

Butlins (BR) 5 Elmer 4

Chichester & West Sussex Sunday League division two

The Redcoats edged this nine-goal thriller to beat Elmer for the first time in their history.

Dean Maynard put the hosts ahead in the third minute. Elmer were unfortunate to be denied what looked a clear penalty when James Ford was upended in the box.

Butlins doubled their lead on 26 minutes through Nick Tipper. Three minutes later Elmer got one back as Matt Hope latched on to a fine ball from brother Tyler to smash the ball past a helpless Russell Evison to halve the deficit.

Maynard was only cautioned by referee Mark Waller when Elmer said he had kicked Elmer’s Luis Gonzalez and moments later Elmer were again denied a penalty as the ball clearly struck a Butlins raised hand from a free-kick.

Affected by this misfortune, Elmer endured a crazy last five minutes of the half as Maynard and Tipper both scored again to make the half-time score 4-1.

Elmer came out all guns blazing but Maynard completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes.

But this is an Elmer team made of stern stuff and skipper Alex Peach crashed in a 35-yard free-kick past a bewildered Evison to make it 5-2.

Elmer withdrew Alex Norgett from midfield and introduced Butlins bogey-man Enoch Kwoffie and just five minutes later Kwoffie scored Elmer’s third.

Elmer bravely took off left-back Aaron Geall to send on a fourth striker, Dan Bailey. With his bullish style completely the opposite of Kwoffie’s, Bailey caused chaos in the Redcoats box and scored Elmer’s fourth with eight minutes remaining.

But with what appeared to be every player pulled back, Butlins managed to hold on for what they obviously regarded as a massively-important win.

The George FC 4 Elmer Res 1

Division three

An entertaining fixture at King George V playing fields saw title challengers The George beat Elmer reserves.

The George started the brighter and after a succession of corners went ahead a long punt by Elliot Newman into space behind the Elmer defence led to Charlie Squires putting the ball past keeper Carl Lawrence.

A spell of good pressure from Elmer for 15 minutes was followed by The George getting their second with a well-placed finish from Kieran Mills.

The George were back on top and with a swift counter-attack Squires got his second, wrongfooting Lawrence.

In the second half Elmer were playing good football and were rewarded when Thomas Bann picked out Bailey for him to finish right in the bottom corner.

Elmer couldn’t find their way past The George’s defence and impressive keeper, even using substitutes Dave Stevens, Liam Embleton and captain Sam Pullen.

With Elmer starting to throw bodies forward, The George capitalised and Squires was there again to complete his hat-trick.