Lordswood progressed to the first round Proper of the Vase with a tremendous victory over their Sussex counterparts. They deserved the victory and this result should get people looking and asking questions.

Lordswood upset the form book with an emphatic victory against opposition who were third in the Sussex league. Lordswood started the game slowly as, in the third minute, a ball into their area saw Browne’s header palmed away by Rowan Arnott. Two minutes later Lordswood took the lead when a ball into the area saw Adam Whitnal pressure the keeper into a hasty clearance. The ball fell to Luke Mortimer who passed back into the area to Whitnal. Whitnal controlled the ball and played it to Darren Bridges who shot home from 10 yards. A minute later Michael Dodsworth on the edge of the area saw his shot go just over the bar. Ringmer came back in the 8th minute when a free kick into the area saw Ryan McMillian head just wide. Lordswood increased their lead in the 14th minute. A long ball forward saw Anthony Sharpe chase it down and cut inside, his pass to Darren Bridges was controlled 25 yards out and then struck superbly into the net. Ringmer were still in the game as their set plays were causing a few problems and in the 25th minute a corner into the area was flicked on forcing Arnott to tip away but only to Browne, whose shot was cleared off the line by Kevin Skinner. In the 35th minute a Kevin Skinner corner to the near post saw Michael Dodsworth’s header go inches past the post. In the 43rd minute a long ball forward saw Browne latch onto it, his pass out to McMillian was crossed into the box but evaded everyone and went out for a goal kick. In the very next minute another chance for Lordswood as Kevin Skinner put Anthony Sharpe through into the area but under pressure his shot went just wide.

The second half started with Ringmer forcing the play and in the 54th minute Simon Greatwitch on the edge of the area saw his shot rebound off the post to Kieron Patel, but his shot under pressure went wide. In the 69th minute a Ringmer free kick into the area forced Arnott to tip past the post for a corner. Lordswood were under pressure but Ringmer were not really causing to many problems as Arnott and the Lordswood back four kept them at bay. In the 75th minute a Lordswood corner into the area saw Michael Dodsworth rise but his header went just over the bar. Another half chance for Ringmer came in the 78th minute when a free kick into the area saw McMillian head just wide. In the 86th minute Lordswood settled the game when Luke Mortimer’s header sent Anthony Pace through, he went into the area and his shot was deflected into the path of Alec Osborne following up and he volleyed into an empty net. Then, in the 89th minute, Lordswood scored again to cap a great performance when Sam Phillips on the edge of the area flicked the ball into the path of Dodsworth who smashed his volley into the roof of the net.