Herstmonceux 1 Rye Town 6
Rye Town travelled away to face Herstmonceux with the rain falling, a linesman under the weather and a trek across two fields to play the game.
With manager Shane Ridgers back from a scouting mission in Greece, Alfie Weller continued in goal and he produced an amazing show of athleticism quickly changing direction to save superbly in the early exchanges.
Some tasty tackles, slides and dives with loud shouts occupied the referee, with Adam Hurly in particular lucky to escape a yellow card. Rye started to take control of the game and took the lead 15 minutes in, courtesy of Rob Levett delicately touching past the oncoming goalkeeper, following an exceptional through ball from the joint man of the match Olly Skinner.
Rye, very well organised, caused many problems from all areas – Joe Fraser whipping in some real testing balls from the left with Ben Heffernan running with the ball on the right. Skinner showed the travelling supporters of Rye his game of intelligence, simplicity and work rate.
Just before the break, league top scorer Charlie Stevens missed from two yards smashing the ball straight at the goalkeeper.
Half time 1-0 Rye
Three minutes into the second half, Stevens did find the net taking his tally to 5 goals for the season. At 2-0 it was comfortable but the next goal could change the game.
Herstmonceux grabbed that next goal from the spot, Barnaby Osbourne committing a foul with a sliding tackle, the penalty coolly slotted in to the corner of the goal. 2-1 game on.
Rye a team who do not panic restored the two goal cushion a minute later when Levett grabbed his second finishing, a one on one with the keeper after a lovely through ball from Ben Heffernan. Following this, substitution time saw Dom Cruttenden on the field replacing Barnaby Osbourne to make his debut, Fraser making way for Jo Hanney.
The impressive Hurley arriving late in the box fumbled the in swinging corner directly into the net on 62 minutes placing Rye firmly in the driving seat before unleashing a missile onto the crossbar from 30 yards. 4-1 Rye.
Debutant Cruttenden, known as a forward, but plies his trade a little further back nowadays, dug deep into his finishing library, smashing home with a right footed drive following another decent corner.
Sadly, veteran forward Levett pulled up with a calf injury and was replaced by Frank Walker, Walker instantly made himself known with his hustle and bustle.
Rye, home yet certainly not dry, witnessed a perfectly demonstrated individual goal in the last moment of the match with Heffernan weaving and winding and hitting a low shot into Herstmonceux goal cementing a 6-1 win.
The Town triumphed against previously unbeaten Herstmonceux maintaining their 100% record in the league with 5 wins from 5 games, and are sitting top of the Macron East Sussex Football League Division One.
Next up is a cup game away to Orington on Saturday October 15. Ridgers is faced with a few injury concerns along with a few noticeable absences. Kelvin Wall may be needed with his boots.
Rye: Weller, Willis, Osbourne, (Cruttenden) Wilson, Henham, (c) Heffernan, Hurley, Skinner, Levett, (Walker) Fraser, (Honey)
Photo: Charmaine Ridgers
What a pasting. Well done.