The 1st team of Icklesham Casuals gained a valuable away point last Saturday against division one high-fliers Bexhill AAC in a 3-3 draw, this after Icklesham was 3-0 down with just 15 minutes left.
It looked a routine afternoon for Bexhill after 55 minutes when they went 3-0 up through Harry Saville, Jamie Crone and Lee Roberts, but then complacency took its toll, aided by a never-say-die attitude from the Casuals that was refreshing to see. Nathan Chandler started the comeback with a goal in the 75th minute and, when Nick Gooch hit the net with five minutes to go, alarm bells started ringing. Regular goal-scorer Phil Badrock then came up trumps with Icklesham’s third with a minute to go, sending the away team into raptures. The draw lifts the Icklesham squad out of the relegation zone on goal difference, and dents AAC’s hopes of automatic promotion.
The 2nd Icklesham team went down 3-1 at home to Battle Baptists III. Battle edged a tight first half, taking a 1-0 lead after 15 minutes through Ant Hickman and added a somewhat fortunate second goal eight minutes into the second half, when a cruel deflection saw the ball land at the feet of Will Foster unmarked six yards out, who duly finished.
Icklesham then started to play and put Battle under some pressure. Dan Russell pulled a goal back with 15 minutes to go and the side were then on top and looking for the equaliser with a Mason Maddox shot hitting the crossbar. A breakaway goal with five minutes remaining secured Battle the points.
This Saturday sees the 1st Icklesham team travel to Hooe to take on Sidley United, while the 2nd team are again at home, this week to Sandhurst II. On Sunday Icklesham veterans are away to Sedlescombe Rangers in the Hastings Veterans League.