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| Saturday 15 February 2003 East Court FC 3 Jarvis Brook II 0 TWO goals from Martyn Bishop and one from top-scorer Billy Denyer helped East Court FC pick up three points in this Mid Sussex Football League division 7 top-of-the-table clash at Imberhorne School on Saturday (February 15). The match was due to be played at Jarvis Brook but a frozen pitch meant both teams agreed to reverse the fixture. The game nearly did not go-ahead when the referee deemed one of the goal mouths to be unsafe but jumping up and down on the icy bits from both sets of players thawed out the ground enough for the match to start. East Court took the lead after just two minutes when James Salter was fouled and the Jarvis Brook keeper could only watch as Martyn Bishop curled the resulting free kick into the top right hand corner of the net. Andrew Wright, who caused the away defence no end of problems with his pace on the right, had a chance to extend East Court's lead but shot wide. The home side scored again when Mark Nolan cleverly chipped the ball into the path of Denyer who headed past the keeper. Jarvis Brook threatened the home side's goal and just before the break East Court keeper Paul Bishop stuck out a leg to prevent the away team pulling one back. In the second half Jarvis Brook pushed forward giving the home defence of player-manager Daniel Medcalf, Nick Palmer and Dave Nolan plenty to do. Palmer did enough to put off a Jarvis Brook attacker, who shot wide after a good move from the away side. At the other end East Court created chances with Wright again shooting wide and Salter testing the Jarvis Brook keeper. Denyer saw his flying volley brilliantly kept out by the Jarvis Brook shot-stopper and when the East Court midfielder did beat the keeper the ball smashed against the post and flew agonising back across the goal and out of play. Again Jarvis Brook came forward and had an effort ruled out for a foul. Paul Bishop then tipped a free kick over the bar and Dave Nolan cleared a shot off the line. Martyn Bishop, Mark Nolan, Denyer and captain Simon Nickols worked tirelessly in midfield. Meanwhile playing up front with Salter, Ross Kelly saw his efforts to get on the score sheet blocked by smothering saves from the Jarvis Brook keeper. Carl Buckler came on for Salter before Martyn Bishop settled matters five minutes from time when Nickols' deflected pass fell at Bishop's feet and he tucked his shot past the keeper for his fourth goal of the season. Team: P.Bishop, A.Wright, M.Bishop, D.Nolan, D.Medcalf, N.Palmer, S.Nickols, B.Denyer, R.Kelly, J.Salter (C.Buckler), M.Nolan |