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| Saturday 04 February 2006 Dormansland Rockets 2 East Court 5 East Court picked up an important victory over local rivals Dormansland Rockets in the race for the second promotion spot behind AFC Ringmer. The home side started the day in fourth, three points behind second placed East Court. East Court made two changes to the lineup that started their previous game at Nutley II with Richard Hayes and Carl Buckler coming in to replace Paul Brice and Ben Sunderland. The first half started brightly with half-chances being carved out at both ends but it didn't take long for the home side to take the lead. Slack defending from a corner gave Dormansland the first clear-cut opportunity and the ball was headed home despite the efforts of the East Court defenders on the line. For the rest of the first half East Court pushed their hosts back but were unable to grab a deserved equaliser, centre back Dan Medcalf wasted the best opportunity after being put through by Billy Denyer. It didn't take long for East Court to score in the second half as Denyer grabbed a scrappy goal to level the scores. There were calls for the goal to be disallowed after Ross Kelly had bundled into the home team's keeper after he had spilled the ball. Within seconds Dormansland were almost in front again but Dan Lamprell tipped wide from former player Nick Clarkson-Tooze. Martin Eade thought he had put Rockets ahead direct from a corner but the referee ruled that the ball had not crossed the line before full-back Andy Wright hooked it away. Denyer then had a goal ruled out after good link-up play by Medcalf and Carl Buckler but it was only a temporary reprieve before Buckler grabbed his first of the game to put the visitors in front. He then headed home a second goal into an empty net from a Denyer cross. Buckler returned the favour as he set up Denyer's second goal of the game before Denyer completed his hattrick from a Ross Kelly pass. There was still time for Dormansland to grab a second goal as the clock ran down but in the end it was a comfortable victory for the visitors. Team: D.Lamprell, A.Wright, N.Palmer, S.Nickols, D.Medcalf, A.Shillibeer, R.Hayes (B.Sunderland), L.Champion, R.Kelly, B.Denyer, C.Buckler. Unused Sub: P.Bishop |