Cowfold bag second win in 11 attempts

Cowfold secured just their second win in 11 attemtps under manager Andy Williams capping off a fine performance from his young side in Division 1 against Littlehampton United.

Braces from Oliver Young and Karel Kutaa either side of a Mark Edmonds goal gave the hosts a 5-3 victory, their first since a 3-1 win over Ferring back in January.

Extremely blustery conditions made for an interesting game in an encounter where the home side were looking for revenge following their 3-1 away reverse earlier in the season.

Although they started on the front foot it was Cowfold that conceded first when a cross from the right evaded two defenders and found the foot of a striker. His shot was well saved by ‘keeper Matt Beck fell kindly for Barney Boutwood, who finished from a difficult angle on two minutes.

But two minutes later, a great through ball for the speedy Edmonds saw him race past the full-back and square for Young whose sidefoot finish made it 1-1.

Littlehampton led again when a 20-yard free kick was put away by Tom Foxon on 20 minutes. Again Cowfold refused to let the setback affect them and a battling piece of play involving Kutaa saw Young get his second goal to level it again. Young then hit the bar, before Edmonds put Cowfold ahead on 37 minutes.

Cowfold extended their lead eight minutes into the second half when the ball was worked wide left to Edmonds, his cross found Kutaa whose clever flick was rewarded with a goal on the near post.

Again only minutes later, in a carbon copy of the previous goal, Edmonds took the ball down well and crossed for the waiting Kutaa who scored again to make it 5-2.

Immediately following the goal, the away side’s player manager Dan Lawrence received a straight red card for violent conduct and whilst it could be expected that this would end any hope of a revival for them if anything they seemed to improve.

Just before the hour mark, following a corner, there was a scramble on the edge of the six yard box and Boutwood found the net on 67 minutes, although Cowfold held out from there.

Cowfold: Beck, Millais, Dunningham, Mitchell-Harris, Shoubridge (Bell 75), Parsons, Barnett (Smith 70), Brabon, Kutaa, Edmonds, Young.