SALTS TAKE THEIR CHANCES

with Seb Bos replacing Martin Hopkins in goal, James Day in for Sam Packham who moved to fullback in place of Harry Lowe whilst in midfield Michael Belli, Williams Peauroux, and Lee Thomas replaced Mike Spence, Day and Kieran Greig, whilst up front it was business as usual for Oli Leslie and Nick Sullivan.

Saltdean set their stall out early, with early sighters from James Fraser and fullback Marshall testing Bos in the Anvil goal, on 4 minutes the Salts went ahead when a right wing cross found Fraser who turned the Anvil defence to open the Salts account. 0-1 Salts.

The Anvils returned fire with a Russell Malton cross finding Thomas whose shot just drifted wide of the far upright, on 8 Thomas again was unlucky when his shot struck the upright before hastily being hacked clear. Saltdean then came back and on 15 from a cross Fraser was on hand to double the lead. 0-2 Salts. Saltdean didn’t let up and 3 mins later the gap widened as Ash Rees was allowed to run thro unaided for the Salts third of the game. 0-3 Salts.

The Anvils started to dig deep and return fire and with 25 on the clock another Thomas cross found Leslie whose snap shot struck the upright, thus denying a possible opener, on 27 Thomas again tried his luck from 30 yds, but Salts keeper Rickki Banks was equal to the task, on 30 next came Nick Sullivan who had been tightly marked thro out, but slipped his man but could only fire straight at Banks, brother Dan then had Banks parrying his fierce shot.

It was quite remarkable how this match was going, as every Salt attack seemed to produce a goal, whilst for the Anvils with similar chances either struck the woodwork or shots were parried by keeper Banks. HT 0-3 Saltdean United.

2nd Half one hoped the momentum gained from the end of the first half was still apparent, and on 51 the Anvils had a glorious chance to open their score, when a Sullivan corner found Marc Pelling in space, only for the centre back to put his header wide of the upright, a goal then and who knows!

The Salts seemed quite content to soak up the Anvil pressure, and then break when necessary thro Fraser, Josh Jones and Rees taking turns to keep Bos occupied, but overall it was Anvil time. On 65 another Sullivan free kick was just glanced over by Thomas, whilst on the right flank Malton continued to show a clean pair of heels to the Salts defenders and finishing with a trio of pile drivers that Banks was hard pressed to see off.

On 70 it was Leslie firing at Banks, the keeper parrying his effort and 5mins later Malton unleashed another thunderbolt that was just about kept out.

Anvil surely deserved far more for their 2nd half efforts but were caught right on time with a Salts counter which ended with Kevin Keehan making it four against the run of play.

FT 0-4 Saltdean Utd

Team: Seb Bos, Sam Packham (Sonny Barton), Russell Malton, James Day, Marc Pelling , Williams Peauroux, Dan Sullivan (Mike Spence), Michael Belli, Nick Sullivan, Oli Leslie (Johan de Meyer), Lee Thomas

MOM: Russell Malton. Attn: 58.