Grinstead 2 Arundel 1

[Bruce Talbot]

Don't know much more apart from the score and that we scored our winner early in the second half.
Anyone care to meat on the bones please?

[buzzer]

A hard earned win against a very capable Arundel side.

Richar Sinden opened the scoring on 24 minutes, a tap in after a goal mouth scramble but the lead was short lived when Scott Tipper latched onto a flick on and lobbed over Danny Harwood.

Liam Baitup restored the lead just after half time with a classy finish after good work from new signing Lee Carey who impressed in the centre of midfield.

Marc Pelling also impressed on his return to the first team fold.

Good overal team performance much improved then the last two games with lots more passion and resolve

[Bruce Talbot]

Wardy's match report:
East Grinstead 2 Arundel 1

Grinstead arrested their mini-slump with a hard fought victory over a useful Arundel side and boss Tony Beckingham was delighted with their response to successive league defeats.
Lee Carey, signed from Ryman premier Horsham, had an accomplished debut in midfield.
Beckingham said: “The two defeats had knocked confidence a bit so it was good to win again against a very good side. Hopefully we can go on another unbeaten run now and show what a decent team we are.”
Beckingham made four changes to the side that lost to Redhill last week.
Carey joined Bronwek Dabrowa in the middle of midfield, Marc Pelling had an impressive game in his first start of a season badly affected by injury and Richard Sinden regained his starting place up front.
These changes had a positive effect as Grinstead were much more combative and played with plenty of spirit and passion against an Arundel side who have been in good form.
Liam Baitup had the first chance after a sweeping Grinstead move ended with him screwing his shot well wide from Sinden’s cross, but in a first half of few opportunities Grinstead took the lead on 24 minutes. A goalmouth scramble following a corner ended with Sinden poking home from close range to notch his 11th of the season.
The lead wasn't to last long and just eight minutes later Arundel were back on level terms. A long punt down the middle wasn't dealt with and the prolific Scott Tipper lobbed over the exposed Danny Harwood.
Grinstead started the second half stongly and regained the lead four minutes in. Sinden had just missed a good opportunity when he volleyed over from Drew Cooney’s cross when Carey picked out Baitup on the right hand side of the box and he drilled his shot expertly past Ben O'Conner into the far corner. Carey had a good debut and deserved the assist. He got through a tremendous amount of work in the middle of the park and will be a major asset on this performance.
Arundel responded positively and Matt Axell was unlucky when his curling free kick hit the inside of the post before being hacked off the line with Harwood well beaten and shortly afterwards Tipper somehow missed from four yards after Lewis Hamilton’s free kick had been spilled by Harwood.
Grinstead were still a threat and captain Cooney, who had a very good game in the right back position, saw his volley cannon off the far post having been set up by Baitup following a quick break. Baitup nearly got his second when his close-range volley was tipped over by O'Connor and Sinden volleyed just wide after another good Cooney cross.
Arundel finished the game with plenty of possession but the Grinstead defence looked solid and Harwood was rarely called upon as the hosts secured a confidence boosting three points.

Grinstead: Harwood, Cooney, Anthony, Sinclair, Pelling (sub: Johnstone 80), Featherstone, Dabrowa, Carey, Sinden (Spain83), Baitup (Major 80), Cable.
Subs not used: Wilson, Lardent