Rustington FC are preparing for one of the biggest weeks in the clubs history as they take on Peacehaven & Telscombe FC on Good Friday in the final of the Division 2 cup at Shoreham FC (730pm).
Fridays game has been eagerly anticipated for some time, and the Blues certainly have their work cut out against arguably one of the best sides in the division.
James Bennett is cup tied for Fridays game, although Richie Hellen does return to the squad after serving a one game suspension against Pease Pottage, otherwise manager Gareth Davies is likely to name an unchanged side from the one that scored 7 past Pottage on Saturday.
PEACEHAVEN AND TELSCOMBE FC
Formed in 1923, following the merger of Peacehaven Rangers and Telscombe Tye. The newly formed club originally played on a piece of land called The Tye, owned by the local squire (hence the Club nickname).
Peacehaven (the abridged name is most commonly used) joined Division Two of the Sussex County League in 1969-70, finishing ninth (of fifteen) in their inaugural season. In 1975-76 they won promotion as runners-up to Selsey. After finishing as runners-up to Shoreham in 1977/78, Peacehaven lifted what was to be the first of seven Division One titles the following season. After finishing a disappointing 12th in 1979/80, the club once again finished as runners-up, this time to Pagham, in 1980/81, before adding a further two League titles in 1981/82 and 1982/83.
A comparatively mediocre spell then ensued but a third runners-up spot in 1990/91, when they lost out on goal difference to champions Littlehampton Town, was to herald a period of dominance in the County League. Between 1992 and 1997, Peacehaven lifted the Division One championship on four occasions, and in the other two seasons finished 4th (1993/94) and 3rd (1996/97). The club also won the League Challenge Cup in 1991 and 1992, and enjoyed great runs in the FA Cup and FA Vase.
Peacehaven’s best run in the FA Cup was in 1990/91, when they reached the 4th Qualifying Round, only to lose 2-3 at Tiverton Town. That season, eventual champions Littlehampton also reached the 1st Round proper of the competition. The club reached the 5th Round of the FA Vase in 1992/93 before losing to a solitary goal at Gresley Rovers; and went one better in 1995/96 when they were beaten by the same score at Clitheroe at the Quarter Final stage.
April 1995 saw the first ever Sunday fixture in the County League, when just over a 1,000 spectators saw Peacehaven beat eventual runners-up STAMCO (later St. Leonards, now defunct) at Piddinghoe Avenue. The irony was that it was the runners-up who were promoted to the Southern League at the end of that season, whilst with their emphasis on the team rather than their facilities, Peacehaven had little hope of further progression.
That lack of ambition, foresight, and dwindling finances ultimately told, with Peacehaven relegated to Division Two at the end of the 1997/98 season. After three seasons however, they returned to the top flight as runners-up to Southwick (another club with an illustrious history), and also won the Division Two League Cup.
Sadly though, Peacehaven were relegated once more at the end of the 2002/03 season, with attendances plummeting to the lowest in Division Two the following season. 2004/05 saw an improvement in the latter but things were no better on the pitch as the Tye were relegated to Division Three and Intermediate football, for the first time in the club’s history - something that would have been unthinkable just ten years earlier.
Fortunately the stay in Division Three was brief, and the club won promotion at the first attempt, two points ahead of runners-up Lingfield. The season also saw a memorable ‘double’ with a 2-1 victory over Eastbourne Town Reserves in the Final of the Sussex Intermediate Cup. However, The Tye were unable to complete a treble, as holders Rustington retained the Vernon Wentworth Cup, winning 1-0.
The club's return to the senior ranks saw a continuation of the previous season's improved form, although no silverware was forthcoming. The Tye's 5th place, saw them miss out on a promotion berth by just two points but argues well for a return to the top flight in the not too distant future.
|
