Redhill can't recover from disastrous start

John O'Hara League Cup semi-final

Redhill 2

Peacehaven & Telscombe 3

at Three Bridges

In a frantic start, Redhill conceded two goals within 10 minutes and never really recovered as they lost the chance to make a cup final.

It has been decades since the Reds last won any silverware and the wait will go on after Craig Bunch sealed the East Sussex's side win as early as the 24th minute.

End to end from the off, Redhill had the first opportunity when Chris Hubbard's short corner was played into the box by Josh Bonnet.

Peacehaven grabbed the lead after seven minutes when a free-kick was headed in at the near post by Tom Burton.

Two minutes later, they doubled when, after a defensive mix up, Andy Wilkinson slotted past Chris May from close range.

The Reds sprung to life, and Lee Radford collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area reifling it into the right hand side of the net.

Redhill appeared to have the upper hand and could have been level when Radford delivered a superb cross from the left, however Ali Kyezu put it just wide.

On 24 minutes Peacehaven delivered what turned out to be the killer blow when Bunch scored a screamer after good work from Clive Snell. They nearly increased their lead minutes later when Bunch again shot from distance, before May pulled off a great save to tip the ball over the bar.

The second half start with a much more sedate pace, with a lot of the battle going on in the middle of the park.

On 59 minutes Redhill got a way back into the game when Hubbard was hauled down by Peacehaven keeper Jake Buss, and the Reds were awarded a penalty.

The referee chose only to hand the keeper a yellow, much to the crowd's disgust. Daniel Morris scored the penalty to the keeper's right to put the Lobsters one goal away from forcing extra-time.

Peacehaven went on the attack and had a ball skim the goal-line before being denied a possible penalty on 65 minutes. With minutes to go, Redhill captain Chris May showed the fight left in the Reds by not only going up for a corner, but refusing to return back down the pitch until a Peacehaven break away forced his hand.

May got back just in time to pull off another stunning save, but his heroics could not help his club's defeat. Redhill: May, Kyezu, Nicholas, Hudson, Difford, Hogg, Hubbard (Dussard), Ofusuhene, Morris, Bonnet (Elliot), Radford. Unused subs: Ditchburn, Alcindor.