Sussex County League Division One

Ringmer 1

East Grinstead Town 1

IT IS a measure of the improvement they have made this season that East Grinstead Town left the Caburn Field disappointed to only have secured a point.

In their first Saturday game for more than two months, they ought to have built on Richard Sinden's ninth goal of the season midway through the first half.

John Paul Collier conceded the penalty from which Ringmer equalised and the midfielder was then sent off 12 minutes from time for a bad challenge which earned him a straight red and a three-match ban.

Wasps boss Tony Beckingham admitted that the lack of competitive action due to the weather is affecting performances.

"The enforced breaks are hurting us as we just can't seem to get any momentum going with all this stop starting, he lamented.

"We're still playing good football and are putting teams on the back foot but are simply not being ruthless enough in front of goal.

"We should have been out of sight at half-time in my opinion. To be fair to Ringmer they worked unbelievably hard for 90 minutes and in the end a draw was a fair result. In the end it was a point gained in a hard-fought contest. All we want to do now is get a run of games – and results – going."

Top scorer Liam Baitup should have rewarded East Grinstead Town's positive opening to the game on 15 minutes when Rikki Cable's cross was half-cleared to him but he struck a powerful drive straight at goalkeeper Jake Buss.

Despite the sticky pitch which cut up badly Wasps tried to knock the ball around and it was no surprise when they took a 24th minute lead.

Cable beat his man on the left and his low cross was tucked home from close range by Sinden with the home defence nowhere.

Danny Harwood preserved the lead with a fine one-handed save to deny Marc Whiteman but either side of the break, Baitup was clattered by a combination of Buss and a defender but no penalty was given.

Four minutes into the second half the home keeper produced another one-handed save after Baitup had latched onto Kieran Wilson's defence splitting pass.

Ringmer equalised on 53 minutes when Collier brought down an opponent in an unthreatening position on the left-hand side of the box and Whiteman converted from the penalty spot.

His subsequent red card left Wasps with some defending to do in the closing stages but they still created opportunities and defender Peter Featherstone rumbled forward to force Buss to make another smart save.

Grinstead play their first home league game since November 13 on Saturday when they entertain struggling Shoreham (3pm).

Then next Tuesday they travel to Hailsham in the third round of the Sussex Senior Cup, kick off 7.45pm.

East Grinstead: Harwood, Wilson, Anthony, Sinclair, Cooney, Feathersatone, Beszant, Collier, Sinden, Baitup (Dabrowa) Cable. Unused subs: Spain, Clark-Ward, Lardent.