Vs. Beulah Baptist I (H)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Tim Nunn
Owen Davies
Paul Rook
Gary Williams
Paul Ford	(78 Darrell Hartley)
Dave Mills	(78 Seb Elliott)
Pete Cooper
Stuart Batchelor
Andy Mills (c)
Gary Walsh
Tom Frere-Smith
Referee: A Bamblett
Goals: Cowley, Walsh, Frere-Smith.
HT Score: 1-1
FT Score: 3-1

Having beaten Catsfield and Mayfield in the last two weeks, Battle Baptists continued their late season form with victory over another promotion contender in this Division 3 match that also doubled up as the Neville Barnett Trophy – an annual derby match between the 2 neighbourly church teams.

The visitors were quick to seize the early initiative and scored on 20 minutes when the ball was laid back to a midfileder who guided his low shot goal-bound from 25 yards. Battle had to defend further surges, Paul Ford clearing off the line when a goal seemed certain. After Stuart Batchelor had narrowly missed a golden opportunity to head in an equaliser, Battle then enjoyed a purple patch of their own, and a succession of corners ended when central defender Alan Cowley rose unchallenged at the back post to nod in an Owen Davies corner.

On a cratered pitch that resembled a World War I battlefield, both teams struggled to control and pass the ball accurately. With territory was more valuable than possession the home team pushed Beulah back in the second half. The deadlock was finally broken half way through the second period when Beulah failed to clear their defence and Cowley lobbed the ball back into the area where Gary Walsh jumped highest and saw his headed flick hit the chest of a defender before trickling across the line.

As fatigue started to play a part on a hot afternoon, it was the Battle churchmen who looked the stronger, benefiting now from the encouragement of the large Bank Holiday crowd. The result was certain when Tom Frere-Smith pounced on a defensive error and energetically sprinted through the weary defence to stoke in the third. Peter Cooper was foiled by a good save and Walsh poked another chance just past the post after a turn of speed saw him burst through the Beulah back four.

Having risen to the challenge of playing the best four Division 3 sides in a three-week period, Battle complete the task on Saturday when they visit Little Common, kicking off at the later time of 4pm.