Vs. Hawkhurst II (H)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Ian Nunn
Owen Davies
Gary Williams
Doug Morris
Darrell Hartley
Paul Ford
Andy Mills (c)
Loksan Harley	(45 Mike Gould)
Dave Mills
Adam Johnson
Gary Walsh
Referee: N Clark
Goals: Johnson (25), D Mills (81).
HT Score: 1-2
FT Score: 2-3

Battle failed to get back to winning ways as a closely fought game played in glorious sunshine went the way of Hawkhurst.

It all started very brightly for the team in orange, as Dave Mills had a shot from twenty-five yards that flew just over in only the second minute. Minutes later Gary Walsh was played in but a covering tackle stopped him getting his shot away, then Adam Johnson nearly turned in a long shot from Paul Ford after the keeper had been stranded out of his goal.

The first fifteen minutes was constant Baptist pressure, but Hawkhurst then started to create some opportunities and on twenty minutes they took the lead completely against the run of play. Good control in the box enabled the Hawkhurst number 10 to loft the ball over the on-rushing Ian Nunn. Battle looked to hit right back and Gary Walsh almost levelled when played in by Adam. Adam then made it one-one on twenty five minutes with a stunning strike. Coming in from the left channel, he shaped as if to chip the ball into the middle for Gary to run onto. Instead he steadied himself and from twenty yards he powered the ball across the goalkeeper and in off the far post from a tight angle. A memorable strike and an early contender for goal of the season.

Instead of spurring on the Baptists it seemed to have the opposite effect and as they sat back Hawkhurst pounced on the half hour mark. Slack defending allowed the striker to take his time and fire into the bottom corner. Only a minute later Dave had a chance with a header from ten yards that he put wide, then Paul had a run and shot fly just over. That was it for incident in a first half that the Baptists dominated yet found themselves going into the break behind in.

Mike Gould replaced Loksan at half time after the winger had taken a knock, and the first chance in the second half fell ten minutes in when Gary Walsh found the side netting from a tight angle. A tight game saw battles take place all over the pitch as each team looked to wrestle the advantage. A great tackle from Doug prevented a one-on-one chance only two minutes before Hawkhurst did stretch their advantage. On seventy minutes the orange defence was carved open and the ball fell kindly for the Hawkhurst player to finish high and hard into the roof of the net.

Minutes later Adam powered down the left flank and tried a long shot from thirty yards that went narrowly over before with just under ten minutes to go Dave reduced the arrears by cutting in from the left and beating a couple of defenders in the box before rolling the ball past the keeper. Despite some frantic attacks in the last five minutes, the equaliser was not forthcoming.