Vs. Hastings Rangers (A)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Simon Cutler
Owen Davies
Doug Morris	(20 Gary Wenham) (52 Pat Mammone)
Gary Williams
Paul Ford
Pete Cooper
Andy Mills (c)
Dave Mills
Adrian Gaylon
Tom Frere-Smith
Gary Walsh
Referee:
Goals: Frere-Smith (4,29,82) Walsh (15).
HT Score: 3-1
FT Score: 4-3
Booked: Ford (52) Sent off: Davies (79)

The Baptists triumphed over Hastings Rangers for the first time in four encounters with a well-deserved victory at Bulverhythe.

A passionate encounter was played at a furious pace and the first blow was struck on four minutes, when Tom Frere-Smith used his speed and skill to create an opportunity and he made no mistake with the finish.

Battle continued to impress, making it hard to believe their hosts were top of the table. Manager Gary Walsh extended the lead when he converted from close range after the home keeper could only parry a fiercely struck Frere-Smith cross.

The home side hit back and after getting the ball in the Baptist’s box on a couple of occasions, slack marking from a throw-in allowed the striker to steal in front of keeper Simon Cutler and head Rangers’ opener. An injured Doug Morris then went off to be replaced by Gary Wenham.

Walsh then had two excellent chances to score. First he was played into space by Frere-Smith but in lining up his shot the on-rushing keeper had a chance to get down and smother it away. His next effort then agonisingly hit the post before being cleared by a desperate defender onto the post again then out. Frere-Smith then added the third just before the half hour mark when he danced through onto Walsh’s precise through ball to score his second.

The second half started with the Baptists playing into a low sun knowing full well their opponents would launch everything at them in the second half. The pressure started early and after a few balls were played into the Baptist box, Paul Ford was harshly adjudged to have handled a cross that seemed to hit him straight on the chest. The referee saw it as deliberate though and booked the player before seeing the penalty clinically dispatched. Pat Mammone then entered the fray as Gary Wenham also had to come off with an injured hamstring. This saw a reshuffle that led to Pete Cooper dropping back to centre-half and Pat playing left wing. A sustained period of pressure saw Rangers dominate the next ten minutes, flying two close-range headers just wide. Just past the hour mark an appalling late tackle on Walsh did not get the booking it surely warranted, before Walsh was again fouled and play brought back as Frere-Smith ran through the middle and put the ball in the back of the net. Spurred on by these injustices, Walsh and Frere-Smith combined well to release the latter through on goal. His effort from a tight angle was put behind for a corner, from which Adrian Gaylon headed narrowly over.

With just over ten minutes to go, there was drama at the other end as Davies blocked a goal-bound effort on the line with his hand and was dismissed. The second penalty of the afternoon went the same way as the first and the match was all level.

Rangers were now in the ascendancy but the Baptists dug in and with a mixture of belief, support and no little skill they went ahead again. Frere-Smith was released down the middle and as he closed on goal he made no mistake. With all the drama the injury time added on was sizeable and Frere-Smith ran through two players before shooting at the keeper in the 95th minute. Just as the game entered its 100^th minute, the referee brought a pulsating match to a close to the relief and joy of the Battle faithful.