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Brilliant Blues topple Battle

Battle Baptists 0 - 2 Sidley United - ESFL Premier Division

Sidley United were responsible for ending another 100% record on Saturday as they brilliantly saw off league leaders Battle Baptists.

The Blues fielded Zac McEniry up front to act as a focal point and the tactic proved effective with McEniry often winning long balls forward and allowing others to link with him. McEniry almost opened the scoring with a header but Battle goalkeeper Ryan Hunt did well to beat out his effort.

However despite Sidley enjoying more possession it was Battle who had the better chances in the first half as a good ball in from the right found Jamie Lindsay but his sliding effort was wide of the post while a Dean Boyd strike from distance just cleared the crossbar.

Kingsley Parsons picked up an injury and had to be replaced just before the interval as a tight and competitive first half came to an end.

In the second half though, just as with the previous week's dispatching of Hawkhurst United, Sidley really picked up their game and they took the lead in the 62nd minute. Louis Walker did well to keep the ball alive down the right and when a half clearance fell to Baldwin inside the area, he sidestepped his man and curled a left foot shot which rather went through Hunt and into the net for his first goal of the season.

One became two just four minutes later. Baldwin did terrifically well to win the ball high up the pitch and burst away from the defender and as Hunt came out to challenge him, Baldwin poked the ball across to McEniry to smash the ball high into the empty net from six yards out.

There was always the feeling that if Battle could find a way back into the game that the dynamic might change but Sidley defended resolutely with the home side unable to put any real pressure on Joe Rogers in the Blues goal as their long unbeaten run at home came to an end.

A terrific all round performance and a win that brings Sidley up into contention with the leading sides in the Division.

Sidley Team: Rogers, Walker, Hempe (May), K Parsons (Dadswell), Cole, Funnell, Wells, Carey, Ellis, McEniry (Scrace), Baldwin.

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