Four-Goal Ntim Lights Up Reduced Premier Weekend

Dougie
SCFL Premier Division · Saturday, 15 August

Kwesi Ntim delivered the outstanding individual performance of the Southern Combination League Premier Division weekend, scoring four times as Lingfield defeated Billingshurst 5–3 at Whyteleafe.

With most Premier Division clubs involved in FA Vase first-round qualifying ties, only three league fixtures were played on Saturday, 15 August. They produced 13 goals, two away wins and Lingfield’s eight-goal thriller. Friday night’s meeting between Eastbourne United and AFC Varndeanians completed the weekend programme and raised the combined total to 15 goals in four matches.

The four published attendances added up to 689. Eastbourne United attracted the largest crowd with 271, followed by 224 at East Grinstead, 132 for Forest Row’s game at Three Bridges and 62 at Whyteleafe for Lingfield against Billingshurst.

Ntim Hits Four as Lingfield Win Eight-Goal Thriller

Lingfield collected their first league victory of the season in spectacular fashion, beating Billingshurst 5–3 and moving onto four points from three games.

Ntim set the tone by converting two early penalties, the second arriving after only 15 minutes and finding the same corner as his first. The striker completed his hat-trick two minutes into the second half to put Lingfield 3–0 ahead and apparently in complete command.

Billingshurst refused to disappear. Tom Edwards reduced the deficit in the 59th minute, but Lingfield restored control and stretched their advantage to 5–1. Ntim finished the afternoon with four goals, while Reon Donkor supplied the hosts’ other strike.

The closing stages were far less comfortable than Lingfield would have wanted. Edwards scored his second in the 81st minute and substitute Ben Cole struck just a minute later, transforming 5–1 into 5–3.

There was not enough time for Billingshurst to complete an extraordinary recovery, but the late goals prevented Lingfield from enjoying a relaxed finish.

For the Lingers, this was an emphatic response to a difficult start. They opened with a 5–1 defeat at Hassocks before drawing 2–2 with Forest Row. Ntim’s finishing provided the cutting edge that had previously been missing and moved Lingfield onto four points.

Billingshurst remain on one point after three games. They have been competitive, losing by a single goal against Bexhill United and drawing with Horsham YMCA, but have now conceded eight. Scoring three times away from home was encouraging; allowing Lingfield to establish such a large advantage was decisive.

Substitute Laws Settles Local Derby

Crawley Down Gatwick earned their first victory of the league campaign with a 1–0 win at East Grinstead Town before 224 spectators at the Vistavis Community Stadium.

The local derby remained goalless through the first half, with neither side able to turn a tight contest into a clear advantage. The breakthrough arrived in the 68th minute through Crawley Down substitute James Laws.

Laws had been introduced from the bench and supplied the decisive moment in a match containing little margin for error. Crawley Down protected the lead through the final 22 minutes to claim a valuable clean sheet and move onto four points from three league fixtures.

The Anvils began with a 1–1 draw at Newhaven and then lost a fivegoal contest 3–2 against Roffey. Following the defensive frustration of that defeat, shutting out East Grinstead represented an important correction.

For the Wasps, the concern is increasingly obvious. East Grinstead have collected one point from three league matches and are still waiting for their first Premier Division goal.

A goalless draw at Haywards Heath was followed by successive 1–0 home defeats against Guernsey and Crawley Down.

The margins remain small—East Grinstead have conceded only twice—but football ultimately rewards goals and points rather than competitive scorelines. Their defensive base is sound; the urgent task is to find greater threat at the opposite end.

Heath Maintain Unbeaten Start

Haywards Heath Town continued their unbeaten opening with a 3–1 victory over Forest Row at Jubilee Field, Three Bridges.

The result moved Heath onto seven points from three games following their opening goalless draw with East Grinstead and a 2–1 win away to AFC Varndeanians.

With five goals scored and only two conceded, last season’s runners-up have again made a purposeful start.

Centre-back Josh Rapson was selected as Haywards Heath’s man of the match after a dominant defensive performance. The official fixture submission had not listed individual scorers when this report was compiled, but the scoreline reflected another controlled away display from a side already demonstrating strength at both ends of the pitch.

Forest Row remain without a league victory. They were beaten 3–0 at Midhurst & Easebourne on the opening day before collecting a 2–2 draw against Lingfield.

Saturday’s defeat leaves Forest Row with one point from three matches, six goals conceded across their two losses and an immediate need to turn competitive spells into a complete 90minute performance.

Haywards Heath, meanwhile, continue to look like one of the division’s early benchmarks. Seven points from three matches is a strong return, but their next league fixture against fellow sevenpoint starters Eastbourne United should reveal more about both teams’ opening form.

Ten-Man United Fight Back on Friday Night

Eastbourne United and AFC Varndeanians opened the weekend by drawing 1–1 at the Oval Arena 3G in front of 271 spectators.

Varndeanians went ahead in the 36th minute and carried that advantage into half-time. The official match record lists the goal as an opposition strike without naming the scorer, but the visitors had given United their first home setback of the league campaign.

The game produced a striking sequence shortly before the hour. Eastbourne’s Charlie Ball was sent to the sin bin in the 57th minute, temporarily reducing the hosts to ten players, but only a minute later Sam Scott scored the equaliser.

Scott was subsequently voted United’s man of the match.

Neither side found a winner, leaving United on seven league points following earlier victories over Wick and Little Common. They have scored ten goals and conceded only three in those three fixtures, although their FA Cup defeat at Littlehampton provided an interruption between the league wins and Friday’s draw.

Varndeanians move onto four points. They began with a 3–2 win at Horsham YMCA, were narrowly beaten 2–1 by Haywards Heath and have now taken a point from another of the division’s strongest starters.

Early Contenders Begin to Emerge

The restricted programme prevented major conclusions, but it reinforced several early themes.

Haywards Heath and Eastbourne United both remain unbeaten on seven points, Crawley Down have secured their first win, and Lingfield possess one of the division’s most dangerous finishers in Ntim.

At the other end of the weekend’s results, Billingshurst and Forest Row have one point apiece, while East Grinstead’s failure to score has left them with the same return despite three closely contested matches.

With the FA Vase accounting for most of Saturday’s schedule, the table remains uneven and August verdicts should be treated cautiously.

What can already be said is that the SCFL Premier Division has lost none of its unpredictability. An eight-goal contest, a substitute winner, a ten-man equaliser and two unbeaten early leaders made sure a shortened weekend still delivered plenty to discuss.

RETAINED IN THE SUMMER — FOUR GOALS IN AUGUST. PHOTO: LINGFIELD FC X

First published in Dugout News, Issue 002, Sunday 16 August 2026. Republished here in full.