Lindfield faced a spirited Forest Row II side in the opening round of the Senior Charity Cup, and this one was far from straightforward. The hosts started the brighter of the two teams, pressing high and forcing Lindfield into some early defending.

Despite being under pressure, Lindfield took the lead against the run of play. A shot from Louis Pople was parried by the Forest Row goalkeeper, and Ryan Novis reacted quickest to fire home the rebound and make it 1–0. Forest Row’s response was strong, and they levelled the match right on the stroke of half-time, leaving it finely poised at 1–1.

After a few honest words — and some spirited motivation from substitute Reece Wickwar on the sidelines — Lindfield came out much improved after the break. Andrew Brown restored the lead in the 56th minute, slotting home calmly to make it 2–1, and from there the visitors showed their grit and organisation to see the game out.

At the back, Robert Ternouth was outstanding in goal, producing several vital stops to keep Lindfield ahead. In front of him, Felix Attfield-Davis was immense at centre-back, marshalling the defence superbly and dealing with Forest Row’s lively forwards throughout.

Forest Row’s effort and quality were impressive — a performance that suggested they’d comfortably hold their own in the Premier Division, despite being a Division One side.

After a hard-fought win, the lads enjoyed a well-earned beer in the Forest Row clubhouse before heading back to Mid Sussex with a cup victory and their unbeaten run still intact.