After a rough run. defeats to Balcombe and Crowhurst and a hard-fought draw with Polegate Town, Lindfield finally got the reward we’ve been grafting for. And trust me, this one had everything: goals, chaos, a red card, a saved penalty, and enough stress to age every fan in attendance by about five years.

A Rocky Start (Standard Lindfield Behaviour)

We started like we were still warming up. Frenches Athletic came flying out the blocks and punished us inside the first 15 minutes. They pressed, they had chances, and we were hanging on.

Then… spark.
Rauri Farrell snatched us level. 1–1. Brief sigh of relief.

But of course, we gifted them another one around the 35-minute mark. 1–2 down. Heads starting to drop… until Matty Jasper got clattered and we won a free-kick.

Enter Grant Reed.
Up steps Reedy.
Top bin. Screamer. Crowd woke up. Whole team woke up.
2–2 — perfectly timed just before half-time. Momentum swings our way.

Chaos, Drama, and a Red Card

Then came possibly the wildest minute of the game.

We’re piling pressure on, ball drops in the box, their defender throws his arm at it like he’s playing volleyball. Straight red. Stonewall penalty.

Perfect chance to take the lead…
But their keeper turns into prime Manuel Neuer and saves it. Still 2–2.

Second Half: The Breakthrough

We came out flying after the restart.
Early doors, Stuart Brown steps up with an absolute beauty to finally put us in front. 3–2.

From there, we were cooking.

Chances? We had about 5–8 absolute sitters.
Finishing? Let’s say… work in progress.
Offside flags? Questionable at best, criminal at worst.

Last 20 Minutes: Pure Battle
Even with 10 men, Frenches Athletic weren’t folding. They threw basically four forwards up top and started swinging. The pressure built, the tension rose, the clock slowed to a crawl…
But Lindfield held firm. Bodies on the line. Full commitment. Proper shift.

FINAL WHISTLE: Relief, Pride, and Long Overdue Joy

Not the prettiest game of football we’ll ever play.
Definitely not the calmest.
But absolutely the win this team deserved — through character, work-rate, and a few moments of pure quality.