East Sussex
Over 60s

After the blow of falling to a narrow defeat in their opening game of the campaign, National Over 60s Football Champions, East Sussex bounced back in ruthless style against their hosts, Lewes, in the warm sunshine at Newhaven’s Trafalgar Ground last Sunday.

East Sussex are currently in pursuit of ‘back to back’ national titles and they needed a win on Sunday to get back on track for a place in the Quarter Finals of the competition scheduled to take place in Spring 2027.

The men in orange and black were dominant by every measure and played some very attractive football throughout the game.

Despite the more than comfortable scoreline, there was no resorting to laziness and no decline into deploying the ‘long ball’.

The courageous Lewes keeper made several outstanding saves during the ninety minutes. Without his fine display, the score would have been even more emphatic.

Lewes’s goal resulted from a fine 20 yard drive from arguably their best player on the day, and it came at the end of a ten minute first-half spell during which the hosts looked like they may offer stiffer competition.


East Sussex welcomed back from injury two of their finest attacking players, Dave Bridges and Kevin Clee and the East Sussex bench was comprised entirely of quality options.

In the absence of player manager and key striker, Alan Osman, player and assistant manager Bridges used the ‘roll off and roll on’ system to excellent effect, throughout the game.

Neither the performance level nor the quality of the football played by East Sussex dropped when substitutes were introduced. There was a noticeable consistency amongst all the squad members selected.

East Sussex keeper Koosha Movevagh made two fingertip saves in the first half and defenders Simon Corke, Bob Smith, John O’Meara, Steve Burge, Darryn Elliott and Dave Pearson were dogged and aggressive when necessary and calm and assured when in possession.

Skipper Andy Williams and Paul Elphick were formidable and attacking midfielders Bridges, debutant Tim Kryeziu and Ed Greenwood together with wide-men, Steve Turner, Kevin Clee and Tony Wright were unstoppable. They created wave after wave of attacks.

They posed threats down either flank and down the centre. They adapted to find the space and exploited their opponents’ weaknesses without compromise.

Target man and sole striker Colin Riggs had another fine game.

Riggs may have only scored a single goal but his all round game was of the highest quality. He had a hand in every East Sussex goal and in almost every forward move.

His tireless movement, unselfish distribution, aerial threat and ability to hold the ball and bring in the players around him provided a constant, lethal threat to the hosts.

Turner scored two. His first, a coolly slotted penalty that sent the keeper the wrong way and his second, a close range volley, completed the scoring just before the final whistle.

Bridges also notched a brace; one a perfectly placed pass into the bottom left hand corner and the other a ferocious near post drive, and Clee notched one on his return with a neat far post finish.

Like Riggs, England International, Wright also had a hand in every attack.

The combination of his unmatched pace, direct running and intelligent movement meant that the hosts found him impossible to defend against.

His finishing was calm and assured and his highly impressive ‘Dixie Dean’ like six goal haul means that he now has seven goals to his name after only two games in this year’s competition.

Kent are East Sussex’s next opponents in the competition. They visit Bexhill College on 1st November 2026.

National Over 60s Champions East Sussex got off to a disappointing start in their pursuit of back to back titles with a 3-2 home defeat to Farnham & District in a hard fought contest at Bexhill College on Sunday.

After a solid start, Tony Wright gave the men in orange and black the lead with a sharp first half finish; but poor defending led to a 2-1 deficit early in the second half.

East Sussex did consistently create chances throughout the game and with better finishing, they could have scored six or more but they failed to convert some gilt edged opportunities and were made to pay.


Farnham were calmer in possession and better organised than their hosts but they were very fortunate when their last defender dragged back Osman just as the East Sussex striker was poised to finish. What seemed a certain penalty was not awarded.

Farnham repeatedly found space in wide positions and were assisted by their host’s poor marking and indecision in possession.

The only East Sussex player who was in top form on the day was keeper Koosha Movevagh; who pulled off several heroic saves, including on each of three occasions when he was exposed to one on ones with Farnham strikers.


Osman slid in at the far post to equalise with 20 minutes left and it looked like East Sussex would go on to win; but a scramble in the East Sussex box led to Farnham’s main striker grabbing the winner when he completed his hat-trick with toe-poke finish from close range.

Next up for East Sussex is a trip to local rivals Lewes at the beginning of October when they shall be looking to return to their form of last season.

Match report to follow.

Match report to follow.

Match report to follow.

A well deserved win in the final as East Sussex claim their first ever title. National champions and well deserved!