After a busy Christmas week, I decided to come across to Saltdean for the launch of their new 3G pitch, for their Southern Conbination Football League (SCFL), Division 1 fixture with AFC Ringmer.

Hill Park has been upgraded, in the recent works, which reflects the ambitions of the club, despite the relegation from the SCFL Premier Division in 2024-25, when Saltdean finished bottom.

There is now fine new covered seating for 200, as well as a modern and spacious clubhouse in development, including a covered balcony. The newly refurbished ground has a fine backdrop, looking out across the South Downs and will herald a bright new dawn for this ambitious club.

This season all hopes of promotion seem doomed for Saltdean, who have secured just nineteen points from nineteen matches, conceding thirty six goals, at an average of almost two a game. Manager Lawrence Edwards was appointed in September, leaving Shoreham FC. Edwards will be looking to top goal scorers, Lewis Beebee (13 goals) and Jessie Burbidge (5 goals) to give his team a fighting chance today against an AFC Ringmer team who are also showing mixed confidence this season.

This season has been a mixed but ultimately positive one for today’s visitors, AFC Ringmer They were promoted to the league from the mid-Sussex Premier League last season and have made a mixed but secure start to life in the SCFL. 2025-26 has seen Tommy Haddon’s Ringmer side struggle for consistent form, with seven wins, three draws and eight defeats in eighteen league games. Goals have come largely from Will Fenner (7 goals) and Jake Lindsey (6 goals) and more goals would be needed at Hill Park, as the visitors tried to steal all three points to spoil the new pitch launch party.

The game kicked off in fierce winds, which lowered the feel of the temperature significantly. A decent crowd of 228 came for the first game back at Hill Park since the refurbishment and the new sound system played 80’s classics like “Uptown Girl” and “the Eye of the Tiger” to get the atmosphere started.

The game started with AFC Ringmer playing into the strong wind. It made it hard for them to get the ball out of their own half and Saltdean created a series of early chances.

After early pressure from the home side, they broke the deadlock on thirteen minutes when Thai Beebee scored with a fine back-flicked header from a corner on the right.

The remainder of the half saw both sides create chances with out any further goals. You sensed that Saltdean United may regret not securing a second goal while they had the advantage of the strong wind, as they went into the half time break.

The second half saw a resurgent AFC Ringmer use the wind advantage, now in their favour, to pin back the Saltdean defence. In the 74th minute the visitors pulled the score back to one-all when Charlie Northeast followed up when Leon Turner’s shot rebounded off the bar, to pull Ringmer level.

Both sides had chances to win the match but at full time the points, frustratingly for both sides, were shared.