Brighton stayed in touch with the leaders but they were made to work hard for their 3-2 win at Mid Sussex in the Kent/Sussex Regional League.

The visitors started well enough and raced into a 2-0 lead in the first 20 minutes thanks to goals from Mohamed Nagey and Dave Delea before Andy Green pulled one back just before half time.

Steve Newton finished from a short corner to set up a tense last quarter.

With a minute left Pete Ashdown's excellent save denied James Goodwin when he was clean through and Brighton promptly swept upfield to grab the winner through Nagey's short corner.

Leaders Holcombe proved too strong for Worthing as they ran out 5-1 winners. Mark Minchell scored the consolation for Worthing.

Meanwhile, Crawley pulled off a superb 3-0 win at third-placed Blackheath, their first of the season.

It was a heroic effort by the visitors who travelled to Kent with no substitutes and then had to play Ian Anguige as a lone striker in the second half after he had suffered a hamstring injury. Not that the switch bothered Anguige too much. He scored twice, the first goal rifled in from the edge of the area following heavy Blackheath pressure.

Kris Rai and skipper Terry Higgs, who had opened the scoring just before half-time, broke clear to set up Anguige for his second with five minutes to go.

Horsham missed the chance to climb the table when they went down 3-2 to Old Williamsonians.

They led twice through skipper Mark Ansell and Rob Ashton but a poor second half display proved costly.

Two of the strugglers, Crowborough and Middleton & Bognor, shared six goals in Kent/Sussex Division One.

Mark Pacey scored his second goal of the game ten minutes from the end to earn the home side a 3-3 draw. Luke Meekins was their other scorer while Matt Crompton, Darren Pullman and Stuart Clark were on target for Crows.

Sloppy defending proved costly for Eastbourne who went down 3-1 at third-placed Sevenoaks. Chris Burden scored a consolation for Eastbourne.