Pease Pottage have been accepted into the Rich City County League at the fifth time of asking.

The Crawley-based club's promotion from the Mid Sussex League was confirmed this week and few will deny they deserve it.

Problems with their ground at Finches Field have hampered previous applications but Pease Pottage were finally accepted this week along with Upper Beeding.

Chairman Tony Read said: "We are absolutely elated. Most years when we won the Mid Sussex League there was some sort of stipulation brought forward (for the ground) which we could not meet. But we managed to catch up this year.

"This is the fifth season we have applied and we have won the league four years out of those five."

Among the changes the club have had to make over the last few years is turning the pitch around. On its previous alignment there were problems with an overhead cable pylon, with a goalkeeper's kick often striking the cable and rebounding to where it had come from.

Those days are now behind the club and manager Steve Bold can look forward to leading his team into County League action.

Read added: "We were of the mind that there was some sort of sign over the club. Every year we tried there was some sort of problem. But it is nice to spend time and effort doing something and for it to pay off. We are all pleased."

Upper Beeding, champions of the West Sussex League under manager Mick Barry, are the other team accepted.

Chairman Nick Addison said: "Everybody has worked very hard from the start of the season when we lost our first game and went on to win the next 25 league and cup games in a row.

"We won the league by 13 points and the reserves have been promoted as well.

"There are a lot of people who have worked very hard to make sure the work was done on time and we are now looking forward to the challenge."

While two sides join the league, Royal and Sun Alliance are relegated back to the West Sussex League after eight years in the County League.

There was good news for Rye United and Seaford. Both sides have completed necessary ground improvements and will be promoted back to the senior ranks of Division Two.

Newhaven have been reprieved from relegation for a second successive year despite finishing second from bottom in Division Three.

The Dockers were spared demotion as the league was running one team short of the required numbers in 2000-01.