A POWERFUL first-half display saw Mid Sussex into fifth place in the Kent/Sussex Hockey League.
They raced into a four-goal lead at Ashford with two goals apiece from Terry Hicks and skipper Mike Jourdain.
But the hosts came right back at them after the break and eventually lost just 4-3.
Jourdain admitted: "It got a bit too close for comfort, but we'd have settled for that score at the start of the match."
Middleton and Bognor drew 2-2 at home to Horsham in a niggly contest which saw the visitors' Mark Ansell sin-binned for abusive language.
Simon Morgan struck twice for Middleton, including a short corner finish.
But Ansell and a late Dominic Cohen strike clinched a pleasing point for the visitors
Brighton played some of their best hockey of the season in the 1-1 draw with Tulse Hill.
Richard Baker put them ahead after Paul Harvey's initial effort had been blocked.
But Barnes described his side's finishing as incompetent and they were punished by a Tulse Hill leveller two minutes from time.
Eastbourne went down 3-1 at second placed Rochester and Gillingham. They were two down before John Rogerson gave them hope.
Worthing had a 3-1 win at South Saxons thabnks to Mark Newson, David Edmonson and Simon Holloway. Richard Harvey was on target for South Saxons.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article