Brighton skipper Carlo Missirian has vowed the title race is not over.

Missirian's side needed to beat leaders Holcombe on Saturday in what many people were billing as a championship decider for the Kent/Sussex Regional League.

A 2-2 draw kept Holcombe on top by a point and leaves them favourites for the crown.

Brighton and Holcombe are by far the two best sides in the division but, with eight matches still to go, Missirian is adamant his side can still take the title.

He said: "Two things have come from the game. I think we are a better team than them because of what they had to resort to do to get the goals, just giving us an aerial bombardment.

"The second thing is their arrogance. In the bar afterwards it was as if they had won the league.

"They were disparaging towards the other teams in the league, suggesting we were the only team who could take points off them, certainly among the Sussex sides.

"If we manage to keep winning we are in with a shout. We don't think we are out of it.

"If we had lost it probably would have been over but we are only a point behind them and the pressure is on them, not us.

"I honestly believe they will come unstuck if they think they have won it now. I promise you we won't give up."

More than 80 spectators watched the showdown and most were delighted when Richard Cooke put Brighton ahead with his tenth goal of the season.

It was also a special goal for Cooke, who celebrated in the style of Brazilian soccer ace Bebeto with cradling arms to mark the birth of his first child, Elizabeth Louise, three days before the game.

The goal was a fine team effort and Brighton were worthy of the lead at that stage.

Holcombe's tactics were to launch aerial passes and it was from one such move that they equalised.

Brighton's lead was restored with 17 minutes remaining when Elvis Brown were felled in the D and Graham Pruce converted the resulting penalty flick.

Holcombe levelled five minutes later but Brighton may have pinched victory on the stroke of full time when they won a short corner which was taken after the final whistle but they were unable to take advantage.

Although they did not win, Missirian was proud of his players.

He said: "Bram, our coach, said over the last three games we have played the best hockey since he has been at the club. When you think we have won a couple of cups and won the league last year, it shows what we are achieving."

Horsham edged a 3-2 win over Sussex rivals Crawley in the Kent/Sussex Regional.

Crawley missed two good early chances and were made to pay as Horsham went 2-0 up thanks to a controversial first from Ian Brown and a second by skipper Mark Ansell.

Peter Waller, one of Crawley's five new South Africans, reduced the deficit early in the second half but Horsham restored their advantage through Brown.

Horsham's Richard Lowe then saw a penalty flick saved by Gary Thornton and with eight minutes to go Crawley were back in the game when skipper Terry Higgs fired home. Crawley encamped in the Horsham half but they could not force an equaliser.

Higgs said: "We came here confident that we were going to turn our season around, but when things aren't going for you, you tend to suffer from decisions going against you."

Worthing's poor run continued as they lost 2-1 at home to Old Williamsonians.

They have now taken just one point from the last 27 and skipper Simon Holloway said: "We are going to have a bit of a relegation battle. I don't want to be the captain that took the club up and then took them straight back down again."

Worthing trailed 2-0 at half time but pulled a goal back through Rex Fuller.

Mid Sussex suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat at home to Ashford.

James Goodwin gave Mids the lead after a one-two with Mike Jourdain but Ashford levelled before half time and then went 3-1 ahead. Jourdain reduced the deficit after some good work from Mike Dovey but it was not enough.

In Kent/Sussex division one, Crowborough lost 10-0 away to leaders Maidstone.