Mountfield United went through a complete rigmarole to get two cup matches played - only to find out it was in vain.

The East Sussex League club, who have played just five Division One fixtures all season, had to postpone their Hastings Junior Cup tie against Firehills five times and their League Cup match against Heathfield on three occasions as bad weather took its toll.

But after negotiating both fixtures, which meant they were unable to play league matches, the East Sussex League decided to abandon this season's cup competitions.

The league decided it was the best way to solve the fixtures crisis, rather than play double headers.

Manager John Matthews said: "It was somewhat unfortunate, because had we not waited so long to get the cup games played we would've easily managed to get a few more league games played."

That leaves Mountfield with 13 games to play this season in the league.

Little Common III have played only three matches and the season is halfway through. The East Sussex League Division Seven team played the opening two matches and then another game in October but since then they have not kicked a ball.

Floods and severe weather have disrupted nearly every team's fixtures in the county, but no-one has experienced such a lack of matches as Little Common.

Club secretary Margaret Cherry said: "It has been frustrating for all our third team players.

"All they want to do is play football and there they are halfway through the season having only played three matches. Thankfully the players have been able to play matches among themselves. We book Bexhill Community College's astroturf pitches when games are cancelled, so they can have a kickaround. But there is nothing better than playing games."

In the West Sussex League Premier Division, Henfield played only their fourth match last weekend when they lost 5-3 to Midhurst.

A combination of poor weather, bad luck and the petrol crisis has disrupted their programme. Henfield secretary Eric Holder said: "We managed to play our opening two matches of the season and for the last two weeks.

"But since September to a fortnight ago, we played no games at all. The weather has been the main factor. All league fixtures were cancelled during the fuel shortage and it's just been to our misfortune that every away game has suffered as well as the home games.

"We ought to have played only three because our second match at the start of the season was switched from away to home because the pitch was unplayable.

"It would have been easy for the fixtures secretary in the second week of the season not to bother."

Henfield are left with 18 fixtures to play, but with midweek games and Bank Holiday matches scheduled in spring Eric does not envisage any problems -unless there is some bad weather still to come.

"Then we'll have problems," he explained.