Southern Combination League Division One
The Polegrove, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 176
This evening, I decided to pay my second visit to The Polegrove in a week, the decision made a whole lot easier as it was the only game being played within Sussex this evening. It promised to be a cracking, top of the table clash, with both clubs putting their hitherto unbeaten league records on the line, each having played nine games so far.
A paper programme continues to be issued by Bexhill, and this evening's 20 page edition included a feature on Bill Harrison, the extremely popular former club chairman who passed away just before Lockdown 2, with various tributes and photos included. Otherwise, the programme continues to provide some interesting reading material, and a good preview of the match.
This match would be between the second and third placed teams, with Bexhill having won eight of their nine league games, drawing the other, whilst AFC Varndeanians had won seven and drawn two of their nine league games.
On a slightly milder evening than last night, this would turn out to be a cracking game between two very decent sides. AFC Varndeanians made a strong start, forcing a couple of early corners, but it was Bexhill who took the lead on 14 minutes, when Jack McLean floated the ball in from the left and the ball drifted over the keeper and into the net. On the half hour mark, a Bexhill shot took a slight deflection becoming coming back off the post, but they did double their lead on 27 minutes when the ball was lofted to the back post and Sammy Bunn, in loads of space, took a couple of touches before shooting the ball across the keeper and into the net. Both sides had chances before half time, but at the break, Bexhill were holding a two goal advantage, a lead they deserved following a lively performance full of attacking intent.
Three minutes after the break, and Bexhill saw a free kick driven against the bar, but on 55 minutes, the visitors pulled a goal back, Tom Boyle guiding the ball in off the post. But within two minutes, Bexhill were awarded a penalty after another great run from deep by McLean, who laid the ball off to a team mate, who was brought down by the keeper. Jamie Bunn stepped up to slot the ball into the bottom right corner, to restore Bexhill's two goal advantage. But the visitors got a goal back on 72 minutes, when a long throw-in fell to the feet of Boyle, who fired the ball home, and all of a sudden the game was all square at 3-3 four minutes later, half-time sub Curtis Gayler shot took a big deflection to loop up and over the keeper and into the net. The momentum seemed to be with AFC Varndeanians by now, and clearly the next goal would be crucial. But it was Bexhill who got it, on 80 minutes, when Evan Archibald ran onto a loose ball to the left of goal, and poked the ball across the keeper and inside the far post from a fairly tight angle. Varndeanians had another great chance to equalise on 83 minutes, after advantage was played and Boyle ran clear of the defence, but eventually struck his shot just wide of the post. But right on 90 minutes, Bexhill secured the three points with their fifth goal of the game, a lovely aerial diagonal ball forward found McLean just outside the area, and he drove the ball across the keeper and inside the far post.
This really was a terrific game of football, very much befitting the label of being a top of the table clash, and all the signs are that both clubs will be red hot favourites to claim two of the four promotion berths available this season.
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