Friendly
The Polegrove, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: Behind Closed Doors
Programme: None
Official Attendance: 0
After more than three months without football in the south-east of England, during the third nationwide lockdown due to Covid which started back in early January, restrictions were finally eased sufficiently on Monday to allow outdoor football training and matches to resume. However, spectators would not be permitted at any games until further notice - at any venue, right down, ridiculously to public recreation grounds and village greens. And therefore, until further notice, my groundhopping adventures are having to be opportunistic, always respecting Covid guidelines, and seeking to cause no inconvenience or awkwardness for host clubs or officials. A low exterior fence at The Polegrove allowed me to take in this game whilst respecting all Covid guidelines, albeit some distance from the action.
This would be the third time this season that these two teams have met in friendly games. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that Bexhill United play in senior football, and have been one of the stronger teams in the Southern Combination League Division One whereas Westfield play a step below, in the intermediate level Mid Sussex League Premier Division, Bexhill won both encounters comfortably, 1-4 at Westfield back in mid August, and 9-0 at the Polegrove in December, immediately following November's lockdown.
The January lockdown led to the Southern Combination League being curtailed, frustratingly for Bexhill, who were top of Division One, with ten wins and a draw from their eleven league games. They must now focus on trying to win the Division One Supplementary Shield, an additional competition introduced under these special circumstances of this year to at least provide competitive football to clubs and its players. The Mid Sussex League is one of the few to resume their league season, although the Premier Division has devised a rather convoluted means of doing this - taking clubs' points per games records, multiplying that by 6, and dividing the division into two. Westfield will play in the bottom half section. In the original season, they were in tenth place in the 14 club division, having won four and lost the other five of their nine league games.
On an overcast but mild evening, this proved to be a much closer encounter than the previous two earlier in the season, a lively encounter with plenty of chances created at both ends. Bexhill had the first decent chance, on 4 minutes, when the ball was drilled just wide of the left post, whilst Westfield had a golden opportunity on 13 minutes following a run down the left, the ball was crossed low but the ball just evaded a Westfield player at the near post, and was blazed over the bar by his team mate at the far post. Bexhill were awarded a penalty on 29 minutes after a player dribbled in from the left before tumbling over an outstretched defender's leg, but it was blazed over the bar. It was Westfield's turn to have a good chance six minutes later, following a corner, the ball was dinked into the danger area and a defender had to hack the ball away on the line. On 40 minutes, Bexhill saw the ball drilled just wide at the far post following a low cross across goal, before they took the lead as the game entered first half stoppage time. The ball was clipped over a defender, allowing Evan Archibald to run onto the ball and through on goal before firing it past the keeper.
The game continued at a lively intensity, with both chances playing decent football and creating some excellent goalscoring chances, but in the end it was Westfield who scored an equaliser on 78 minutes. After the ball was played back to him, the Bexhill keeper kicked the ball weakly downfield through the centre, Westfield's Dan Tewkesbury gained possession of the ball, and he drilled the ball home past an out of position keeper and a defender on the line. It was an equaliser they certainly deserved. Soon after, Peter Heritage, a former Football League player for Gillingham, Hereford and Doncaster Rovers between 1989 and 1993 but who has now turned 60, came on for Westfield soon after, but despite Westfield having the last good chance of the match, when the ball was played in low from the left and a couple of players, including Heritage, couldn't turn the ball home, and the loose ball was struck high and wide.
So the game ended as a draw and was an excellent work out for both teams, particularly considering the lack of team training or preparation before this week, and this was an enjoyable game to watch.
