Southern Combination League Premier Division
The Oval, Eastbourne
Admission: £7.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 147
For my midweek action this week, I chose to pay my second visit to The Oval this season (including a pre-season visit). Having watched Bexhill's "home" game at Hailsham last Friday, I was hoping I would watch a complete match this time, after that game was abandoned on 75 minutes due to floodlight failure. Not that Bexhill would have been complaining, having been 0-3 down at the time, although if there is any justice, the result will stand.
Bexhill have been knocking on the door of promotion from Division One over the last few seasons, and were duly awarded promotion by the FA this year. After quite a lot of squad movement over the summer, losing several players to cross town rivals Little Common, most notably the exciting winger Jack MacLean, but making some excellent signings with Premier Division experience, including the previously prolific Jack Shonk, Bexhill opened their campaign with a 2-3 away win at Alfold, before losing 0-2 at Newhaven, and then bowing out of the FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round, losing 0-1 to Peacehaven & Telscombe at the Pilot Field. Eastbourne United have had a poor start to their season, losing all three of their league games so far, and losing 6-2 at Chatham Town in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.
This game had an explosive start, with the hosts taking the lead with barely a minute on the clock following a ball down the right, Festos Kamara showed a great turn of pace to get past the left back, and instead is shooting from a slight angle, he showed good composure to cross the ball low to an unmarked Alfie Peacock, who tapped the ball home at the far post. They almost scored a second barely a minute later, when a cross from the right was headed over. Bexhill then came back into the game more, gaining their share of possession as well as creating a couple of chances, but on 24 minutes, Eastbourne doubled their lead when a corner was powerfully headed home by Adam Davidson. Eastbourne thought they had scored a third on 40 minutes, when the ball was bundled in following a low cross from the right, but the goal was disallowed, seemingly for the ball going behind the byline before being crossed. Bexhill continued to play quite well, getting in some good positions, but a lack of a cutting edge cost them and they found themselves two down at the break.
The second half followed a similar pattern insofar as Bexhill probably had more of the ball, and carved out some reasonable chances, but just couldnt find the back of the net. A minute after the break, a goal bound shot was blocked, on 51 minutes a free kick went just over the bar, and in the second minute of added on time, a corner was headed powerfully into the keeper's arms. Bexhill finally did score, but unfortunately for them, not until the fourth minute of added on time when Evan Archibald bundled the ball home, but although there were still a couple of minutes' play remaining, they never threatened an equaliser, as Eastbourne secured their first points of the season, and it is looking like a difficult season is brewing for Bexhill, after a few seasons of wonderfully entertaining attacking football in Division One.
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