FA Youth Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
The Polegrove, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 179
I decided to catch some more Friday night football this evening, with a very enticing looking FA Youth Cup clash between two under 18 sides with near perfect records this season.
Both teams participate in the Southern Combination League, but in different parallel divisions. In the East Division, Bexhill have won all five of their league games so far, and to reach this stage of the competition, had won 1-4 at Shoreham in the Preliminary Round, before edging past Chichester City on penalties after neither side's defences could be breached within 90 minutes. Alfold have been mightily impressive away, also winning all five of their league games in the North division, scoring 31 goals and conceding just four in the process. Continuing in that theme, to reach this stage of the FA Youth Cup, Alfold won 2-7 away at Crawley Down Gatwick in the Preliminary Round, before beating Peacehaven & Telscombe 5-1 at home.
Under clear skies, and roared up on my a bumper and vocal crowd, this was a hugely entertaining game to watch, with plenty of attacking intent throughout, and the tone was set inside the first minute. The ball was floated into the box and after the keeper came to the edge of his area to punch the ball downfield, the ball fell to an Alfold player who showed great composure to gently lob the ball over the defenders and stranded keeper and into the unguarded net. On five minutes, Bexhill came close to an equaliser, when a Nathan Corke free kick just outside the outer corner of the penalty area came back off the crossbar, but on 19 minutes the home side were awarded a penalty when their player was brought down after striding into the box. Aaron Cook converted into the bottom right corner, just beyond the keeper's dive. Alfold went back into the lead on 37 minutes when a cross from the right was headed home at the far post, and 1-2 was how the scoreline trained at the break.
The scores were levelled again on 52 minutes, when the ball was passed along the edge of the penalty area and Cook struck the ball home past a rooted keeper with a very good finish. The game then started to slip away from the visitors when Bexhill took the lead on 64 minutes when another well judged free kick from Nathan Corke this time found the back of the net, as it floated in just above the keeper's grasp and dropped inside the far post. And just two minutes later, the hosts opened up some day light with their fourth after a beautifully worked moved ended with Cook curling the ball inside the far post to seal his hat-trick. The game was far over though, as Alfold created some excellent chances to reduce the deficit, but unfortunately for them, in the 90th minute with a gentle header from close range, it was too little too late as Bexhill saw out the closing minutes to seal their progression to the next round, where they will face a trip to Cray Valley (PM) in the 3rd Qualifying Round.
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