London & South East Regional League Division One South
The Polegrove, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Attendance: 35 (rough head count)
I decided to take in a bonus game today, when I realised that Bexhill United Ladies were unusually playing at The Polegrove - home of the Bexhill United Men's team. I can't remember the last time that the Ladies last played at The Polegrove, as they usually play their home fixtures on a 3G pitch at Bexhill College. But on a sunny and surprisingly warm afternoon, I decided on a visit to the coast and a rare opportunity to enjoy The Polegrove in daylight.
This game was in Step 6 of the Women's football pyramid, and both clubs look fairly comfortable with remaining in the decision, albeit that today's visitors were are having a much better season. Bexhill were down in ninth place in the twelve club division, following four wins and a draw from their 15 league games. Although the bottom two go down, Bexhill are unlikely to be in any danger of falling into the relegation zone, as the two clubs currently occupying the relegation berths have just three points and one point. They were not in good form, having not won since late October, which came against today's opponents, winning 1-2, although they were awarded a win in late November when opponents Cray Valley failed to field a team. Bromley were up in fourth place, following seven wins and two draws from 14 league games, but with only one club eligible for promotion, and very unlikely to be able to overhaul current league leaders Hastings United, who are seven points ahead and with four games in hand, second placed Ashford United, who have a 100% record from their ten league games, nor third placed Eastbourne United, who had won nine our of their ten games.
The first half was entertaining, with Bromley always looking the more threatening team, although occasionally Bexhill looked dangerous on the break. Bromley opened the scoring on 42 minutes, when a corner was swung in and Charlotte Lee rose highest to head the ball downwards, deflecting off a defender before finding the back of the net.
The second half saw Bromley take much more control of the game, as Bexhull seemed to tire against Bromley's seemingly younger and fitter players, but the game remained in the balance until the 75th minute, when Bromley were awarded a penalty, when a Bexhill defender late tackle missed the ball but hit the Bromley player's shinpads. Lee stepped up to convert the penalty into the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way. Bexhill did come close to pulling a goal back in the 79th minute, when an up and under towards goal caused the keeper the flap at the ball, possibly unsighted by the blinding sunshine in the background, and the ball came back off the woodwork, and the loose ball was poled towards goal, only to be deflected behind for a corner.
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