Hastings United won 5-3 on penalties
Tuesday 28th March 2023, Kick-off 19.45
Sussex Senior Cup 3rd Round
The Oval, Eastbourne
Admission: £7.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 260
Somewhat surprisingly, late March had arrived with me yet to visit The Oval this season, but this was an ideal opportunity to put that right, with an intriguing cup tie with the home side two levels below the always well supported visitors, and with strong connections between the two clubs.
There have been some enhancements to The Oval since last season. An arch with a welcome to the ground is now positioned just before the payment hut, whilst just inside the ground, a wooden hut has been installed, offering a decent range of hot and cold food and drinks. A black backboard along a short section behind the half way line decorated with a couple of club logos also help to enhance the appearance and identity of the ground.
Eastbourne United are having a decent season in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, in sixth place, following 17 wins and nine draws from their 32 league games, and were unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions. Following promotion, Hastings United are now two steps higher than Eastbourne United, in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and they were in ninth place, following 17 wins and eight draws from 36 league games, but they realistically only have a faint chance of making the play-offs, being eight points adrift (although with a game in hand), with just six games left to play. To set up tonight's fixture, Eastbourne United had won 1-2 away in both previous rounds, first at Loxwood and then at Midhurst & Easebourne, while Hastings United had beaten Crawley Town on penalties after a goalless draw back in mid November. There is quite a strong connection between the two clubs, with current Hastings United chairman Billy Wood, a rather flamboyant character who is certainly not shy in ripping up a club’s traditions in the name of progress, admittedly with a fair degree of success on the field, performing the same role previously at The Oval up to 2019 before switching between clubs.
On a chilly and slightly damp evening, there was some doubt, in my mind at least, as to whether the game would go ahead, following very wet conditions in the days leading up to the fixture, and some patching up had to take place for the game to get the all-clear this evening. And perhaps this acted as something of a leveller, as Hastings, roared on by a sizeable contingent from along the coast, certainly did not have things their all way, as this game turned out to be a surprisingly even contest, with plenty of midfield action but a dearth of attacking threat and if anything, it was Eastbourne United who probably had the better of the first half. Hastings took some degree of control after the break, but still never really looked like they would break the deadlock, and in the end, the game ended goalless, which on paper was a fantastic achievement for the underdogs, but with a little more luck, could have sneaked a win.
After 90 minutes, the game went straight to penalties, and after Hastings scored their first, Eastbourne United saw theirs parried onto the post by Hastings' keeper Louis Rogers. All other penalties were converted, although Hastings' winner only just, as Kane Penn's penalty seemed to have been saved, but the ball looped agonisingly slowly up before dropping over the line. And so it was Hastings who progressed to the Quarter-Finals, where they will meet Horsham at the Pilot Field next Tuesday. And despite exiting the competition, it was a good night for the home club too, who could feel great pride in competing so well with much higher ranked opposition, and with a bumper crowd in to swell the coffers.
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