Bexhill United Ladies 3 v 3 Comets Women

Bexhill United Ladies won 5-3 on penalties

Sunday 10th September 2023, Kick-off 14.00

Women's FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Little Common Recreation Ground, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Attendance: 40 (rough head count)

I decided to take in a rare bonus Sunday game today, making the most of the warm, sunny conditions, which were not as intensely hot as yesterday, to take in this Women's FA Cup game.

Bexhill United Ladies have been playing most of their fixtures in recent seasons at Bexhill College, although this season it appears they will be sharing the men's team's home ground at The Polegrove. The rearranging of the furniture there today following the end of the cricket season meant that this game had to be played elsewhere, and Little Common's home ground was chosen instead. 

Bexhill United have had a disappointing start to their season in the sixth tier of women's football, in the London & South East Regional League Division One South, having lost both of their opening League games, 0-4 and 0-6, both away from home. Comets Women play a tier below Bexhill, in the Greater London Women's Football League, and they opened their season with a 2-0 victory.

On an afternoon which started in very warm and sunny conditions, but which became overcast and even a little cool towards the end, this was quite a strange game in that the visitors had much of the possession and carried more threat going forward, yet Bexhill rarely looked in danger of progressing through to the next round. And Bexhill took the lead in the second minute, following a break down the right, and although a teammate looked in a better position centrally, the player kept going and eventually fired a shot across  the keeper and into the far corner of the net. Around 20 minute mark, there was quite a lengthy stoppage when a Comets player dislocated her elbow, but she was able to continue after treatment. And on 31 minutes, Bexhill doubled their lead when an excellent long range shot flew into the top corner. But within a minute, Comets pulled a goal back when a Bexhill pass was intercepted, and the Comets player drilled the ball past the keeper. Comets did have a couple of chances to get back on level terms before the break, and with the last kick of the ball, a corner sailed directly onto the crossbar, but at the break Bexhill held a slender lead.

The visitors were very much on the front foot after the break, and they equalised on the hour mark with a well placed shot into the left side of the net. But parity was to only last four minutes, as Bexhill went back in front on 64 minutes, when a quick break ended with a well placed shot inside the right hand post. Bexhill came close to making sure of progression in the 75th minute, when a shot from the edge of the area was parried upwards by the keeper, who managed to scramble back and pat the ball away on the line, and a follow up shot was stabbed wide. And on 83 minutes, Comets got back on level terms again following a succession of errors in the Bexhill defence, and eventually the ball was stabbed home. And Comets came close to sealing a dramatic victory, forcing an excellent parry on 90 minutes and hitting the left hand post a minute later. But as the final whistle blew, the scoreline level and the game went straight to penalties, with no extra time.

Bexhill went first, converting their first three kicks, and after Comets followed suit with their first two, their third was saved. Both sides scored their fourth, and Bexhill scored their fifth to seal their progression to the next round, where they will travel to play Haringey Borough - a tough assignment, with Haringey playing a tier above Bexhill, in the Eastern Region Women's Football League Premier Division