Sussex Senior Cup Third Round
The Saffrons, Eastbourne
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 150
Despite cold conditions this evening, there was a good selection of attractive looking games to choose from along the East Sussex coast to tempt me out of the house. A visit to watch the Brighton & Hove Albion development squad at Hastings United was initially tempting, but ultimately I chose this game, between two senior teams, with a reasonable chance of a upset, and in the knowledge that both clubs have a good, vocal and colourful following.
Having visited The Saffrons most recently in July, there have unsurprisingly been no changes to the ground since then. The 32 page programme had plenty of information inside, smartly laid out and partly printed in colour, although it was disappointing that the welcome message was for an FA Vase game that took place ten days ago. Team line-ups were posted on the back wall of the stand behind the goal, and additionally paper copies of the team sheet were available free of charge.
Eastbourne Town were in eighth place in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, following nine wins and two draws from their 16 league games. Worthing play two steps higher in the pyramid, in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and were in sixth place, following nine wins and four draws from their 15 league games. To reach this stage, Eastbourne Town have beaten Sidlesham 3-0 at home and Whitehawk (who play in the same division as Worthing) 0-3 away, whereas Worthing have beaten AFC Uckfield 6-2 at home.
On a chilly evening, one might have thought that Eastbourne would look to sit deep and soak up pressure - not a bit of it, as they really took the game to the visitors, playing an impressive high tempo, pressing game, whilst Worthing really disappointed. Eastbourne took the lead on 9 minutes. The ball was lumped long down the left for George Taggart, who cut inside, dribbled goalwards evading a defender's attentions, before striking the ball low past the keeper. Things were to get even better for the hosts on 15 minutes when they doubled their lead. The keeper kicked the ball downfield, Aaron Capon ran onto it through the middle, just about kept control of the ball as two defenders challenged him,before poking the ball past the keeper. And after a cross was headed wide on 18 minutes, Eastbourne Town had the chance to surely put the game to bed on 22 minutes when they were awarded a penalty following a clumsy challenge, but Sam Cole saw his penalty saved low to the keeper's right. Worthing then forced a good save from a downward header, but the home side saw the half out quite comfortably to go in with a two goal lead.
One felt the tie was far from over though, and a strong start and an early goal from the visitors would put a totally different complexion on the game. But neither came as the game followed a similar pattern to the first. But on 70 minutes, Eastbourne were reduced to ten men when Sonny Dullaway was shown a second yellow card, and the tide looked as if it might now turn. Two minutes later, a hooked shot forced a great save from the keeper, and on 76 minutes, a floated diagonal cross was met with a header but the ball flew high of the goal, but on 81 minutes, Worthing pulled a goal back when Jesse Starkey flicked the ball into the net first time following a cross. They did press for an equaliser but in the end time ran out and it was Eastbourne Town who progressed to the quarter-finals, and deservedly so following an energetic, adventurous display against what was pretty much the strongest team that Worthing could put out. In the subsequent quarter-final draw, Eastbourne Town were handed an away tie against the development squad of Brighton & Hove Albion.
Video highlights of this match can be found by clicking here.
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