Langney Wanderers won 4-3 on penalties
Monday 2nd November 2020, Kick-off 19:30Sussex Senior Cup Second Round
Withdean Stadium, Brighton
Admission including Programme: £5.00
Attendance: 55
This evening would be the last midweek action before the country is forced into a four week "lockdown" starting on Thursday, a lockdown that only seems targeted at sectors to crush people's mental heath rather than what are seemingly the very causes of the spread of Covid-19. Options were unsurprisingly very limited for a Monday evening, but this was an appealing fixture anyway, offering the chance for a revisit to the Withdean Stadium - with my previous two visits for a Brighton & Hove Albion game, and a women's game.
Whilst the Withdean Stadium was completely inappropriate as a Football League venue, it is rather charming as a non-league venue, putting the irritation of a running track between spectators and the pitch to one side. Football visitors have use of a car park to the east side of the ground, behind one of the goals, with entrance gained in one corner, and spectators are intended to make use of the stand along this side, containing six rows and stretching virtually the entire length of the pitch. Teas and coffees were available for a donation behind the stand. There is a walkway along the opposite length, which a handful of persons made use of, and this does provide a good and elevated view of the action. On my last visit in 2015, there were some uncovered seating way back behind one goal, the last of the temporary seating installed during the era when the Withdean hosted Brighton & Hove Albion games, but this is no longer in place. The ground has a pleasant, almost alpine feel to it, with tall trees on top of the steep hill behind one length, and some houses built into the hill behind one corner. An 8 page programme was provided free with admission, with an attractive colour front page and was perfectly adequate, providing a welcome message, predicted line-ups, league tables, an introduction of the visitors and a history of the Sussex Senior Cup competition.
This evening's cup encounter promised to be an interesting encounter, with the host club doing well in the division below the hosts, who have not made a great start to their season. AFC Vardeanians were unbeaten in their opening nine league games in the Southern Combination League Division One, winning seven and drawing two, and to reach this stage, they beat Storrington 4-0 - officially at home, but the tie was switched. Langney Wanderers had won one and drawn one of their nine Premier Division games so far, but they will hope that the recent return of manager Simon Colbran, making a very quick return to the club after only leaving in the summer, will bring about an upturn in fortunes. They beat Worthing United 5-1 in the previous round to set up this tie.
On a dry evening which started quite mild but became cool towards the end thanks to a chilly breeze, this was an entertaining game, very even for the most part, but with the hosts having the better chances to score during the first half, the visitors after the break. The hosts came close on 5 minutes, when a cross from the right was headed onto the post, whilst midway through the half, a long throw in was flicked on and forced a scrambling parry by the visiting keeper. There was rather an amusing passage of play just before half time when a forceful looking challenge resulted in Langney's Harry Ducatel apparently writhing around in agony. Those around thought he had made rather too much of it, some good-natured banter ensued between player and spectators - and then Ducatel was booked, for coming back onto the pitch without permission after receiving treatment. And right on the stroke of half time, a Langney cross from the right by Tim Bennett was met with a glancing header by Peter Cooper, but the keeper made the save.
A lively second half was short on real goalscoring chances until a real "how did they not score?" moment came on 77 minutes. A Langney diagonal ball forward from deep found Peter Featherstone at the back post and hit shot was acrobatically cleared close to the line by a Varndeanians defender, the ball looped up and brushed the crossbar as it came down, and the ball eventually spilled out to Cooper, whose powerful shot was parried behind by the keeper. On 87 minutes, the visitors hit the woodwork, another long throw in was headed on inadvertently by a defender, before brushing off a team-mate's head, with the ball coming hitting the top of the bar. And on 89 minutes, Langney substitute Delight Akerejola struck the ball from the left wing, and although it looked to be intended as a cross but was mishit, it was heading for the top left corner, forcing the keeper into a good save.
And so somehow the scoreline remained goalless at full-time, and in keeping with most cup competitions this season, the tie went straight to penalties. It was Langney Wanderers who took the first one, but that was saved. The next six penalties were successfully converted, but AFC Varndeanians' fourth penalty was struck against the left post before bouncing away. Rather surprisingly (to an outsider), the Langney goalkeeper stepped up to take their fifth penalty, converting into the bottom left corner and sending the keeper the wrong way. And AFC Varndeanians' fifth was struck over the bar, to seal Langney Wanderers' progression to the next round - whenever thay may be...
Match highlights can be viewed by clicking here.
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