Midhurst & Easebourne FC - SCFL

With the matches against the two Eastbourne clubs victims of the rain and the match against Shoreham postponed due to the FA Vase 2nd Round, this was our first league match since 14 October. It wasn’t a happy return to the SCFL as soft goals cost us despite a sterling effort to get to parity with 10 men.

With the first half barely started, a cross into our box from the right was not dealt with and a header put Midhurst & Easebourne a goal up. Just a couple of minutes later, Haydn Dickinson had a chance with a shot from the left edge of the box but it sailed far over the bar. Continuing the good response to going behind, Stephen Hodge fed Jay Simpson on the left so he could drive forward and cross to Dickinson. Without a clear chance, Dickinson tried to work an opening but was tackled. Midhurst were having some joy down the left and worked a good shooting chance that Jack Webb-Olley saved. On 16mins Midhurst were clear one on one with the keeper and in trying to get the ball Webb-Olley conceded a penalty. Facing going two behind early in the game, Webb-Olley called the correct side and pushed the penalty away.

Approaching half an hour, Dickinson was in space and fired in a good shot. The keeper saved but the ball came out to Richie Wetton to head home for the equaliser. As is often the way in football, parity didn’t last five minutes as another cross into our box was flicked on and a second Midhurst head made it 1-2. Luke Richardson had taken a knock and on 36mins had to give way to George Branton. Just after the change, a free kick from the right by Midhurst resulted in a scramble in the box. The ball hit the post before being cleared. In the first minute of added time, Simpson had switched to the right and drove forward, crossed to Rhyan Ramsay but his shot cannoned of the foot of the post and the rebound was put wide. The half ended with a free kick from the left by Ramsay being cleared and so it was 1-2 as the teams went in.

Dennis Asante was on for Ramsay in the second half but before anyone had drawn breath Midhurst were through and the ball was past Webb-Olley’s left hand to make it 1-3. The worst possible way to start the half. It was nearly even worse as once again Midhurst were through too easily but the cross from the right fizzed across the six yard box eluding their forward. Finally, on 51mins, a chance for The Lingers as the ball came to Dickinson and he connected with it perfectly only to see it tipped over the bar. On 54mins, Alec Campbell was replaced by Jason Stripp. Midhurst made another break forward but shot well wide of the goal on 58mins. The next chance of the game fell to Tyrone Magala-Bryan on the left but his shot went over the bar. A change brought Toby Allen on for Richie Wetton. On 64mins Webb-Olley dealt with a corner by punching it clear but we lost possession shortly after and in an attack down the left, Branton flew in to make a challenge that resulted in a straight red card. A harsh decision was a view from nearby; it looked a hard challenge from further down the line; and the match day photograph makes it hard to argue.

With the lads adapting to going down to 10 men, Midhurst had a chance on 73mins to make it four but hit the post. Two minutes later, a free kick from Stripp was headed home by Tom Green and it was game on again at 2-3. Spurred on by the goal, Simpson dribbled and weaved into the box but couldn’t find a shot or pass. Hodge played a good ball down the left to Josh McArthur-Nolan who got his shot off but not on target. On 79mins a corner was headed wide of the left hand post by Green. McArthur-Nolan was replaced by Sam Addison on 85mins having had a good game. In pushing for the equaliser, a couple of chances were offered up but a good save by Webb-Olley and then a joint effort by Webb-Olley and Allen kept it at 2-3 as the final whistle came.

A sticky pitch was not helpful to getting the ball down and playing but given that only four other fixtures went ahead in the division, at least we had a match. Despite not getting anything from a home game for the first time this season, we stay in 11th place in the league and look ahead to the Surrey Cup match at Corinthian Casuals before a trip to Little Common next Saturday. Photographs from the match are here.