Eastbourne United AFC

After being done in added time on Saturday, it happened again on Tuesday evening as Eastbourne United scored twice in added time. More disappointing perhaps as we had been leading for a long time and were denied a deserved point.

With six minutes gone, a high ball into our box by Eastbourne United nearly brought a chance as Jack Webb-Olley, having claimed the ball, let it slip but the danger was cleared. With some possession on the right of the Eastbourne half, Haydn Dickinson played the ball across to Toby Hill just inside the box on the right. What a finish as his perfect strike found the back of the net for 1-0 with nine minutes gone. Eastbourne had a chance on 14mins but shot over the bar. On 17mins Jason Stripp had space for a shot that rebounded out to Hill but his shot was deflected out for a corner. It was a competitive hard fought game on a chilly night with just Hill’s super goal the difference between the teams. It was Dickinson again on 26mins pushing forward down the middle and sliding the ball out to Hill on the right. As he took his shot the ball bobbled up and his shot was sliced resulting in a goal kick. On 31mins Jay Simpson dribbled forward into the box but couldn’t get power into his shot as the keeper collected it. An Eastbourne free kick on 34mins was headed wide. Simpson had possession on the left on 38mins, cut into the box but again could not get enough power behind the shot to trouble the keeper. The final chance of the half fell to Eastbourne as a long ball caused a mix up between Webb-Olley and a defender. The ball fell to an Eastbourne player who spared them by shooting wide so it was 1-0 to The Lingers at half time.

Eastbourne United made the first chance of the second half with a cross from the left going out wide right. Simpson was driving down the right five minutes later but before he could pass the ball he was tackled. The goal scorer Hill was driving forward down the left a minute later and, on reaching the bye line, cut inside and fired in a shot. The keeper saved down at his near post and the rebound was cleared. There were fewer chances coming in this half and on 67mins the first change came with Toby Allen replaced by Jimmy Williams. Simpson was fouled on 75mins and stayed down. After some treatment, he could not continue and was replaced by Alec Campbell, giving us concern ahead of the big game on Saturday. Dennis Asante was replaced by Richie Wetton on 79mins.

The lads were battling well to keep the lead and Eastbourne United were not really threatening until on 82mins their forward was through one on one with Webb-Olley. He came out quickly and closed him down with the ball going out over the bar for a corner. His bravery saw him take a hit and require some treatment before defending the corner. Charlie Davies came on for Toby Hill with three minutes of normal time remaining. Good work by Wetton forced a corner on 89mins but nothing came of it. The referee was to play ten minutes of added time which given the stoppages for injuries to Simpson and Webb-Olley was fair. In the first added minute, Williams combined with Wetton to give him the chance to shoot but the ball was deflected and then went out for a goal kick. Eastbourne United were putting some pressure on us and in the third added minute had a free kick on the right that went over the bar. Two minutes later they had a corner but that was cleared. With seven minutes played, a ball from the right deep into our box was headed home for the equaliser. Two minutes later it was disaster as they scored again to make it 1-2 and give the lads nothing for all their hard work. There was no time to reply and so another defeat in the league.

This was worse than losing to Little Common as we had been ahead since the ninth minute and worked hard to keep that lead corner only to concede two late goals. Not the result we wanted ahead of the FA Vase game and gives us the worst form in the league. We stay 15th in the table but now only two teams are just a point above us not four.