A small crowd was probably what this match deserved as neither team played well. The Seaford Town opener came from a tackle where the ball found a Seaford player who then scored. Keeping it to a single goal gave us a chance but in the opening minutes of the second half the referee overlooked two fouls on our players to award Seaford a penalty and that was pretty much game over. Deep into nine minutes of added time a scramble in the box saw us pull a goal back but too late.

Hussein Mohammed got his first start after a good substitute appearance at Seaford scoring the equaliser with David Heaton dropping to the bench after his first match of the season on Tuesday. Stephen Hodge suffered a kick to the back of his leg at the end of the midweek game so Noah Agbinone made his debut in defence. At least we were spared the strong wind of Tuesday evening that would mean the game should be better.

After some sparring in the opening minutes we won a free kick. Jason Stripp delivered it into the box and Jeff Duah-Kessie got his head to it but it was directed away from goal and out for a throw. Seaford responded by breaking down the left, going into the box and winning a corner. John Cave headed the ball clear and then Seaford put it behind for a goal kick. Just six minutes played and Bailey Neil-Gray was in for a tackle to stop Seaford breaking clear. Neither luck nor cover was with him as the ball bounced from the tackle to a second Seaford player who was now clear to drive into the box and drill the ball home into the roof of the net giving Jack Webb-Olley no chance. On ten minutes Stripp sent Jack McDonnell away down the right wing towards the byline for a shot that skimmed through the six yard box and just past the left post. Just short of the quarter hour and the debutant in our defence Noah Agbinone was alert to cover a break down our right then win not just the ball but a foul as well.

On 21mins Stripp delivered a good long ball down the left for Neil-Gray to collect and then win a corner. A short routine between Stripp and Gus Ward was a mess and we were reduced to having a throw. Nothing came of that but a few minutes later the lads were camped around the Seaford box and playing the ball around nicely looking for an opening that could not be worked. On 33mins a Seaford long ball break brought a shot from the edge of the box that was an easy save for Webb-Olley. They turned over possession a minute later but shot straight at Webb-Olley. On 35mins Stripp set up a shooting chance on the right of the box for McDonnell but it was off target. Seaford did no better with a chance a few minutes later as a ball from the right sailed over the bar. A couple of good moments for Webb-Olley saw him get a good fist on a corner from the right and then alert as the modern sweeper-keeper he was out of his box to head a long ball clear on 40mins. Seaford took a quick throw from the right to try to catch us out but Cave cleared the ball downfield. In added time a foul on McDonnell outside to box gave Stripp the chance to deliver from the left only to see Seaford clear easily and that was it. Not a great half as Seaford had the same plan of long balls for their No. 11 to chase as on Tuesday evening and there was a lack of cohesion in our play.

Any chance that the game might improve in the second half ended in the opening minute of the half when the referee having ignored two fouls by Seaford in our box decided to act on one and awarded a penalty to them. Duly driven home and so with forty-three minutes to play Seaford now had a comfortable two goal lead to defend and pursue long balls down the pitch. The ever hardworking McDonnell latched onto ball down the right, played it to Duah-Kessie who set up Ward but he missed his shot. Neil-Gray delivered a good ball onto the six yard box from the left where McDonnell could not direct his header on target. It looked like a foul by the Seaford No. 6 on 57mins and he was shown the yellow card, which was actually his second and he was off.
It always sounds good to be a man up but often it may fire up the ten men or just seem to make the eleven lose their rhythm. Our defence still needed to be concentrating and Agbinone was strong defending in our box to hold up Seaford and cause them to retreat and waste the ball. On 61mins an attacking change as having been solid in defence Cave was replaced by Kobi Asante and then four minutes later Andrew Harris was involved in a clash with Webb-Olley and a Seaford player and could not continue. Tyrone Magala Bryan was on in his place. On 67mins Asante moved forward in midfield and saw Hussein Mohammed in space on the left wing but a disappointing cross behind summed us up.

There had been a couple of breaks for injuries and so the last twenty minutes would be extended as a Stripp free kick from the right into the box was easily cleared. A couple of minutes later Mohammed gave Duah-Kessie the chance to attack the box on the right but a combination of keeper and defender blocked his route to goal. Mohammed was then replaced by Joseph Forson. A shot by Asante on the left on 74mins was off target and over the bar. A throw from McDonnell into the box on 75mins saw Duah-Kessie win a corner. Having defended the corner the ball was put back into the box and Forson went down under a challenge and was rewarded with a free kick against him but at least no card. No arguing the yellow card for Agbinone as he took one for the team in stopping a Seaford break down the left.

Into last ten minutes of normal time and two goals needed to take the game to penalties, it looked a big ask as another half chance came with a ball across to the right of the box that eluded McDonnell. On 84mins Ollie Powers replaced Matt Cheeseman. With five minutes left on the clock a driving run by Duah-Kessie won a corner from the left that was put in under the bar where the keeper claimed well. In the final minute with an added nine minutes to come a Stripp corner from the right saw Asante hit a shot on target that was straight at the keeper. Into added time and he found the keeper with another shot. In the second added minute Asante found McDonnell for a cross that Powers could not control inside the box. After five added minutes Seaford made a rare foray downfield only to shoot wide. With Seaford looking certain to progress, in the eighth added minute a corner from the left saw a scramble in the box with Powers involved resulting in Seaford putting through their own net. A mere consolation to a disappointing afternoon which was not quite over as McDonnell let his frustration spill over and got a red card after the final whistle for abusing the referee. He will miss two games for that but not until after the next game.

A good result would have been a boost ahead of entertaining a Forest Row side on Bank Holiday Monday with a 100% record so far in the League. Their form in the cup competitions has seen them lose in their FA Cup debut 2-1 at Tier 8 Raynes Park Vale and suffer an astonishing 6-1 defeat at home in the Vase to Westside FC of the Combined Counties Division One. The lower tier side were six goals up by half time and while there was a red card it was when Forest Row were already five down. A consolation goal in the second half but also a second red card. Seaford will travel to Rusthall in the next round in September.