An atrocious opening to the first half where only being a goal behind was a bonus was turned around by the first Wilford Wonder Strike of the season before half time. A much better second half and a good move produced a second goal scored by Jack McDonnell. With a few minutes of normal time remaining it was frustrating to concede an equaliser on a breakaway but most would concede a draw was a fair result.

A couple of changes from the FA Cup tie with Conor Wilford returning from suspension to replace Andrew Harris and Jason Stripp coming into midfield in place of Rhyan Ramsay. The sun was beating down on the ground but a surprisingly strong wind was blowing diagonally down the pitch from the South Downs to make things awkward. In the opening minute it needed a block by Tyrone Magala Bryan outside the box to prevent a shot on goal. Minutes later we had our first opening as a ball into the box found Stephen Hodge on the end of it but his header clipped the top of the cross bar. With just five minutes on the clock, being sloppy in possession cost us as Varndeanians broke clear and onside to cross into the box and slot home the opening goal. This was far from the level we had shown against Whitstable Town.

On 8mins we once again lost possession going forward on the left and in struggling to stop Varndeanians attack conceded a foul outside the box. Jack Webb-Olley saved the kick at the expense of a corner that was then wasted by Varndeanians putting a free header over the bar. With the wind behind them, Varndeanians were having the better of the game and Magala Bryan made a great tackle to stop their progress down the right. From the throw they won a corner that ended with a shot over the bar. A little bit of stability came as on 13mins Prince Aderogba and Jack McDonnell linked up down the right to win a corner. Jason Stripp's corner came to nothing. Soon after he put a free kick into the box from the left that was cleared out for a throw. Gus Ward put a cross into the box on the twenty minute mark that was claimed by the goal keeper. Two minutes later Matt Cheeseman played the ball into the box from the right to find Kobi Asante who hit his shot wide.

Varndeanians were able to break again on 23mins and should have done better than to put the ball into the side netting on the left. We bounced back with Ward going forward on the right and finding Jeff Duah-Kessie inside the box. He set up Hodge but he had strayed offside. After a quiet start Duah-Kessie was coming into the game and on 26mins shot into the side netting on the right. And he was involved in the big moment of the game on 33mins as he beat a defender only to be taken down on the edge of the box by the goal keeper. In what looked like a two footed challenge, a red card was likely and more so if the challenge was outside the box given the keeper was the last man. But after consulting with the linesman came the claim from the referee that he had won the ball and thereby received a yellow card which totally ignored the last man case with more confusion coming with our award of a free kick. Three minutes had elapsed by the time Conor Wilford stepped up to take the kick from the right of the Dee and drill it across the keeper into the top left corner for 1-1. A perfect response although a reasonable comment from Hodge earnt him ten minutes on the bench not mention at risk of expulsion for a yellow card in the daft rule change.

Varndeanians were quick to have an attempt at taking the lead again but shot wide of the right post. A minute later the bounce beat a challenge by Magala Bryan to create an opening but Asante was back to cover and win a goal kick. Sloppiness returned with two minutes to half time when a corner from the left was allowed to pass through our box and behind for a goal kick. A minute to go and having been defending in our box, Asante was up front to hit a shot that was palmed out to Duah-Kessie but he was tackled. Into added time and Magala Bryan made another great tackle on the right to avert any danger and see it all square at half time.

A sharper start to the second half saw Duah-Kessie gather the ball on the right and take it to the byline before laying it back to McDonnell. He was tackled for a throw and then a second throw. Out from the touchline and the ball was worked across the edge of the box by Duah-Kessie and Ward to Hodge on the left. The ball in fell to Duah-Kessie and Asante but indecision allowed it to run clear. Then it was Ward to play the ball into the box for Asante to chase but now playing with the wind to ball went behind before he could reach it. On 50mins a free kick from Stripp on the right went to the left of the box and was headed clear. Recycling the ball Ward played to Duah-Kessie on the right but the wind took it out once again. A couple of minutes later it was McDonnell on a drive down the right who was beaten by the wind taking the ball away.

Varndeanians had their first opening of the half on 53mins as they broke down the left and into the box to tee the ball up for a shot that was hit over the bar. Immediately back on the attack, Varndeanians were forced into a high ball back to the keeper who found Duah-Kessie coming to challenge him. The ball was there for the challenge but the keeper went down in pain – if only he had received his marching orders in the first half. A delay while he was treated and then just past the hour mark a Stripp corner from the right was cleared. On 62mins the lads were camped around their box with Cheeseman winning a throw on the right. Duah-Kessie cushioned it back to Cheeseman for a cross deep into the box. Asante picked it up but was tackled and the ball came back to Stripp on the left. His cross found Asante and then following in behind him was McDonnell to tuck it home for 2-1.

A first change with Bailey Neil-Gray making his debut to replace Aderogba. From a throw from the left on 66mins Varndeanians had a chance with the ball inside the box only to shoot wide of the left post. A good couple of minutes started for us on 68mins with first Duah-Kessie taking the ball into the box the win a corner. The corner from the left was swung deep to the back post by Stripp but nobody could get a touch. Regaining possession Asante found McDonnell on the right. He laid the ball back to Cheeseman from there we had a corner from the right. Stripp and Cheeseman combined from the corner but Stripp's final ball was hit long to the left and drifted behind. With twenty minutes to go plus at least five minutes to be added for the goal keeper's injury, Stripp and Ward were replaced by Carl Brown and Connor Summerfield.

Their keeper was challenging with Duah-Kessie again on 71mins on the end of a McDonnell long throw from the right and gathered well. A couple of minutes later after some Varndeanians' possession around our box and being held at bay with some good blocks, the final cross was an easy take for Webb-Olley. Into the last fifteen minutes of normal time and a break down the right was stopped by some good tracking back by Connor Summerfield. On 81mins Carl Brown won the ball off their defence and linked up with Duah-Kessie who was unable to play a return ball to Brown. A couple of minutes later and awarded a free kick on the right corner of the box, Varndeanians contrived to hit the ball high over the bar on the left side. On 84mins Asante was replaced by Tyrece Drummond.

From a free kick outside their box, Varndeanians got the bounce of the ball from a long clearance and although we had players in the six yard box when Webb-Olley made a save the ball ran to a Varndeanian and it was 2-2 on 87mins. Into added time and Brown looked to be free on the right wing only to see the ball bounce over his foot and out. In the second added minute a Cheeseman corner in under the bar saw a free kick for the keeper. A third added minute and Duah-Kessie was trying to work an opening in the box but the ball ran out. McDonnell was replaced by John Cave making his debut before in the fifth added minute Tyrece Drummond was driving into the box and had Hodge free in space to his left. He went on himself and the chance went so it ended at 2-2.

To get so close to a win in the first league match with a trip to Peacehaven & Telscombe to come on Tuesday evening and get pegged back was disappointing. On the plus side we could have been more than a goal down at the start of the first half. We have the weekend off following our midweek game as it is the next round of the FA Cup and will have the first of two games against Seaford Town in midweek. Just seven SCFL teams remain in the FA Cup but at least this season both the Isthmian League and SECFL have a draining midweek fixture as well.