Probably it was unexpected that this would be a top of the table fixture as Eastbourne United arrived as leaders, having played more games, and The Lingers were in fourth place. The visitors arrived from a free week and having put six past Midhurst & Eastbourne last Saturday to confirm their place as the top scorers. We fell just short of making it a winning September with a midweek Surrey Senior Cup defeat at Sheerwater but the month kicked off with the superb 5-1 win over Guernsey followed by wins at Horsham YM, Knaphill in the FA Vase, home to Seaford Town and 2-1 away at Bexhill United last Saturday. Points against Eastbourne United are rare with a point on the road in 2020-21 and at home it was actually a 6-0 win in 2019-20 being our last ones.

In the opening couple of minutes Kwesi Ntim had a sighter from the left of the box that went over the bar, following this up by setting up Reuel Powell-Downey for a shot that was blocked minutes later. Still yet to reach ten minutes and a free kick on the left was played short by Alex Kpakpe to Ntim to cross into the box. The ball came off a Linger last as it was a goal kick. Then came a portent of things to come as in a tangle with their striker, Luke Richardson fell backwards over his prone body and the ball landed on his hand. The referee deemed this to not only be a handball but, incredibly, worthy of a yellow card. A bad decision that piled pressure on Richardson to play virtually a whole match against a side looking to hit long balls to their striker where there could easily be a second yellow card issued. The free kick was played short out to the left and the ball in went through without a touch and was eventually cleared. On 11mins Eastbourne collected a long ball but were stopped in the box by a good tackle from Guyni Nganga at the expense of a throw. From the throw in they headed over the bar.

On 16mins Richardson swept a lovely ball from right to left to find Ntim who then attacked the box. There was a call for a handball but the visitors cleared the ball long to our box. A minute later Powell-Downey had a shot deflected up that Yusuf McGregor got under to play into Gabriel Odunaike who put a header wide. Twenty minutes played and McGregor took the ball across the front of their box looking for an opening that never came but two minutes later he pounced on a loose ball to shoot from the D and draw a save. Five minutes later from yet another long ball Eastbourne were able to gather the ball unchallenged and an unmarked player outside the box in the centre was able to slide the ball into the bottom left corner of the net for 1-0. In reply a minute later, Ntim fired in a shot from the left of the box that needed a save to keep out. Five minutes later Kpakpe hit a lovely curling left foot shot heading for the top left corner but just skimmed over the bar.

With just over five minutes to the break and another long ball into our box caused some problems as Sang Baek kept the ball out at first but in a scramble the ball was in the net but the celebrations were cut short by the offside flag. On 42mins another Kwesi shot from the left of the box was tipped over by their keeper to preserve their lead. A minute later, breaking away Odunaike was pulled back that asked a question as to whether he was clear on goal but it was just a yellow card. The resulting free kick was scrambled away by the visitors who took a one goal advantage into half time in an even game.

A half time change saw Nganga replaced by Kristian Belousas and a further change on 54mins saw Reon Donkor replace Powell-Downey. A minute after coming on Belousas sent in a cross from the right to find Odunaike on the end of it in the six yard box, who forced a defender to put a great header into the net for 1-1. Poor refereeing decisions change matches and having given debutant in defence Olu Shobowale a yellow card when the ball hit his hand for 'handball' earlier in the game, he compounded it by issuing a second yellow card as Shobowale battled with a substitute forward whose main contribution to the match was to keep falling over. From the resulting debatable free kick on 63mins, the ball was not dealt with and a resulting shot was cleared off the line. However, the Eastbourne players all claimed it was a goal sending the referee over to the linesman who believed the whole of the ball had crossed the line. A man down and now a goal down.

A few minutes later Baek kept it game on by pulling off a great save. Kpakpe did really well with twenty minutes to play by shielding a ball to the byline and then taking it out of defence when it refused to roll out. The visitors got the break of the ball on 76mins but put their shot from the right into Baek's arms. Taurean McDonald-Roberts playing at full back today took the ball down the line and then found Odunaike in the middle. He set the ball out to where McGregor fired a shot narrowly wide of the post. Tyrone Gondoh replaced McGregor with ten minutes to play. An Eastbourne shot from the left was tipped onto the bar by Baek and we were still in with a chance. On 83mins a shot from distance by Belousas lacked he usual power and did not trouble the keeper. Kai Nokoe was replaced by Oliver Thompson and he was soon battling well to win the ball on the left wing. From that wing Ntim crossed to Odunaike in the box and it was drilled home for the equaliser with three minutes to go. Into a nervous added time as Eastbourne skewed a shot wide two minutes in. Baek saved again from a shot off the left of the box with five minutes played. In the sixth and final minute Eastbourne looked to be set up to score the winner when a brilliant block by Richardson cleared the ball followed by the final whistle.

A marvellous fightback by the lads deserved the point as we were left wondering if it might have been more had we been allowed a full team. The visitors remained top of the table with a three point lead over the unbeaten Haywards Heath Town but having played three games more. A block of four teams are a further three points back led by Roffey – our next league opponents – Hassocks in fourth, The Lingers fifth ahead of our neighbours East Grinstead Town on goals scored. Three points further back are Guernsey and AFC Varndeanians. East Grinstead have played eleven games, while ourselves and Roffey have played ten. Hassocks are on nine games and are waiting for a decision along with us on our fixtures against Midhurst.

It is FA Vase next Saturday – a home tie v Chipstead for us - that leaves just a single league game between Crawley Down Gatwick and Haywards Heath Town but there are seven midweek fixtures involving Haywards Heath again along with Guernsey and AFC Varndeanians so the table might well be different come the next league fixture.