13th April 2023
Bexhill United U23s bounce back with a much-needed win and 3 points after an impressive display against Eastbourne Town U23s, in a cold Monday evening at the Saffrons.
As you’d have expected the game started very evenly, with both teams being restricted to corners and long-range efforts. An ambitious 40-yard strike from Eastbourne went wide of the mark early on. Bexhill’s first real chance came after some good play from the Bexhill winger who clipped a ball over the box to their opposite winger and a composed strike was pushed passed the post for a corner. It was easily headed away by Eastbourne but only as far as the edge of the box. A shot fired at Eastbourne’s number 1 was brilliantly tipped over the crossbar.
After 15 minutes Bexhill slowly began to dominate and create more and more chances. A few scrappy corners which were cleared away by Eastbourne led to nothing, and long balls out wide were Bexhill’s only way of getting these chances so far. The pattern of the game seemed to continue as we approached the halfway point of the first half. Bexhill were dominating but their only chances came from corners, crosses and shots from outside of the box which were saved by the Eastbourne goalkeeper or sailed over the bar.
It was a busy night so far for the Bexhill wingers and Eastbourne fullbacks. However, despite Bexhill’s dominance, Eastbourne still had a few chances to go ahead. Most notably a cross into the box from their number 11 which was claimed by the Bexhill keeper and another long ball from a free-kick that was headed inches wide of the post. As half time started to get closer, it looked as though it was going to be even going into the break but another long ball down the left-hand side was chested down by Tom Vickers who took a touch and calmly lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box like Peter Crouch against Wigan in 2005. Wonderful goal. Over the last 5-10 minutes of the first half, Eastbourne looked to push for a quick equaliser but rigid defending combined with a solid formation meant there was only a few half chances for Eastbourne which they couldn’t convert. Half-time. A comfortable enough first half from Bexhill but it needed to be backed up with an even better second half. The next goal was crucial to the outcome.
The second half started scrappy as Eastbourne looked for a way back into the game but there were no chances for either side until the 55th minute when a Bexhill corner was floated into the middle of the box and their number 6 was in the right place to head it home from 4 yards out. Bexhill 2-0 up early in the second half and in a great position to go on to win. As the game slowly slipped away from Eastbourne, they started to lose their discipline with two yellow cards for a cynical foul on Bexhill’s number 9 and some strong language directed at the referee, which I can’t repeat in this report.
Full-time lurked but Eastbourne wasn’t down and out just yet. They started to create some chances but last-ditch tackles and backs to the wall defending from Bexhill (who looked happy to see out their advantage) frustrated Eastbourne and their heads dropped. Eastbourne turned to their bench for some inspired substitutions and they nearly paid off when a dinked free-kick was headed inches over. The high intensity from both teams had now gone and it looked to be the end, but a moment of magic from Bexhill’s number 11 to turn his marker inside out and win a penalty, with under 10 minutes to go, was slotted home into the bottom left corner by Tom Vickers. Game over. With just minutes to go Bexhill’s number 5 thought he’d made it 4-0 but his sliding shot was hit over the bar from close range but he wouldn’t care, Bexhill wouldn’t care, because it was full time and Bexhill was heading home with a good performance and a much needed 3 points to close the gap to the three teams above them.
Reported by Louis Selling – Bexhill College
See match photos from Seaside Photography here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/seaside_photography/sets/72177720307169673/with/52784198901/