Eastbourne Town
Football Club
Reserve Team
Sussex County Reserve League Premier Table HERE
Eastbourne Town Reserves 0 Siddlesham 1
SCFA Intermediate Cup
The Saffrons Saturday 14 January 2012
Report by Jack Gracie
Eastbourne Town reserves were dumped out of the S.C.F.A. cup at the
quarter final stage by West Sussex league side Siddlesham this
weekend. The last time Siddlesham travelled to The Saffrons they
relegated Town’s first eleven by beating them one nil but have since
suffered their own fall from grace and now their first team faced
Eastbourne’s second. However once again The Saffrons proved a happy
hunting ground for them as they triumphed over Town’s reserves by
the same score line as before.
The game started slowly with both sides looking to take control of
the game inside the first ten minutes. It was the away side’s goal
that was first to come under threat after a great cross from winger
Matt Haydock flashed dangerously across the face of goal somehow
missing everyone. Soon after the home side went close again, this
time through Callum Leagate. Once again Haydock was involved, his
ball over the top found Leagate who hit a smart shot on the turn but
he was unable to keep it down and the ball sailed comfortably over
the crossbar. Town were on top now and really should of taken the
lead in the twentieth minute. A free kick, swung into the box by Dan
Rogers was met by the head of Mark Haydock and his knock down fell
kindly for midfielder Max Hollebone but his close range effort went
wide of the left hand post. The home side were made to pay for the
missed chances on thirty five minutes when Siddlesham took the lead
against the run of play. Despite Town keeper Tom Godfrey making a
fine initial save, he could do nothing but watch as the rebound fell
straight to the feet of the Siddlesham striker who gratefully tapped
the ball in to the empty net to give his side the lead at the half
way stage.
The second half saw a change in tactics for Eastbourne as they
looked to turn the game in their favour. Mark Haydock was pushed up
front to provide the home side with more of a target to aim for with
Callum Leagate dropping back into midfield. However it was
Siddlesham that started on the front foot as they looked to double
build on their first half lead. Eight minutes into the second half
Town were almost the masters of their own downfall when an under hit
back pass allowed the Siddlesham striker to close down Keeper
Godfrey and block his rushed clearance. The ball ricocheted back off
the striker towards goal but thankfully for the home side rolled
wide. Just when it looked as though Siddlesham were taking control
of the game Town came close to levelling the scores. A series of
corners put pressure on the away defence before Mark Haydock rose
highest to head goal wards but his header was cleared off the line
by a combination of both defender and goalkeeper. Haydock’s effort
saw the start to a frantic last twenty five minutes. The game was
end to end now and Town had keeper Godfrey to thanks for a series of
fine saves to keep them in the game. At the other end Leagate went
close when his powerful shot from the edge of the area flashed just
wide of the target.
With fifteen minutes to go Siddlesham finally did beat Godfrey only
to be thwarted by the linesman’s flag, the goal being ruled out for
offside. Then, with just four minutes of normal time remaining Town
went the closest they had come yet to equalising. Once it again it
was a corner that caused Siddlesham problems. Substitute Luke
Tycehurst rose highest but his powerful header crashed against the
bar and bounced away to safety.
Unbelievably the game then seemed to rise another few notches in
drama when a brawl broke out after an unsavoury challenge by one of
the Siddlesham players. After eventually breaking it all up the
referee flashed a second yellow and then a red and Siddlesham were
down to ten men. There was still yet more drama to come though as
Town had strong appeals for a penalty turned town after a Siddlesham
defender appeared to block the ball with his hands. Then deep into
stoppage time Town thought they had rescued the game when Leagate
smashed home a volley from inside the box only for celebrations to
be cut short by the linesman flagging for offside.
M.O.M. - Goalkeeper Tom Godfrey - Made some great saves that meant
Eastbourne were in the game right up to the final whistle.
Eastbourne Town Reserves 7 Wadhurst United 2
The Saffrons Saturday 1st October 2011
Current holders, Eastbourne Town Reserves, sailed through to the
third round of the Sussex County FA 'Brighton Marquees'
Intermediate Cup after thrashing Wadhurst United at The Saffrons on
Saturday.
Town enjoyed the majority of the first half possession and went
ahead through Jarred Lusted on nine minutes and on 39’ when Max
Hollobone added a second following good interplay with Simmonds.
Town were then awarded a penalty in the 43rd minute after a foul on
Scott Kirkwood. Kirkwood, whose first-team side were without a
weekend game, blasted his effort low past Wadhurst’s John Penny,
giving Town a 3-0 lead going into the half time break.
Town again came out the brighter of the sides, when just three
minutes after the restart, defender Owen Kessack saw his hanging
cross evade everyone and nestle into Penny’s net. Wadhurst Utd,
however, quickly fired back. Nick Holland did well to make space for
himself before curling an effort past Town’s keeper, Tom Godfrey, to
make it 4-1. However, this resurgence was quickly diminished when
two Town goals in four minutes illustrated their superiority.
Kirkwood secured his brace with the first of these, with Luke Denton
claiming the second. Both were the result of threaded passes through
Wadhurst’s defence by Town’s strong midfield, which included hot
prospect and sixteen year old, Max Hollobone. The best effort of the
day, however, was to be provided by Wadhurst’s skilful Holland who
produced a superb right footed free kick from 25 yards to make it
6-2. Town’s attack was provided with extra energy though the
introduction of Joshua Stonell, who was rewarded when he made it 7-2
with a close range finish.
With all other second round fixtures to be played next weekend, Town
await a third round home encounter on 12th November against either
Westfield or East Preston.
Eastbourne Town Reserves: Godfrey, McFarlawe, Kessack, Elliott
(Ticehurst 62), Brooks, Denton, Kirkwood, Hollobone, Simmonds (Stowell
69), Lusted (Capon 25), Legate
Wadhurst United Reserves: Penny, Mitchell, Jones (Clarke 60),
Schollaerts, Campion, Massini, Elkins (Milson 48), Burrows, Holland,
Christie, Tincombe
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