Bexhill United pressed their play-off claims with a 3-2 SCFL premier division victory over fellow high-fliers Forest Row.
After a week of poor weather, and some further heavy rain over Friday night, it took a Herculean effort by the ground staff to prepare the Polegrove pitch for an early morning inspection, but the hard work paid off and it was passed fit to play.
With many games in Sussex being chalked off, including neighbouring Hastings, it put into perspective just what a top effort it was to get the game on at Bexhill.
Forest Row arrived sitting just above Bexhill in the table, part of the tightly bunched chasing pack very much in contention for a play-off place. In his programme notes, Pirates gaffer Jay Skinner-Swain gave the home fans a boost with the news that skipper Richie Welch and wide man Jaan Stanley were both getting close to a return to the squad.
In the line-up for the Forest Row game, Nathan Crabb was drafted into the starting XI to lead the line and the bench featured Ash Latuske, returning to the club after injury and a brief spell away from the Polegrove, and Charlie Scarles, a highly-rated attacking young midfielder signed on loan from Hastings United.
With a welcome dry spell in the lead up to kick-off, the decision to call the game on was clearly a good one and the playing surface presented no problems at all. There was a greater chance of the strong wind blowing across the flats from over the Channel affecting the game but both sides were clearly chuffed to be playing at all and set about the opening exchanges with gusto.
Row looked sharp early doors with their right-back Yashua Smith bombing on and creating problems down the flank but despite forcing some early corners the Pirates defence held firm. At the other end, Bexhill were making some progress against the visitors’ defence, working the ball our wide and through the angles.
As the play switched from end to end there wasn’t much to separate the two sides but when the first goal came it fell to Charlie Playford, who had an outstanding game, as he met a brilliantly weighted cross from Jack Shonk on 17 minutes and finished with some class.
Shonk himself had a chance to double the lead but as he found some space between the Frow defence his shot bobbled back off the post.
On the half hour Forest Row levelled it up from yet another corner when Ryan Green found himself with the space to rise and nod home. Even Stevens at half-time might have been a fair reflection of the game at that point but Bexhill had other ideas and in added time at the end of the 45, Theo Coombs wove his way through a series of challenges to set up Shonk who slotted the ball into the net.
As the second half got underway both teams continued the relentless pace and those who had braved the weather, and dodged an afternoon’s Christmas shopping, were being royally entertained. On the hour Frow were back on terms, exploiting some confusion in the Bexhill defence to open up the opportunity for Smith to stab the ball home.
Some minutes later they spurned a chance for a third when a series of goalmouth scrambles seemed nailed on to result in a goal but somehow the Pirates managed to scramble the ball away.
But on 78 minutes it was Bexhill who notched the decisive goal, Kyle Holden nodded a header over the top which squared up the Frow defence and found Nathan Crabb in space, and he drew on all his years of experience to lob the ball from distance over the visitors’ keeper and into the goal.
There was plenty more action in the remaining minutes but when the ref blew for time it was Bexhill who claimed all three points.
The game had been a great advert for SCFL football with two strong, attacking teams tearing into each other from the off. The result sees Bexhill at ninth in the table, handily placed to press on and make up ground on teams like Forest Row, who sit just above them.
Next Saturday Bexhill travel to Seaford and the following week, the 20th, the Pirates are back at the Polegrove for their last game before Christmas against Varndeanians. And, as a thank you to fans, the club are offering Festive Football for a Fiver. A good crowd is expected, and the game will be followed by the annual Christmas Party in the club house.
