The Easter football programme always signals the final charge towards the end of the season and is often decisive when it comes to the winners and losers.
On paper, it didn’t look like Bexhill United had much to play for as they went into the Bank Holiday weekend. Safely positioned in the top half of the table, while others either end slugged it out for promotion and relegation, it might have been a case of cruise control but football doesn’t work like that.
First up on Saturday came a trip out west towards Steyning, who are in a ding dong battle with Haywards Heath for the top spot. Bexhill love a challenge and, as they proved at Heath a few weeks back, they also love the chance to upset the apple cart.
Steyning are a tough nut to crack, particularly on their own ground, and Jay Skinner-Swain picked a side to counter their attacking threat with Dan Rogers and Richie Welch back in the defensive line and Max Hollobone pushing up into his more familiar midfield role.
The first quarter of an hour and Bexhill were holding their own but it was clear early on that they were going to be in for a tough afternoon as Steyning don’t tend to mess about and get the ball up the park swiftly to their arsenal of attacking talent.
On 16 minutes Stan “The Fridge” Bridgman opened the scoring and he could hardly have hoped for an easier opportunity as the Pirates failed to deal with a corner and he was presented with a tap-in at the far post.
Steyning are a strong physical side but Bexhill weren’t in town to be blown away, with Kyle Holden and Charlie Playford battling for superiority in midfield. The Pirates created a decent opportunity around the half-hour with Charlie Curran getting on the end of a cross but steering his header just wide. The first half wound down without any further goals and not a huge amount of drama.
After the break, Bexhill upped their game and probably enjoyed their best period of the match. Jack Shonk had a good effort from distance that missed the target and Will Saunders, coming on as a sub on the hour, came as close as Bexhill would get all afternoon with a shot that slid just wide of the post. A goal then would have blown the match wide open but it wasn’t to be.
It was no mean achievement for Bexhill to remain in contention for 80 minutes of the game but two late goals by the hosts saw them claim a comfortable 3-0 win in the end.
And so it was on to Easter Monday morning and the eagerly anticipated Derby clash with near neighbours Little Common in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd.
With Common in the ascendency in recent years for this fixture, Bexhill started like a train with the kind of energy, pace and pressure that has been a hallmark of their best performances this season. On just eight minutes the Pirates were ahead. Finn Holter hit a long ball straight down the middle, Jack Shonk rose to nod it on and Will Saunders connected with the sweetest half-volley to send the Bexhill fans wild.
Bexhill kept up the pressure. Richie Welch was getting forward from his right-back position and causing serious problems down the flank but it was another defender, Callum Brand, who doubled the scoring. Having gone close minutes earlier he was first to latch onto a loose ball from a Max Hollobone corner and crashed it into the net. Two up at the break was no less than Bexhill deserved but Common came out with renewed intent for the second half.
Attacking down the slope, the home side started to get right back into contention and went close with a couple of chances that left Bexhill riding their luck a bit. This was a proper Derby Day game now and just on the hour the hosts pulled one back through Sam Ellis.
It set up a nail-biting finale. Bexhill had a strong shout for a penalty waved away and Charlie Scarles carved out a good opportunity that was dealt with. At the other end, Common threw everything, including Kenny Pogue, at getting an equaliser but Dale Penn, and the rest of the Pirates defensive unit, dug deep. Holter pulled off a couple of fine saves against his former club.
When the final whistle blew Bexhill had held out to secure a fine win which wrapped up a busy weekend of football. On Saturday the Pirates travel again for the long haul over to Midhurst and Easebourne as the season draws towards a close.
