After a Bank Holiday pumping at high-flying Eastbourne United on Monday morning, all eyes were on a positive reaction from the Bexhill United players as they made the long trip up from the coast to Midhurst and Easebourne.
The hosts have had a decent enough start to the season and, in a league where teams are tightly bunched in these early days below the top two, it would be another tough challenge for the Pirates.
Boss Jay Skinner-Swain drafted new signing Kasey Smith in at left-back and gave Jack Mison a start and a chance to show what he’s all about out wide on the left. Both would have a bearing on the afternoon’s action.
Bexhill are always at their best when they get their pressing and high-energy game going from the off, giving the opposition little chance to settle, and they were straight out the blocks at the Rotherfield.
Mison, Theo Coombs and Jack Shonk were linking up well, as the Pirates attacked up the famous hump, and the ball knocked over the Midhurst defence into space was producing results as Bexhill chased an opening goal.
But they had to be patient and when the goal game it involved the two impressive youngsters who had been stretching the Midhurst back four.
Coombs pressed forward but saw his shot saved and Mison was on hand to sweep the ball into the net for his first United goal.
Still Bexhill kept coming, and on 40 minutes some solid work from Mison saw him burst forward and square the ball across the six-yard box but the chance went begging.
So it remained 1-0 at half-time and Bexhill were more than good value for the lead. Second half and Midhurst and Easebourne went in search of a leveller. It was now their time to press the Bexhill defence and it took some determined effort by the Pirates to hold the line.
The midfield trio of Kyle Holden, Max Hollobone and Charlie Playford worked hard to break down the play and shelter the back four but when it came to the crunch every single Bexhill man put themselves on the line.
Dale Penn was right at the heart of the action, chucking himself in front of everything despite getting battered about the head and body in a couple of lumpy challenges.
Alongside him Callum Brand was relishing the aerial battle and new boy Smith looked calm and reassuring on the left. Richie Welch had plenty to do as well on the right before he had to go off and Mison stepped in to plug the gap.
Midhurst hit the post and there was some last-ditch defending on the line as the Bexhill goal was peppered with ordnance.
Penn and Scarles both hacked the ball away when it seemed destined for the goal and Finn Holter was called upon to make a couple of good saves. But the Pirates held firm and Midhurst and Easebourne ran out of steam.
In the later stages it was Bexhill back on the front foot and Ryan Moir, introduced from the bench, was having success out on the flank.
In the dying moments, he rolled his defender with ease, beat the defence for pace and saw his shot palmed away. However, Ash Latuske picked it up out wide and got his shot in the net from the tightest of angles, securing a fine Bexhill away victory.
