Bexhill proud as run ends - Little Common beat Stags - Westfield bounce back

Bexhill Utd

Ryan Light says he feels great pride as he reflects on the end of Bexhill United’s remarkable three-year unbeaten home league record.

It ended when leaders Broadbridge Heath won 1-0 in an SCFL premier clash at The Polegrove at the weekend – their first league loss at home since November 9, 2019.

Light said: “Now the three-year unbeaten run has come to an end I’ve taken a moment to have a look back with pride at the run.

"It’s been an unbelievable achievement from all of the players that have pulled on a white shirt since 2019.

"We’ve had so many good sides visit us over that time so to go unbeaten for that long takes incredible consistency, lots of desire and maybe a little bit of luck as well.“

Light described it as a tough afternoon against the Bears, who are now four points clear at the top.

Your latest ESFL round-up – by Simon Newstead.

They had a man sent off but scored ten minutes into the second half.

“They are the strongest side we’ve played this season, both physically and also as a team,” Light said.

"I was really disappointed that once they were down to ten men we didn’t take the game to them immediately after half-time and seemed to play backwards when we should have gone forward - and ultimately they scored in that period.

"At that stage I felt It was always going to be 1-0 either way.

"It was chaos out there if I’m honest and the game never really had a chance to settle down into any kind of pattern or rhythm, with cards being thrown around like confetti, and players being sinbinned left right and centre.

"I didn’t think it was a dirty game or that players were over zealous.”

Bexhill’s previous league defeat at The Polegrove came on Saturday, November 9, 2019 when Worthing United left with a 3-5 victory. Drew Greenall (2) and Craig McFarlane with the Pirates goals on that day.

Saturdays game, despite fewer goals than that afternoon, had a similar entertainment value but Bexhill felt this was more down to the excitable officials rather than the football on display. With many cards of both colour being shown along with multiple sin-binning, a controversial moment was always just minutes away in a feisty affair between two good sides.The all-important moment in a tight game came ten minutes into the second half courtesy of a goalkeeping error from home stopper Stefanos Akras, who allowed a long-range strike from Louis Evans to squirm through his hands and into the bottom corner.The Pirates huffed and puffed after that and tried to throw everything forward to grab an equaliser but they were met by a physically superior Broadbridge Heath defence who stood strong and limited the usually potent home attack to just a handful of half chances at best.

In fact as the game entered the final stages it was the visitors who should of extended their lead with Bexhill keeping just one defender back and being hit on the break only to be saved by a poor finish.The final whistle blew and Broadbridge Heath had picked up an important three points in their quest to stay at the top of the pack.

But as one run ends, has another already started? Bexhill got back to winning ways with a 1-0 home success over AFC Uckfield at wet and windy Polegrove on Wednesday night.

A second half penalty from Evan Archibald was enough for the Pirates to take all three points.

Light said: “Horrible weather, horrible pitch, and a horrible game if I’m totally honest. It was certainly not a classic but every three points in this league is well earned.”

Midhurst 2 Little Common 4

SCFL premier

Little Common enjoyed their first away league win of the season – battling 4-2 success at Midhurst & Easebourne on Saturday.

Common welcomed Lewis Parsons back into the starting XI to replace Adam Smith.

The first half was an end to end affair with both teams looking dangerous and it was the hosts who took the lead in the 11th minute when a looping header from a free kick deceived Matt Cruttwell and dropped in.

Common were level eight minutes later when Louis Walker saw his effort blocked by the arm of a Midhurst defender in the area and Sam Cruttwell dispatched the penalty.

Within a minute, Common found themselves ahead when Sam Ellis drove towards the edge of the area and unleashed an effort into the bottom corner of the net.

Common’s lead lasted less than two minutes and the hosts drew level when an offside looking Midhurst forward rounded Cruttwell and knocked the ball into an empty net despite the protests from the defence.

Ellis saw a close range effort parried and Walker was unable to convert at the far post following a corner. Common took the lead again in the 32nd minute when a Sam Cruttwell delivery into the box was met by Ellis at the far post with the faintest of touches.

Cruttwell could have extended Common’s lead when released through on goal by Freddie Warren but the home keeper saved with his legs. An indirect free kick just inside the Common area gave the hosts an opportunity but Jamie Bunn was on hand to clear on the goal line.

The second half was less frenetic and the hosts enjoyed a good spell of pressure with a close range effort cannoning off the post before Cruttwell turned away a free kick which was heading into the top corner.

Common continued to look dangerous on the break and sealed the victory in the dying minutes when Ellis beat the keeper to a through ball and knocked the ball home to complete his hat-trick and clinch the points for the Commoners.

Westfield 2 Cuckfield Rangers 1

Mid Sussex premier

After a defeat away to leaders Hollington United, Westfield bounced back to beat a Cuckfield Rangers who were one place and two points better off than them.

Manager Harry Stapley gave a first start to Asher Grindle and recalled fully fit captain Joe Dicken and Warren Pethig.

Westfield started brightly, crisp passing moves causing the Cuckfield defence serious problems. One free flowing move led to a corner after five minutes. As the corner was about to be taken a melee ensued. The referee issued a red card to Grindle.

Westfield regrouped and created a few half chances, but Corey Wheeler exited with a groin injury.

Cuckfield opened the scoring when a long ball from the right-back evaded everyone and dropped to a midfielder, who smartly fired past Charlie Holmwood.

The ten men of Westfield continued to work hard and Pethig flicked the ball on to George Landais who skipped past two Cuckfield defenders and fired into the bottom corner.

During the half-time break, the Westfield management team reorganised and switched formation. The second half started with the ten men of Westfield working extremely hard.

Their endeavour was rewarded when Pethig chased a lost cause. The Cuckfield keeper tried lifting the ball over the onrushing Pethig, but the Westfield forward anticipated and nodded home to make it 2-1.

Cuckfield pressed for an equaliser, but the defensive pairing of captain Joe Dicken and Sam Willett held firm with keeper Holmwood equal to anything that reached him.

Westfield were deserving winners after playing 85 minutes with ten men. MoM: Sam Willett.

Westfield hope to continue the good league form when they entertain Rotherfield tomorrow.

Willingdon 0 Hollington Utd 4

MSFL premier

Hollington United made it 11 league wins from 11 at Willingon.

In a frustrating first half there was little goalmouth action as the home side put 11 men behind the ball.

The Lions had to bring on coach Lee Carey in place of skipper Josh Ellilot, who was struggling with a quad problem.

From their ninth corner, Steve Hickman headed Hollington into the lead on the half-hour mark.

For the second half Danny Ellis, Peter Featherstone, Drew Greenall and the prolific Zac McEniry all came on.

Greenall capitalised on an Anthony Copper cross to head home number two and Lewis McGuigan tapped home in a goalmouth scramble.

Then Ellis hit the pick of the bunch.

Lions boss John Carey said: “Willingdon didn’t have a shot at goal all game which tells you how dominant we were

“It was our seventh clean sheet in a row, with 630 minutes played since we last conceded. And 11 straight wins sees us on 33 points.

"We are full of confidence at the moment and we have a well-deserved rest this week before we travel to Henfield FC for a Sussex Intermediate Cup clash.

"We have a coach booked and would love to take a few down with us to cheers the boys on. We’d also like to say thanks to all those who made it over to Willingdon.”