Match Preview: Burgess Hill Town vs Eastbourne Town (FA Cup Preliminary Round)

Match Preview: Burgess Hill Town vs Eastbourne Town – FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Date: Saturday, 17th August
Kick-Off: 3:00 PM
Venue: Leylands Park, RH15 8DL

This Saturday, Leylands Park will host a tantalising FA Cup Preliminary Round clash between two historic Sussex football clubs, Burgess Hill Town and Eastbourne Town.

With both sides eager to bounce back from opening-day defeats in the Isthmian League South East, the stakes are high as they look to secure their place in the next round of the world’s oldest football competition.

Recent Form and Past Meetings

Burgess Hill Town come into this fixture after a narrow 1-0 victory over Spelthorne Sports in the previous round. Meanwhile, The Town progressed with a solid 2-0 win against Little Common, with both goals coming from the penalty spot.

Interestingly, these two sides haven’t locked horns in a decade, with their last encounter occurring in the 2014 FA Cup, where Burgess Hill edged a 1-0 victory. The long wait for this old Sussex clash adds an extra layer of intrigue to what promises to be a fiercely contested game.

Player Watch: Ollie Davies, Dan Perry and our number 9 James Hull

One of the key storylines of this fixture will be our reunion with former Town player, Ollie Davies. The versatile player, who was instrumental in our promotion to the Isthmian League, recently returned to his hometown club, Burgess Hill Town, after a successful stint at The Saffrons. His experience and familiarity with Eastbourne’s style of play could prove crucial for the Hillians.

Another player set to capture the spotlight is Dan Perry, the prolific striker who scored an astonishing 58 goals in 64 appearances for Eastbourne Town before moving on in 2021. Perry will be eager to make an impact on this fixture and add to his impressive goal tally in front of what’s expected to be a healthy crowd for Burgess Hill’s first home fixture of the season.

“James Hull’s on fire”. Our sharpshooter has hit the ground running scoring in both our opening fixtures in the FA Cup and Isthmian League. The pick of the two was a sumptuous header against Beckenham Town. James will be looking to continue his good form against Burgess Hill and prove a point at this level.

The Stakes

With both teams suffering 3-1 defeats in their opening league fixtures, this FA Cup tie presents the perfect opportunity to kickstart respective seasons. For The Town, a chance to progress deeper into the competition and acquire a boost in funds from the prize money on offer. For Burgess Hill, a win would build momentum for their league campaign and they look to make it into the First Qualifying Round for a fifth consecutive season.

A Classic Sussex Encounter In The FA Cup

This match has all the ingredients for a classic FA Cup encounter. With familiar faces on both sides and the lure of FA Cup progression, expect a fierce battle at Laylands Park as two stalwarts of Sussex football go head-to-head. The fans are in for a treat in what promises to be a cracking fixture.