Town claim their first win on the road.
On a warm sunny bank holiday morning in Little Common, two teams with recent success went head to head. Little Common came into this fixture off the back of a good draw against Newhaven on the previous Friday with the Newhaven goalkeeper scoring a stunner to equalise in the last minute. Town hadn’t played football in 6 days after dominating Shoreham 3-0 in the RUR cup. Town introduced Shay Hollobone as a replacement for an injured Chris Winterton, the under 23s graduate looked to stake his claim for them number one spot in Jude MacDonald’s squad.
Ollie Davies dribbling past his opponent.
The game started with a good tempo as Max Hollobone charged forward testing the common keeper early. Shortly after, Town went on the attack again as Tom Vickers played in Ollie Davies who laid it off to Evan Archibald, however, he fired his shot over the bar. The game then became very even with both sides charging forwards at any given opportunity. Ollie Davies provided Town’s threat down the wing once again.
Little Common were showing signs of opening the scoring when a goal line scramble occurred in the Town penalty box with Little Common firing shots in from all angle but brilliant defending kept things level. Then, up the other end, Town had a shot that beat former Town under-23s goalkeeper, Hamish Tallud, however, Lewis Parsons was Little Commons hero as he cleared it off the line.
Shortly before the break, Evan Archibald scored a spectacular bicycle kick, however, the experienced striker was offside and his effort did not count. With that, the referee blew his whistle for halftime with both sides equal at the break.
Evan Archibald scores an overhead kick but is offside.
The second half started how the first finished with Town looking like opening the scoring. Just a few minutes in, Tom Vickers found the ball at his feet after a clearance from a corner, he struck the ball low and hard and eventually, the ball found the back of the net after taking a Nick off Frankie Chappell, one-nil Town.
Things then went from good to marvellous for Town as Archibald was fouled in the box by Ollie Black giving Town a penalty shortly after. To make matters worse for Common, Black was then sin-binned for dissent, reducing them to 10 men. Archibald dispatched the penalty into the bottom right corner beating Hamish Tallud to make it two-nil to Town. Then the game became scrappy with both sides committing many fouls. The ref seemed to lose control giving Archibald a booking for diving even though he was fouled (and injured) and Chappell was sin-binned for trying to talk the referee.
Evan Archibald scores from the penalty spot
Town were then forced into another goal-line scramble late in the second half after failing to clear a Little Common threat before Delwin Duah had an open goal to shoot at down the other end, however, he could not adjust his body in time and the chance went begging.
Town then began to slip as they let a goal in by Little Common to make it 2-1, Freddie Warren pulling one back for the hosts. Town had plenty of defending to do to keep their lead. The referee eventually blew his whistle and Town got their first win on the road of the 2023/24 season.
Eastbourne Town welcome Bexhill United to The Saffrons for some Friday night football action against a side struggling for form as Tom Vickers faces his former employers under the lights.
Written By: Mackenzie Whitehouse
Photos By: Josh Claxton
