Report: Horsham 2-0 Eastbourne Town (Sussex Senior Cup)

On a frosty evening at the Fusion Aviation Community Stadium, Eastbourne Town bowed out of the Sussex Senior Cup after a spirited performance against higher-division Horsham. Goals in each half from Joel Daly and Lucas Rodrigues secured the hosts a 2-0 win and a place in the quarter-finals.

Coming off the back of a strong cup victory on Saturday, Horsham proved a tough opponent, but we showed resilience and determination throughout the contest. Whils Town were back amongst the wins after a difficult run of results in the league. Two wins against Herne Bay and Broadbrdge Heath prepared us for this Senior Cup clash!

The game started with Horsham pushing forward and they created an early chance when Sparks fired over the bar after just three minutes. We weathered the initial pressure and looked to find our rhythm, but Horsham’s midfield, led by Brivio, made it difficult to retain possession.

Horsham’s opening goal came in the 21st minute. A ball into the box found captain Elliott, who laid it off to Daly for a neat finish past Chris Winterton. Despite the setback, we regrouped and worked hard to create opportunities. Our best chance of the first half came from a free-kick near the halfway line. The ball was lofted into the box, and while James Stone couldn’t get a clean header, the rebound fell to right-winger Waters, whose effort was comfortably saved by Carey.

Chris Winterton was in fine form between the sticks, making crucial saves to deny Horsham a second before the break, including a sharp stop from Sparks.

Half-Time: Horsham 1 Eastbourne Town 0

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Horsham dominating possession. A well-taken volley from Rodrigues after a corner doubled the home side’s lead seven minutes in. Despite the setback, we continued to battle and had moments of promise, particularly through set pieces and long-range efforts.

A controversial incident midway through the half added some drama. After Horsham had possession halted for an injury, the resulting drop-ball saw Ding challenge for a shooting opportunity that went narrowly wide, causing frustration on the home bench and earning their manager a booking.

As the game entered its final stages, tempers flared following a poor challenge on Myles-Meekums by Dan Hull, resulting in a yellow card for Hull and a reactionary booking for Sparks. Even so, our players showed character, refusing to let the game drift away.

In stoppage time, a speculative strike from distance by substitute Greig forced a strong save from Carey, but we couldn’t find a way back into the match.

While the result didn’t go our way, the players can hold their heads high for a battling performance against a well-drilled Horsham side. We now turn our focus back to league action, where we’ll look to carry this fighting spirit forward and achieve our objective or securing our Isthmian League status for next season.

Full-Time: Horsham 2 Eastbourne Town 0