After last weekend’s stunning, last gasp victory away to title chasing Haywards Heath Town it was back to business at the Polegrove on Saturday afternoon for the visit of Lingfield.
The Lingers arrived sitting just above the relegation places in the Southern Combination Premier Division and are very much in the dogfight for survival in what is shaping up to be a tough battle at the wrong end of the table.
Bexhill Utd, sitting just above mid-table, would need a footballing miracle to claw their way back into play off contention but have still made significant progress on the pitch this season. A clutch of missing players meant some enforced changes for the Pirates with the returning Ryan Moir dropping in at left back and Mardy Ovenden getting a well deserved start in midfield.
There was plenty of action at both ends early on as both teams adapted to the conditions and Lingfield showed early signs they would be no pushovers.
A nasty clash of heads saw an early change for the hosts, Callum Brand nursing a nasty gash to be replaced by Charlie Scarles, Charlie Playford dropping into the back line.
On 27 minutes it was the visitors who took the lead with the ever-impressive Deven Reid-Solanki getting on the end of a through ball to poke home. Ten minutes later, the scores were level after some good work from Ash Latuske and Will Saunders caused a Lingfield defender to put the ball into his own net.
Bang on half time the Lingers regained the lead, Reid-Solanki finding some space and lashing the ball into the top corner for his and the visitors second of the afternoon.
Whatever happened in the home dressing room at half time certainly did the trick and they came out attacking the favoured Brockley Road end with a renewed sense of purpose. After a couple of minutes a Moir corner led to penalty box pinball and on the rebound off the crossbar Charlie Curran swept the ball home.
The trigger had now been pulled and it was all Bexhill. On 58 minutes Moir belted in a trademark drive which cannoned into the net off the inside of the post to give the Pirates the lead.
Skipper Richie Welch then decided to get in on the action, the first to react to a Max Hollonbone corner, the Brockley Road massive with raised voices and pints in celebration.
Bexhill weren’t quite done yet and on 80 minutes Jack Shonk got his customary goal from another corner to make it 5-2 in favour of the hosts and a few missed chances could have added to the final scoreline, an excellent second half performance from the Pirates.
This coming weekend Bexhill are at home again as they face Roffey whilst Lingfield head to Midhurst & Easebourne on Tuesday evening and are on the road again to face Wick on Saturday.
Courtesy of Geoff Martin.