The Easter weekend of football always signals the final charge towards the end of the season and is often decisive when it coms to the winners and losers.

On paper it didn’t look like Bexhill Utd had much to play for as they went into the Bank Holiday weekend. Safely positioned in the top half of the table whilst others slugged it out at either end for promotion and relegation, it might have been a case of cruise control but football doesn’t work like that.

First up on Saturday came a trip out west to Steyning Town who are in a ding dong battle with Haywards Heath Town for top spot. Bexhill love a challenge as they proved at Heath a few weeks back, a chance to upset the apple cart.

Steyning are a tough nut to crack, particularly on their own ground and Jay Skinner-Swain picked a side to counter their attacking threat with Dan Rogers and Richie Welch back in the defensive line allowing Max Hollobone to head back into midfield.

The hosts opened the scoring on 16 minutes through Stan Bridgman and he could hardly have hoped for an easier opportunity, a tap in at the far post after the Pirates failed to deal with a corner.

Steyning are a strong physical side but Bexhill weren’t to be blown away. They created a decent cahnce on the half hour with Charlie Curran getting on the end of a cross but steering his header just wide, the first half winding down without a huge amount of drama.

After the Bexhill upped their game and enjoyed their best period of the match, Jack Shonk shooting wide from distance and Will Saunders also coming close, a goal would have blown the match open but it wasn’t to be.

It was no mean achievement to remain in contention until ten minutes from time, but two late goals saw the hosts to a comfortable win in the end.

Easter Monday saw the eagerly awaited mid-morning derby clash with Little Common in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd.

The Pirates started like a train with the kind of energy, pace and pressure that has been a hallmark of their better performances this season.

They were ahead on eight minutes, a long ball from Finn Holter was nodded on by Shonk and Saunders connected with the sweetest of half volley’s to send the Bexhill fans wild.

The pressure was kept up by the visitors and they duly notched a second, Callum Brand crashing up a loose ball from a Hollobone corner a deserved lead at the break.

Common though came out for the second half with renewed intent and attacking down the slope they went close with a couple of chances that left Bexhill riding their luck a little. On the hour they were back in the game through Sam Ellis.

That set up a nail-biting finale, the Pirates having a strong penalty claim waived away whilst at the other end Common through everything, including Kenny Pogue, at getting an equaliser but the Pirates held firm for the three points and bragging rights.

This coming Saturday Bexhill are on their travels to Midhurst & Easebourne (ko3pm) as the season draws towards it’s closure, two games remaning after this one.

Courtesy of Geoff Morris.