Bexhill’s woes in the early stages of this season’s cup competitions struck again on Tuesday evening as they crashed out of the Sussex Senior Cup in the first round away to local rivals Little Common.

A decent crowd had assembled under the lights at the Rec and things looked bright for Bexhill in the early exchanges as they were soon into the sharp, pacy passing games that has served them well in their unbeaten start to the league campaign.

On 16 minutes a ball was cleared out to the Bexhill left who swung a left boot at it and delivered the sweetest strike that carved it’s way through the night air and into the top corner of Finn Holter’s net.

Moir almost repeated the feat ten minutes later when he pinged a shot off the right angle of the goal frame. Just after the half hour mark, Jack Shonk also rattled the goal, smacking the ball against the crossbar.

The Pirates would come to rue their bad luck with the woodwork and their failure to extend the lead during their period of ascendancy as the experience and hard-working Common outfit began to turn the tide.

Just before the break they were level, Lewis Unwin heading the net and as always the perfect time to score and shift the dynamics of the game.

A few minutes into the second half a free kick swung into the Bexhill box from the left was nodded down and Reuben Martin had all the time in the world to force it home.

With four wins on the bounce under their belt, the home side tightened their grip on the cup tie with just the odd flash of attacking action from Bexhill, Common were able to see out the rest of the game in relative comfort and into the hat for the next round.

Courtesy of Geoff Martin.