Littlehampton Town 1-0 Eastbourne United

By Mike McCaffrey
Emirates FA Cup, Extra Preliminary Round · Sunday 9 August 2026 · the Sportsman

“Eastbourne United could do something special this season.”

I have watched a lot of football at the Sportsman over the years, and Sunday’s tie was a proper reminder of why the early rounds of the FA Cup are worth getting out of bed for. Littlehampton Town 1-0 Eastbourne United. A one-goal game, a Cup exit, and about three seasons’ worth of talking points squeezed into ninety-four minutes.

Let us be honest about the run of play first, because that is what we do here. Anthony Storey’s Eastbourne United arrived with two wins from two in the SCFL Premier, and for long spells of the first half they looked every inch a side playing with confidence. They started on the front foot. Hayden Beaconsfield had an early effort deflected behind, and from the resulting corner the Littlehampton keeper had to be sharp to keep out a header from Samways. On eighteen minutes James Stone timed his run to beat the offside trap, and his attempted lob drifted agonisingly wide. That was probably the moment of the half, and it did not belong to the home side.

United were the better team before the break. There is no shame in Littlehampton hearing that, because good cup teams find ways to win when they are second best, and that is exactly what the Golds did. They nearly nicked one on the stroke of half-time, the visitors’ keeper Alieu Secka was forced into a save from a driving run out of full-back, and when the moment that mattered arrived, Littlehampton took it. One goal. Job done.

Credit where it is due, United kept coming. Teddy Loft and James Hull both had chances in the second half and both were denied by a home keeper who quietly had an excellent afternoon. Four minutes of stoppage time came and went, and the Golds saw it out the way experienced sides do.

I said it in my notebook at full time and I will say it in print: I genuinely believe Eastbourne United could do something special this season. Storey has them organised, hungry and playing without fear. They return to league business at home to AFC Varndeanians, and if they carry this level of performance into the SCFL Premier, plenty of teams will leave the Oval with nothing.

As for Littlehampton, I think the Golds will have a far better season this time around after a tough campaign last year. New recruits such as Dion Jarvis from Steyning should bring more points in the bag, and there is a resilience about them in games like this that you cannot coach.

A massive thank you to Mitch Hand, George Gaskin and everyone at Littlehampton Town FC for the hospitality shown to us. Days like Sunday are what this publication exists for. Volunteers on the gate, a proper tea bar, two sets of supporters who care, and a Cup tie that meant something.

Littlehampton march on to the Preliminary Round. Eastbourne United return to the league with their heads up. I suspect both clubs will have plenty to say this season, and we will be there when they say it.

See you in the dugout.

First published in Dugout News, Issue 001, August 2026. Republished here in full.