A few days in from the start of meteorological autumn, the wind was whipping in from the Channel and howling around the Eastbourne Oval floodlights on a night that reminded the assembled supporters summer is done and the hard, cold months of the football season now lay ahead.

Bexhill Utd made one change from their last fixture over a week ago when they saw off Seaford Town in a league game at the nearby Saffrons, Dale Penn being drafted back into the defence.

it was clear from kick off that the strong, swirling wind was going to be a major factor in the game and the goal at the south end of the stadium defended by the Pirates was particularly vulnerable to the wind assistance.

For the first half an hour both sides struggled to adapt to the conditions but Eastbourne looked a real threat from corners and crosses into the box while Bexhill were having more success with the ball on the deck, Jaan Stanley creating a couple of openings from his work down the flank.

The hosts opened the scoring on the half hour mark from another cross into the box, Fraser Middleton beat the defence to the ball and finished into the bottom corner. There was an almost instant response from the visitors, Kyle Holden slipping Jack Shonk through but his effort brilliantly saved by Alex Hobden in the Eastbourne goal.

Shonk took that one as a sighter and on 40 minutes he picked up the ball in the United half, took a couple of strides, pinged the ball into the wind and over Hobden’s head from over forty yards out for the equaliser.

One all at the break was probably a fair reflection of the half and the sides came out in the second half chasing hard for the win with both keepers being called upon in equal fashion.

Play surged from one end to the other but 75 minutes in a couple of minutes would prove decisive. Max Holloborne drove with the ball towards the United box and unleashed a thunderbolt that rattled the crossbar, Shonk unable to covert the rebound.

Within a minute Rhyle Ovenden had put the hosts in front which saw Bexhill boss Jay Skinner-Swain ring the changes from the Pirates bench and injected some urgency as the Pirates sought a way back into the game.

But the decisive goal came at the other end as the clock wound down. Another run into the Bexhill penalty area saw a clear dive which the referee spotted but waved play on, as the ball broke to another Eastbourne player who slotted home the third goal, the offending players booked for his efforts.

The Pirates are back in Southern Combination Premier Division action on Saturday as they travel to Crawley Down Gatwick (ko 3pm).

Courtesy of Geoff Miller.