After a week of poor weather and some further heavy rain over Friday night, it took a Herculean effort by the ground staff to prepare for the Polegrove pitch for an early morning pitch inspection but the hard work paid off and it was passed fit to play.

With many games in Sussex being chalked off, including neighbouring Hastings Utd, it put into perspective just what a top effort it was to get the game on in Bexhill.

Forest Row arrived sitting just above the Pirates in the Southern Combination Premier Division, part of the tightly bunched chasing pack very much in contention for a play-off place.

In his programme notes, Pirates boss Jay Skinner-Swain gave the home fans a boost with the news skipper Richie Welch and wide man Jaan Stanley were both getting close to a return to the squad.

In the line up for the game, Nathan Crabb was drafted in to lead the line whilst the bench featured Ash Latuske, returning to the club after injury and a brief spell away from the Polegrove, and Charlie Scarles, a highly-rated attacking young midfielder on loan from Hastings Utd.

With a welcome dry spell in the build up to kick off, the decision to play was clearly a good one and the surface presented no problems at all.

There was a greater chance of the strong wind blowing across the flats from over the Channel affecting the game but both sides were clearly chuffed to be playing at all and set about the opening exchanges with gusto.

Frow looked sharp in the early exchanges with their right back Yashua Smith bombing on and creating problems down the flank but despite forcing some early corners the Pirates defence held firm.

At the other end of the park Bexhill were making inroads into the visitors defence, working the ball out wide and through the angles, a lively and competitive game of football broke out in the swirling wind.

With both sides attacking there wasn’t much to separate the two sides until the opening goal arrived on 17 minutes. A brilliantly weighted cross from Jack Shonk was met by Charlie Playford. Shonk could have doubled the lead but saw his shot bobble back off the post.

Forest Row levelled it up on the half hour when Ryan Green found himself with space to rise and head home. However, the home side regained the lead in first half stoppage time as Theo Coombs wove his way through a series of challenges to set up Shonk who slotted the ball into the net.

Both teams continued their relentless pace in the second half and those who had braved the weather and delayed the Christmas shopping were being royally entertained. On the hour Frow were back on terms, some confusion in the Bexhill defence allowed Smith the opportunity to stab the ball home.

Minutes the visitors spurned a chance of a third when a series of goalmouth scrambles seemed nailed on to result in a goal but the ball finally scrambled away.

On 78 minutes, the Pirates got the decisive goal, Kyle Holden nodding the ball over the Frow defence finding Crabb in space, the striker drawing on all of his experience to lob the ball from distance over the visitors keeper and into the net.

More action did follow, but the Pirates held on to claim the points, a great advert for the division with two strong, attacking teams tearing into each other from the start. The result leaves Bexhill in 9th place, handily placed to press on and make up ground on those above including Forest Row.

Next Saturday sees the Pirates travel down the coast to Seaford Town before returning home the following weekend to face AFC Varndeanians in their last game before Christmas.

That match will form a ‘Festive Football For a Fiver’ offer and the game will be followed by the annual Christmas Party in the clubhouse where all are welcome after.

Courtesy of Geoff Morris.