Eastbourne Town are top dogs after seventh win – keeper is goal hero again for Eastbourne United

EAstbourne Town’s first Saturday home league game brought AFC Uckfield to The Saffrons.

Callum Pollitt came in for a start and James Hull returned on dual registration from Lancing.

The game began with Uckfield threatening – and a chipped shot flew over Josh Barnett but was cleared by captain Frankie Chappell.

Young Pollitt has been giving a good account of himself in the No8 role in recent weeks, and continued the fine form here he had shown at Steyning the previous Tuesday in the RUR Cup.

In the 37th minute, Hull got the breakthrough with a powerful header from a pinpoint cross from Ollie Davies on the right.

That seemed to perk up the visitors and Uckfield began hunting for the equaliser powering forward and hitting the post.

After the break Finlay Tarrant and Charlie Gibson came on for Town.

Davies continued his excellent run of form and sent a header just over the bar. But soon he was heading to the sin-bin for dissent after complaining at a decision.

Town went back on the attack numerous times with some great runs forward. Hull and Delwin Duah both fired over the bar but the second goal just would not come.

Town, who lost 3-0 at Newhaven in the Peter Bentley Cup on Tuesday, welcome Pagham to The Saffrons tomorrow.

MACKENZIE WHITEHOUSE

Eastbourne United 1 VCD Athletic 0

FA Vase

On an unseasonably warm afternoon at the Oval, United faced yet another big test – against step four side VCD Athletic in the FA Vase.

VCD have a proud tradition in non-league football, being the former Vickers Works team and until this season, having played mainly at a higher level.

On the last day of last season they were relegated at the the hands of their very near neighbours Phoenix Sports, who United knocked out of the FA Cup in a rain-sodden encounter in August.

This was always going to be a tense and nervous affair as both teams dearly wanted to win this and progress.

VCD are trying too re-establish their Step 4 credentials and United are wanting to keep the immense momentum of this season going.

Early omens were not good as Mason Creese pulled up injured in the warm-up.

Ed Ratcliffe was a suitable replacement and jumped straight in.

The entire first half was a series of skirmishes from one end to the other, without ever really making clear opportunities until debutant Josh Gould had his shot cleared off the line by a VCD defender.

Moments later Tiganna Quebe crossed to the far post and Hayden Beaconsfield’s shot went just wide of the post.

There was just time for the limping Callum Barlow to get a shot off before half-time, but again it was blocked by the visitors.

Barlow was replaced almost straight away by George Olulode.

United tried to keep the pressure up on VCD, who stood firm, also bringing on Barbosa for Mapstone and Farrell for Gould.

Either side of the hour mark both Cole and Ingram had good efforts go just wide, and United became more adventurous, Headland and Beacondfield both going close – before VCD broke away and looked to have carved out a dangerous opening until a full body block from the reliable Cole brought an end to that.

With just six minutes to go it was looking like United were facing their second penalty shootout in a fortnight.

Then Bailo Camara was upended just inside his own half, an innocuous enough foul hardly worthy of comment.

As has become a habit, goalkeeper James Broadbent ushered the United side up the pitch and took it himself.

There’s a suspicion that Broadbent knew that a 60-yard free-kick coming in at an oblique angle out of the sun could be troublesome for the defence, and so it proved.

It eluded the entire defence, it fell straight to the feet of the opposite keeeper who appeared to try to control it whilst grabbing at it, the ball squirming straight through and into the net.

It was Broadbent’s second long-ranger of the season, and despite VCD pressure, United had it well contained. 1-0 to United, and a long trip back for Vickers.

United will be at home to Bearsted in the first round of the Vase on October 21.

On Tuesday night United went to Seaford Town in the Peter Bentley Cup but lost 3-2.

United are back in SCFL pemier action tomorrow with a long trip to Midhurst.

STEVE HUXLEY