Tenth placed Alfold travel to The Saffrons today, where they will be hoping to be the team that ends the three game unbeaten run Town are currently on. A fourth win today for Eastbourne could take them up to third, another step closer to that prized promotion spot.
Harry Buckett will be taking you through the action.
Starting Line-ups
Eastbourne Town: Winterton, Astle, Cole, Bolwell, Rogers, Hull, Vickers, Johnson, Attwood, Crabb, Taggart,
Subs: Rodrigues-Barbosa, Scott, Mailey, McDonald, Strevett
Alfold: Correia, Wilford, Chilsworth, Wanstall, Jacques, Mobsby, Lucas, Mase, Mutongerwa, Carvalho, Leaton
Subs: Joseph, Oke, Harris, Stallan, Andrade
KICK OFF And we are under way here at The Saffrons. Both teams look raring to go and get stuck in.
3′ Eastbourne get the first attack of the game after Taggart puts a low cross into the box, but some skillful defending from Jacques allows Alfold to clear.
6′ CHANCE WHAT A SAVE. Correia originally only has to make a fairly comfortable stop after a tame effort from Crabb. The rebound falls perfectly for Attwood but Correia is straight back up to somehow deny Town again, in what seemed to be a definite goal.
8′ CHANCE Another golden opportunity for Eastbourne as Crabb can’t direct Astle’s driven cross goalwards, missing the post by millimetres.
10′ Alford have a big shout for a free kick right on the edge of Town’s box, but the referee waves it away.
14′ CHANCE This time it’s Alford who come close to opening the scoring. Leaton takes it wide and has an effort from an acute angle in the box, but Rogers manages to get back in time and make a crucial block on the line.
20′ Jamie Chilsworth puts in a searching ball into the box which just narrowly misses an Alfold head. You would have to think if they had made connection with the ball it would be 1-0.
21′ Jacques goes down injured with what looks like a possible pulled muscle in his leg. He should be alright to continue to the relief of Alford as he has been superb at the back for them today.
25′ Cole is down after a clumsy high challenge by Muntongerwa on the halfway line. It will just be a warning for now but he will have to be careful for the remainder of the game.
26′ Crabb and Taggart combine well to break through the Alford defence but the attack is brought to a halt by a last ditch challenge from Chilsworth, who does very well to win back possession for his side.
29′ Crabb has a speculative effort go curling past the woodwork, after beating his man just outside the box.
30′ SUB Mase goes down injured in the centre circle and isn’t able to continue. Tiago Andrade will be the man replacing him.
33′ CHANCE Leaton get’s lucky with a deflection which allows him to get a quick toe poked effort away that is palmed away by Winterton and cleared for a corner.
35′ CHANCE How is it still 0-0? Attwood is played through on goal despite calls for offside. Correia is quick off his line and saves Attwood’s one on one attempt. Although Correia has been excellent so far, you have to say Eastbourne need to start being more clinical otherwise they are going to live to regret these missed chances.
38′ CHANCE There may simply be no way past Correia today. This time it’s Crabb played through for a one on one opportunity but yet again the resulting effort on goal is prevented by Alfold’s number one.
39′ CHANCE Now we are back at the other end, where an attempted clearance of Chilsworth’s cross by Cole is miskicked and nearly ends up in the far corner of Town’s net. Despite being goalless this has been a thoroughly entertaining game, and there is still another entire half to play!
40′ Alfolds corner is headed away, but only as far as Mobsby on the edge of the box. Unfortunately rather than Winterton, it’s the birds that are in danger from the shot, as it goes high and out of the stadium.
HALF TIME A very entertaining first half comes to a close as both teams remain without a goal. Town will feel as though they should be 3 or 4 goals in the lead, and will need to look to be more clinical going forward. Despite this, Alfold haven’t been completely dominated and could have easily gone into half time ahead if it wasn’t for Rogers goal line clearance. It remains all to play for in the final 45.
46′ The teams are back out and ready to kick off. One change for Alfold as Joseph comes on for Jacques, a change probably related to the injury he sustained during the first half. This could be a major blow for Alfold, with Jacques being unbeatable in the air all game for them.
50′ The games been a lot more scrappy since the restart, with the ball spending much more time in the air than it did in the first period.
51′ A threaded through ball by Alfold allows Mutongerwa a chance to break away, but Hull can make a brilliant challenge to prevent him from troubling the goalkeeper.
53′ BOOKING Muntogerwa is booked for what is quite a soft free kick. There have certainly been stronger challenges that haven’t resulted in play stopping
55′ Vickers jumps in with a very strong tackle but wins the ball. It seems like we are in for a much more physical and aggressive game now, with both teams getting more stuck in.
60′ Alfold have been the team playing all the football this half with Eastbourne only being able to clear the ball high and far. Town might live to regret all those missed chances earlier on.
65′ The strong winds nearly takes Crabb’s looping cross goalwards, but Correia isn’t easily caught out and catches the ball.
68′ Alford catch Town out with a quick free quick which allows Carvalho to get a shot away however it is blocked on its way towards goal.
73′ SAVE Kelvin Lucas finds himself in a bit of space and has a strike at goal which Winterton can push away. The goalkeepers have really kept their teams in it today, hats off to both of them.
77′ An untidy sequence in Eastbourne’s penalty area ends when Andrade commits a clumsy challenge. Free kick to Eastbourne.
80′ SAVE A loose ball on the edge of the box falls to Taggart, who strikes the ball sweetly. Correia manages to get down and save the powerful effort, keeping Alfold in the game yet again.
84′ Alfold swing in a deep free kick but Leaton’s header loops too high, allowing Winterton to grab the ball out of the air with ease.
85′ CHANCE McDonald isn’t quite prepared for such a powerful cross from Cole, resulting in his effort going high and wide of the target.
88′ GOAL It’s been coming for along time. A high ball forward from Rodrgues-Barbosa gives McDonald the break he needs down the right hand side. He cuts the ball across the box to Attwood who takes a touch before side footing the ball into the bottom left corner. Attwood finally has his goal today, his second in as many games, but you can’t help but feel sorry for Correia who has put in a man of the match performance today for Alford, but unfortunately wasn’t quite unbeatable.
90′ Alford have a free kick which ultimately comes to nothing to the delight of the Eastbourne fans, who have really come alive since the goal went in.
FULL TIME But the action doesn’t stop at the final whistle. Alford’s Manager has alot to say to the referee after the game leading the ref to show him the red card. The protests eventually die down and both teams make their way back to the changing rooms.
A game which really could have gone either way is eventually won by Eastbourne town after a dramatic late winner. The first half full of a lot of fast paced passing football, the second a more physical game but overall a very entertaining fixture.
A few players had good showings but the one who stood out for me was Correia. He was called upon a lot today and had to make two fantastic saves. If it wasn’t for him it could have easily been four or five nil.
The win today puts Eastbourne up into third place, although they could drop back down should the teams below win their games in hand. Alford now find themselves in thirteenth. They will hope that their trip to Hassocks next week can kickstart a turnaround to their inconsistent form.
