Eastbourne Town come into this match looking to make it four wins on the bounce. Bright Temba has been among the top performers for the hosts so far this season with six goals in six matches but he misses out on today’s match.
Alford have endured a turbulent start to the 2020/21 campaign, can Town extend their winning run? Leon Imber will take you through the action as it happens.
Starting line-ups
KICK-OFF- Alford get us underway.
2’ Wayward passing early on. Alford attack from the kick off but comes to very little, Town up the other end and launch an attack to no effect. Your average start for a ninth tier fixture.
5’ Kelvin Lucas lashes one from 25 yards out, flies wide of Chris Winterton’s goal. First real chance of the game. The ultras behind the goal make their first bit of noise this afternoon.
6’ Excellent double save by Luis Correia, blocking with his hands and feet in quick succession. Even your top keepers would be proud of that one.
8’ Tom Vickers feeds a lovely ball through to Matt Astle who squares for Nathan Crabb. Inches wide, lovely play by the hosts.
12’ Dan Hull’s good show of pace sees him get back to crunch Ash Nutongerwa and nullify Alford’s counter. Great challenge Dan.
14’ OFF THE LINE – Hull again with the heroic effort. Decent shot from Sam Leaton who went for power.
17’ Conor Wilford penalised for a foul throw, and the game turns scrappy again. Neither team particularly been on top, Town had a couple of early attacks and Alford have held firm and had one of their own. It feels good to be back at football!
20’ Jamie Chilsworth sends a teasing delivery into the box with Nutongerwa and Renata Camualwo looking to get on the end of it, well defended by the men in yellow.
24’ Clyde Jacques goes down for treatment giving the two sides time to take on some fluids. The number 5 gets back to his feet and play can continue.
27’ Excellent challenge by Chilsworth to stop Taggart in his tracks. Strong foot in by the fullback. Down the other end and Town foul Nutongerwa right on the edge of the box.
29’ Wilford fires well over from the dead ball. A potential good chance wasted by Alford. Jordan Mase is forced off for Tiago Andrade in an early substitution.
33’ Big chance for Alford there. Leaton worms his way into the box, linking up well with Nutongerwa and the former strikes the body of Winterton. Loving the scenic backdrop at The Saffrons.
35’ Zac Attwood raced through on goal and perhaps should’ve got his shot away sooner. Lack of pace allowed the Alford defence to get back and get a foot in, although it was encouraging play by the home team.
38’ Great save by Correia. Gets down to his right to deny Crabb after a good run down the right flank. Straight down the other end Hull nearly turns the ball into his own net as the ball goes out for a corner.
41’ Eastbourne waste their first corner of the game. But the ball is recycled and Crabb heads far wide. It’s getting chilly here at The Saffrons.
43’ Stinger there for Attwood. Wilford strikes a free kick that stings the bottom of the number 9. As I just said it’s very chilly, I rather him than me.
45’ HALF TIME Alford have the better of the end of the half, but it remains goalless, the half draws to a close as the referee blows the whistle.
Half Time here at The Saffrons and neither team have broken the deadlock. It really is great to be back inside a ground watching football. Have you been to a non-league match yet this season? Tweet us and let us know.
SECOND HALF KICK-OFF
45’ The teams are back out as Attwood gets the game back underway. Hoping for some goals this half, both sides were knocking on the door in the first.
49’ As scrappy a start to this half as the last. The hosts tried some cheeky balls in behind the Alford defence but come to no avail.
51’ Wilford goes down theatrically holding his ankle. Perhaps to make his previous challenge not look as rash. Town wanted to play the free kick quickly but the injury halted that.
54’ Alford lineup a free kick on the right which is floated in but Winterton catches well. Big hands.
59’ Johnson delivers and excellent ball from a corner, it evades all heads and isn’t turned in. That’s where you want a man lurking at the back post, easy tap in. Best chance of the half so far.
63’ Vickers has been pulling the strings in the middle. He isn’t your conventional playmaker but played some very tidy balls through the Alford back line. A few failed attempts in the last minute or so.
65’ Crabb’s delivery is caught by the wind and looks to be dangerous. Beats the keeper but also the goal. It’s been pretty gusty here this afternoon, not the day to be by the seaside.
68’ OFF THE LINE Leaton unleashes a shot from a tight angle that beats Winterton. It doesn’t beat Sam Cole whoever, who side foots off the line. Perhaps deserves a place in this video.
71’ Double substitution for Town. Vickers and Crabb off for Matt Rodriges-Barbosa and Tom McDonald. Thought Vickers had a good game, constantly probing with a good eye for a forward pass.
76’ The game has turned pretty dull in truth. Classic non-league scrappiness as a dark cloud casts over The Saffrons. I’m still cold.
79’ The lights have been trying to come on for the last 10 minutes or so. They’ve taken their time but they seem to be with us now. But less focus on the lights, Taggart has a cleanly struck shot saved by Correia. Excellent stop.
83’ The clock tower chimes for 16:45… at 16:43. Little chances late on in the game as the subs have made little impact. The home side have been threatening a little more than the visitors. Oh yeah, the lights are back out.
88’ GOAL – ZAC ATTWOOD- Attwood with a tidy, tidy finish. In truth I didn’t think we’d see a breakthrough for either side but the striker latches onto a loose ball and dispatches with a side foot effort from a tight angle. Hero.
90’ +1 FULL TIME Correia is up for a late free kick, poor delivery. Referee blows up and Town take all three points, not the most spectacular display but they will take that all day long.
