Eastbourne Town 1-0 Alfold – AS IT HAPPENED

Written by Tommy Mortimer

Eastbourne Town, who currently sit 4th in the table, host 10th placed Alfold in a Southern Combination Football League match at The Saffrons today, hoping to extend their winning run to 4 games. Alfold also come into this game high in confidence following their 1-5 thrashing of Crawley Down Gatwick on Tuesday night.

STARTING LINEUPS

Eastbourne Town v Alfold, 24/10/20, The Saffrons – Pre-Match
Photo taken by Tommy Mortimer

KICK-OFF

6 mins: Nathan Crabb cuts inside and has a well-struck shot on goal parried straight into the path of Zac Attwood, who sees his close range follow-up effort saved behind for a corner.

8 mins: Matt Astle shows good speed to drive down the right hand side and deliver a low-drilled cross to Crabb who’s shot is saved well by Luis Correia.

15 mins: Sam Leaton collects the ball on the right side of the edge of the box, skips past his man and strikes low and hard, but his thunderous effort is expertly cleared off the line brilliantly by Dan Hull.

26 mins: Asti Mutongerwa wins Alfold a free kick on the edge of the box after being brought down by Hull. Conor Wilford’s resulting effort sails well over the bar.

Eastbourne Town v Alfold, 24/10/20, The Saffrons – 1st Half Action
Photo taken by Tommy Mortimer

29 mins: An early substitution for Alfold sees the injured Jordan Mase come off for Tiago Andrade.

32 mins: Mutongerwa finds space down the left hand side and lays the ball inside for Leaton who’s powerful strike is saved by Chris Winterton and then cleared behind for a corner.

34 mins: The ball breaks luckily for Attwood who drives into the box and finds himself one on one with the keeper, but Correia spreads his frame well to make an excellent save. Biggest chance of the game so far.

37 mins: Tom Vickers slots a through ball into the path of Crabb who accelerates towards goal and has an effort well saved by Correia.

38 mins: Hull slices an attempted clearance from an Alford cross just wide of his own post and out for a corner. Huge let off for Eastbourne Town.

HALF-TIME

Eastbourne Town 0-0 Alfold

It’s been an action-packed half of football with chances for both sides but we head into half-time goalless at the break.

Eastbourne Town v Alfold, 24/10/20, The Saffrons – Half-Time
Photo taken by Tommy Mortimer

SECOND-HALF BEGINS

45 mins: A change at the break for the away side sees Clyde Jacques make way for Kieron Joseph.

53 mins: The referee has seen one too many fouls made by Mutongerwa and gives the Alfold man a yellow card.

59 mins: Simon Johnson whips in a dangerous corner right across the face of goal for the home side but it evades everyone.

Eastbourne Town v Alfold, 24/10/20, The Saffrons – 2nd Half Action
Photo taken by Tommy Mortimer

68 mins: Kelvin Lucas gets into a good position down the left hand side and cuts it back to Leaton who fires across the face of goal but Eastbourne clear their lines well.

71 mins: A couple of changes for Eastbourne Town as Matt Rodrigues-Barbosa and Tom McDonald come on for Vickers and Crabb.

80 mins: Attwood shows good strength to hold off his man and lay it off to George Taggart who’s shot from just inside the area was well-struck, but straight at the keeper.

GOAL! EASTBOURNE TOWN 1-0 ALFOLD (ATTWOOD 89)

The home side break the deadlock late on courtesy of Zac Attwood. McDonald took up a good position down the right hand side and neatly cut the ball back to Attwood who took a touch and smashed it into the bottom corner from inside the area. Keeper had no chance.

FULL-TIME

Eastbourne Town 1-0 Alfold

Eastbourne Town claim all 3 points against Alfold at The Saffrons thanks to a late winner from Zac Attwood, a win which sees The Town climb into 3rd place. Alfold will be disappointed that they didn’t get at least a point from this one considering the number of chances they created throughout the match.