Date   20th October 2007     Competition   Blue Square South     Attendance   769     Referee   Constanine Hatzidakis(Mottingham)

Lineup   1 Phil Wilson     2 Asher Hudson     3 Tony Quinton   h/t Honey  4 John Scarborough     5 Lewis Gonsalves     6 Bashiru Alimi     7 Jason Henry    77 Hammond 8 Nicky Greene     72 Goodchild 9 Warren McBean   10 Craig Watkins     11 Craig Tanner             12 Jason Goodchild     14 Alan Bray     15 Mark Hammond     16 Paul Honey     17 Gareth Williams

No doubt buoyed but last week’s display at Lewes, U’s played with zip and verve in a performance that most have unsettled their high-flying hosts. On top for much of the first half and most of the second, U’s played with real style and purpose but were undone by their familiar failings of defensive errors and an inability to put the ball in the net.

U’s looked confident from the off but the first chance fell to Eastbourne. Scarborough was shrugged off the ball too easily and couldn’t prevent a cross coming in from the right that found a home forward in lots of space, but his shot was blocked for a corner. U’s then applied pressure to win a corner but were denied a cast-iron penalty when Scarborough was held down as he went for the ball. But U’s kept coming and forced another corner, this time Gonsalves failed to get enough of a touch when given a free header.  Scarborough learnt from his early mistake and next time he was run at he forced his opponent wide and not only won possession but surged forward. Henry tok the move on with a darting run and threaded the ball through for Watkins but, with the goal gaping, he stumbled as he stretched for the ball and poked his shot wide. Hudson was getting forward regularly  and his pass allowed Henry to slide McBean in round the back. Hi slow cross invited Watkins to turn the ball over the line but he just couldn’t stretch far enough, although the linesman also seemed ready to flag for offside. Against the run of play the Sussex side turned the tide in two dramatic minutes. First U’s got sucked out to their right, leaving Harding with space to pick his spot. Wilson did brilliantly to make the save but Harding knocked home the rebound. Then, in a carbon copy of the Weston game, U’s went to sleep from a throw-in and allowed Armstrong space to drive the ball beyond Wilson’s reach. Still U’s kept coming and were unlucky not to pull a goal back when Henry, the best player on the pitch, struck his 20-yard volley against the post.

U’s carried on after the break. After making a good tackle Gonsalves brought the ball out of defence and when Lovett dallied under a bouncing ball Henry nipped in to get a free run at goal, but Hook did well to save his low shot. Then Watkins sped down the right and swept the ball crossfield for McBean, who cut in like the player of old, only to see the ball taken off him at the lat moment for a corner. McBean then left Hook for dead with a header from Hudson’s cross that hit the bar and from the resultant corner Henry swerved a hot narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

U’s were given a warning of things to come when, after a long spell of pressure, Henry lost possession and the ball got played in behind Hudson to give Atkin a clear run at goal, but Wilson made a top save. Matt Crabb then shot wide after cutting in from the right before taking advantage of another quick break. Greene did well to win the ball back after his own poor free-kick had been headed clear but then he gave the ball away and allowed Smart to set off on a mazy run that ended with his low shot squirming under Wilson. U’s still went forward and almost immediately McBean was tripped by Smart. For once the referee pointed to the spot – although there was never any doubt – but Tanner struck his powerful shot too centrally and Hook saved. The game swung from end to end in the closing minutes and Atkin’s cross-shot hit the bar before only a late challenge denied McBean at close range from Hudson’s cross. The final smile of the afternoon was reserved for the announcement of a 769 crowd, at least 300 more than the number of people in the ground !

Eastbourne: Hook, Baker, Jenkins, Smart, Lovett (Austin 62), Pullan, Harding, Armstong, Ramsay(N Crabb 62) , Atkin,  M Crabb (Budd 72). subs n/u Day, Lightwood. Booked: Jenkins(70-foul), Budd(74-dissent).