Saturday 5th December 2009 - Eastbourne 2-2 U's: Winter draws on
"I can see the sea! I can see the sea!"
It is funny how the sight of a grey stretch of water can induce grown men and women to revert to the excitable state of their six-year-old selves when they haven't seen it for a long time. I guess we all have happy memories of visits to the seaside when we were young, before we enjoyed the sophistication of foreign travel, and it doesn't matter how grey and gloomy the weather is or how choppy and uninviting the water may be; that first sighting of sea, glimpsed from a distance on the horizon between houses or over hills, can still be visceral in its nostalgic excitement, if only for a few brief seconds before our sensible, restrained adult selves reassert themselves.
I suppose that does not apply to the residents of seaside towns, just as the sight of King's College Chapel or the colleges fails to evoke a flicker of emotion in the average resident of Cambridge who sees them every day.
You cannot see the sea from Eastbourne's pleasant, cosy Priory Lane ground or the welcoming social club in front of it, so once inside everyone was able to concentrate on the game rather than craning their necks to view a distant ship or wheeling seagull, although a few of the latter soon joined us as the weather out at sea began to worsen.
Eastbourne Borough enjoyed a very successful first season in the BSP last term, attaining a comfortable mid-table position, but second season syndrome has set in this year and they are without a win since defeating Hayes & Yeading on 22nd September. They have risen rapidly through the pyramid but have done it the right way, living within their means unlike so many of their contemporaries, but unfamiliar lack of success on the field has led to a falling off in attendances which gives the club concern. It would be a shame if this well-run, friendly club were to fall into decline on the pitch, but every club finds its level and an important factor in that is the level of support it can generate from its community. Residents of Eastbourne, do your duty. Your club needs you.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky when we set off on Saturday, but by the time we hit the south coast all about us was grey, slate-coloured clouds scudding across a slightly lighter background as if we had entered a black-and-white photograph album, passing through desolate, deserted out-of-season resorts like Bexhill, its residents and businesses in hibernation until the seaside season starts again next year.
Langney Sports Club is right on the outskirts of Eastbourne, behind it literally a wasteland of rough heath, but it was a busy little place with some ladies in the car park undertaking a sponsored car wash while the football fans sheltered in the warm inside, partaking of warming ales and cheery 'footy food' like cheesy chips. And boy, were they cheesy.
The ground itself is of fairly recent construction, but has managed to retain a degree of character with covered standing around most of it and a modest seated main stand. As last season, there was no segregation, a rare novelty still for 'giants' like us, but the fans mingled peaceably on an afternoon with a decidedly low-key atmosphere, influenced perhaps by the oppressively dull weather and the relatively mediocre recent form of both teams.
Martin Ling rang the changes after Tuesday's stumbling win over Chester. Jai Reason paid the price for his recent poor form, replaced by the deserving Sam Ives, while Josh Coulson was unlucky to be dropped in favour of the returning Wayne Hatswell and Lee Phillips earned a start in place of Chris Holroyd, without a goal since 7th November. Mark Beesley returned from Chester to the bench with Adam Marriott needed for CRC's FA Vase push at the Abbey.
The hosts fielded one familiar face in ex-U Liam Enver-Marum, who seems to sprouted an extra surname since his time at the Abbey, but the legendary Danny Brown was absent, due to suspension after his tenth booking of the season. Quelle surprise.
Rain started to fall at almost exactly the same time as the teams kicked off, and first shot came from Borough's Neil Jenkins on 2, Danny Potter clutching the slippery ball confidently. Three minutes later came United's first chance and a good one it was, too, Robbie Willmott cutting inside and firing at keeper Danny Knowles, his parry almost falling to Danny Crow on the follow-up. The hosts broke back quickly, but Joe Benjamin blasted hopelessly wide from distance.
Enver-Marum looked particularly lively up front and Wayne Hatswell had to be on his mettle to stop him breaking clear on 12, and Phillips set up Courtney Pitt for a blocked shot a couple of minutes later as the teams continued to attack each other, making up in directness what they lacked in subtlety. And on the quarter hour the hosts were ahead.
The ball was cleared by United out to the left flank, Enver-Marum gave chase, turned and in the absence of any challenge swept over a cross which fell perfectly for Paul Armstrong to divert past Potter with his head and into the far corner. 1-0.
The U's tried to respond with Ives prompting from midfield, but the wingmen found themselves dispossessed too easily and were able to create little in the way of chances for the front men for all their willing running. They got lucky, however, on 21. Pitt was felled by Darren Baker by the left touchline, United filled the box and when Willmott's well-struck cross arced in, it took a touch off Ben Austin's head and flew into the net before Knowles could move for a classic own goal. 1-1.
If United thought they had laid the foundations for a comfortable win like last season at this venue, however, they were sadly mistaken. Eastbourne continued to work hard, hassling and harrying energetically and knocking the ball around fairly well with good use of the flanks, and on 25 they were back in front. The dogged Jamie Taylor sprinted to the right-hand byline, arrowed over a cross despite the attentions of Darryl Coakley, and there was Enver-Marum, outfoxing Hatswell to nip in at the near post and nod across Potter and into the net from close range. Not good defending from United's most experienced player: 2-1.
The U's battled to regain control against the spirited hosts and the swirling, soggy conditions, Ives firing just wide on 28, but they were unable to create anything where it really mattered. Benjamin blasted wide from deep on 33, but the most entertaining moment of this part of the match was the PA announcement that someone had lost a silver Nokia mobile phone, and should the owner wish to reclaim it, they should ring its number, provoking some amusement from the listening fans who wondered how he or she could do that without their phone. The announcer came back sheepishly a minute later to clarify that they should get a friend to call the number for them.
It is not known whether the owner was reunited with his phone, but let us hope they had more luck than United, who continued to flail toothlessly as the rain began to recede. Willmott tried to repeat his free-kick trick on 38, but this time Enver-Marum was there, inevitably, to nod clear, and three minutes later Phillips set up Crow for a flick that was headed away by Gary Elphick.
First yellow card of the afternoon came just before the break, Rory McAuley spoiling an otherwise impressive performance by bringing down Benjamin in the centre circle. United had for the most part been mediocrity personified against limited but hard-working opponents who had been rewarded for their graft, while the visitors had earned exactly what they had deserved so far... nothing. Must do better.
Right on cue, the rain returned with a vengeance as part two kicked off, the wind this time swirling more severely and blowing the rain into the covered stands. And a positive start from United was rewarded with a second equaliser within a couple of minutes of the restart.
Willmott's first corner was fairly lame, a low one towards Phillips at the near post easily put behind, but his second one had more height and pace and, after brushing past a baffled defender, it fell perfectly for Brian Saah to ghost in unmarked at the far post to ram a header home from close in for his second goal of the season. 2-2.
A blocked McAuley shot soon provided another corner for the tails-up U's, but to no avail, and the hosts responded on 56 with a Matt Crabb shot which was blocked away by Saah. Two minutes later Enver-Marum raced away but was caught by Saah before he could get a shot in. This was a contest which could now go either way.
The visitors' best shot came on 63 from an unlikely source, Coakley, who was afforded space 35 yards out and fired a spectacular shot goalwards which was screaming into the corner until Knowles belatedly dived across to tip it round the post. Pitt swung the corner over, but Hatswell could not get his header on target in a crowded box.
Two minutes later Taylor picked up Eastbourne's first booking for upending Pitt, and from 25 yards Willmott sent his free-kick sailing disappointingly over the top. Jai Reason then replaced Ives, who had given a good account of himself, but next danger came from the hosts when Crabb's thunderbolt looked a goal all ends up until superbly tipped past the upright by a diving Potter on 71.
Holroyd was then introduced in place of Phillips, whose hard work had not produced any real threat on goal, but then confusion broke out as ref Jerden stopped play as Baker made to take a throw-in and seemed to be calling the players over to him. He had discussions with both captains then called over his linesman from the far side amidst fears that he was calling off the game, a disturbing sight for the Eastbourne fans whose match at Chester had met just such a fate on Tuesday after a second pitch invasion by protesting home supporters.
Eventually it turned out that Jerden was injured and he swapped places with fourth official Mackay. He was soon busy with his notebook as Dan Smith replaced Taylor on 78 and Mark Beesley came on for Crow on 82. Prompted by Holroyd's pace, a dimension which United had hitherto been lacking, the visitors began to dominate the final phase of the game against the tiring hosts, who withdrew Benjamin on 87 in favour of Andy Atkin.
Mainly thanks to the change in refs, five added minutes were indicated, and two minutes in came United's golden chance to snatch three barely deserved points. Paul Carden's ball over the top sent Willmott racing down the centre, no defenders near enough to challenge, and with just Knowles to beat and already going down as he advanced, the U's winger prodded a deeply underwhelming shot straight at him when it looked almost easier to score. Holroyd and Beesley tried to pounce on the rebound but were eventually crowded out. What a costly miss.
Still United pressed, and from a Willmott corner Hatswell flung himself into a diving header which fizzed just the wrong side of the post, then in a frantic finale Enver-Marum broke away up the other end but was blocked off by Coakley at the expense of a corner. Surprisingly, the hosts withdrew the former U's man in favour of defender Ollie Rowe before it could be taken, a rather negative move so late in the game.
Then it was all over, and the old proverb about swings and roundabouts had been proved again; a late undeserved winner on Tuesday, a missed chance for something similar on the Saturday. This United team is still not firing on all cylinders, or even half of them at times, with the wingers flitting in and out of the game too much and not enough being created for the front men to work with.
Once again the brightest spots had been the performances of the younger players, McAuley, Ives and Coakley, while the not-much-older Saah had been outstanding. Greater challenges now await; time for certain players to step up to the plate and deliver what they have thus far this term conspicuously failed to do with any consistency. We do not want our football season to be over before the seaside season even starts…
Statto Corner
Ben Austin's own goal was the first for United this season. In fact it was only the sixth in favour of the U's in league matches in the last ten seasons, with one per season except for the blank 2004-05 and 2000-01 through to 2002-03.
Since 1970, the largest number of league own goals scored for United in one season has been three, on nine separate occasions: 1974-75, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1984-85, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1996-97 and 1999-2000.
The only player to have scored more than one own goal for the U's is Mark Hotte. He got his first, the winner while playing for Scarborough in their 2-1 FA Cup defeat at the Abbey on 26th November 2002, and repeated the trick while playing for York in their 2-0 home defeat on 14th April 2006.
There have been two occasions on which two opposition players have scored for the U's in the same game. The first, on 26th April 1975, saw own goals by David Munks and Len Bond in their 4-1 defeat of Exeter at St James Park, and the second, on 3rd January 1977, saw Pat Kruse and Ken Sandercock both put the ball into their own net in a 2-2 draw at Torquay. Kruse's o.g. is famously the fastest own goal ever in this country, scored within six seconds of the kick-off.
Two own-goal scorers have gone on to play for the U's: Richard Key and Dave Thompson, whose 116th minute own goal was the winner in an FA Cup Fourth Round Replay victory over Millwall in January 1990. Only one ex-U has subsequently scored for them while playing for someone else: Matt Bloomer of Boston, the winner in United's 3-2 FA Cup win at the Staffsmart Stadium in October 2008.
Liam Marum signed for United from Reading in August 2006 and made his debut in a 2-0 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge, starting in midfield then dropping back to fill in at full-back when Tommy Jaszczun was sent off. In eight starts plus ten as sub he scored three goals, against Burton, Aldershot and Altrincham. He made his last appearance on New Year's Day 2007 in a 1-0 defeat at Kidderminster and since then has faced the U's four times for Woking without scoring.
Player Ratings
Potter 7. Left exposed by his defence for both goals and made one superb save in the second half.
McAuley 8. Another excellent performance, cool on the ball, accurate of pass and solid in defence. Mr Gleeson has competition.
Coakley 7. Filled in splendidly for Tonkin, caught out only once in allowing Taylor to cross for Eastbourne's second goal.
Saah 8. Mr Cool.
Hatswell 6. Really poor defending to let Enver-Marum in for his goal, although did his best to atone with some good attacking headers at the other end.
Willmott 6. His set pieces created both United goals, but he is still conceding possession far too easily and his miss near the end effectively cost his team two points.
Carden 7. Solid, unfussy effort in the engine room.
Ives 7. Did a fine job on his league debut and deserved to stay on for the full ninety.
Pitt 6. As in-and-out as his colleague on the opposite wing.
Crow 6. Plenty of effort, nowhere near scoring a goal, not helped by a fairly mediocre service.
Phillips 6. See Crow.
Reason 6. Unobtrusive but competent.
Holroyd 7. Easily looked like United's dangerous front man with pace and awareness his team-mates simply do not have.
Beesley 5. Brief cameo, struggled to get into the pace of the game.
Match Summary
A glaring injury-time miss by Robbie Willmott cost United two valuable points in a rain-lashed struggle at Eastbourne which exposed more leaks in their defence but was again enlivened by the performances of their youngsters. Different starting line-up, same old problems.
Man of the Match
Brian Saah. An inspirational presence at the back and starting to weigh in with a good contribution of goals, too.
Ref Watch
Jerden 6. Made a few random decisions, but no major rickets.
Mackay 7. Stand-in did a good, steady job.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
"It was a great match. But we didn't win."' (Jane Gillett)
Soundtrack of the Day
Richard Hawley 'Open Up Your Door'
Parky's Pick of the Pops
Andy Parkinson lends an ear to the Priory Lane sounds. "All right, lads and lasses? My Great-Uncle Nobby used to be the DJ at his local Working Men's Club back in the olden days and he spent so much chatting on the mic, with a mixture of dedications and blue jokes, that he hardly had time to play any music! He should have been a comedian, but he was a bit hard to understand on account of losing all his teeth 'cos of eating too much candy floss when he was a lad.
"Anyways, I was reminded of Nobby today by the Eastbourne PA man, who spent so much time talking he didn't have much time to play music! His choice of Bob Marley's 'Sun Is Shining' was pretty humorous, like, but if I never hear Paula Abdul or Sixpence None The Richer again I'll be pretty made up, know what I mean? I do like that Moloko's 'Sing It Back' though - that video with the sparkly mini-dress, eh lads? Overall, though, the PPP verdict's got to be 3/10. Never walk alone!"
Andrew Bennett
Andrew's previous match reports
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