East Sussex League

Premier Division

Saturday 5th November 2022

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.28

Bexhill Town 3 Rye Town 2, attendance 30

7’ 1-0

12’ 1-1

48’ 2-1

74’ 3-1

90’ + 3, 3-2

@ Bexhill College Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Penland Road

Bexhill-on-Sea

TN40 2JG

No Admission or Programme.

With the amount of rain we’ve had in the South East over the last 24 hours or so, I played it safe and went for a 3G option today, completing the top division of the East Sussex League in the process. It was a decent game too, as 2nd (P6, W5, L1) in the league table hosted 1st (P5, W5). They also met in the Challenge Cup last week, which ended in a 2-0 win for Rye.

A flicked on header sent a striker clear to put Bexhill ahead with a one on one finish seven minutes in, but Rye levelled within five minutes, heading in at the near post from a cross on the right. Three minutes into the second half Bexhill went back in front, beating the offside trap before the cross was controlled and finished with a shot into the far corner of the net. The killer third goal for the hosts made it safe, when the ‘keeper was beaten by a 25 yard diagonal free kick that he appeared to think was going to go past the far post, as he made no attempt to react to it until it was too late. Three minutes into stoppage time Rye pulled a goal back, tapping in from close range after the ‘keeper spilled a cross, but it was too late to save their unbeaten start to the season.

Oddly, I need another Bexhill College ground to complete the entire league now, the Gunters Lane home of Division 2 side Bexhill Rovers.