MATCH REPORT: EASTBOURNE ATHLETIC

A first meeting of this season between the two teams promoted last season, ended in a familiar draw.

However the story of this game revolved around two absolute Worldy strikes from distance, a 3G pitch surface that was as unkempt as it possibly could be & a gale force wind that buffeted ears all game.

With a squad ravaged by illness, injuries & unavailability it was important that Rotherfield started well in a compact shape. The perfect start arrived when Lewis “raging bull” Bowen turned & let fly from 25 yards (22m for those who are younger than this reporter) with the ball arriving into the top corner after 4 minutes.

Both sides sparred but the loss of Charlie Cosser after only 10 minutes to an impact related knee injury from the unforgiving pitch meant a further reshuffle of resources for the visitors. 5 minutes later & the home side restored parity with a half volley strike from 30 yards (27m!) into the top corner.

Young Oscar then entered the match to make his debut in adult football when Connor Evans had to be withdrawn with another impact injury.

The work rate of the visitors players was highly commendable with the defence of King, Bowen, Ridley & Sutton needing to be on full alert given the possession percentage of Eastbourne.

All square at half time.

The second half was very similar to the first with the wind being the most influential player! The home side slowly took control of the match with some attacking substitutions to increase their threat but the level of resolution of Rotherfield was now turned up to max. Owen Ridley was very assured, surprising given his holiday of the last couple of weeks, Will Sutton was never beaten by his man, Craig King was solid offering a calm way out in possession whilst the raging bull was at his physical best showing a love of defending usually missing in centre forwards. One (of many) defensive header from Bowen was sensational.

In front of the defence the work rate of skipper Rich Holman & James Dunn was a joy to behold whilst young Jacob & Oskar Furman on the other side of midfield ran, ran, tackled, challenged & then ran some more. The vets legend that is Fothers was also not shy of a challenge whilst trying gainfully to provide an attacking threat but a diet of morsels was not conducive to feeding threat.

Goalkeeper Kieran Sumner was a calm presence at the back always trying to build possession, with sensible instructive chat to those in front of him. With 10 minutes remaining it was Sumner who saved brilliantly low to his right to deflect at full stretch a goal bound shot out for a corner.

In the time that remained the wind increased in strength & then the appalling pitch claimed another victim when Evans slipped on the tarmac surround just beyond the goal line to significantly graze a knee that resulted in his removal from the fray.

A very significant away point earned by a performance that characterised the strength of Rotherfield FC in that ego’s are left at home whilst everyone gives absolutely everything to try to get something from every game following implicitly the instructions from new manager James Bowen.

Squad: Sumner, King, Ridley, Cosser, Sutton, Jacob, Holman (c), Dunn, Evans, Fothergill, Bowen

Subs used Furman, Oscar