Bexhill the victims of cup upset

Once again it was a tale of what might have been for the Polegrove outfit as missed chances and ill-fortune conspired against them.

East Sussex Division Two outfit Tackleway won 5-4 on penalties after the second round tie had finished 1-1 after extra time.

Tackleway took the lead from a 40-yard indirect free kick which came back off the crossbar and was tapped home by Joe O'Gorman.

United woke up and pressurised the home side for the remainder of the game. But chance after chance went begging and it wasn't until the second half that they equalised through Conrad Sparkes.

The second goal eluded them though during the remainder of normal and extra time as Tackleway battled well to the final whistle.

The penalty shoot-out went with the home side. Five excellent penalties and a good save by the Tackleway keeper from captain Benjie Symes' strike saw the East Sussex Division Two side into the next round.

A disappointed Len Watkins could only look on in despair. He commented: "I suppose it was a bit embarrassing. Three or four players played well below the standard that I would expect or accept. We did, however, squander eight clear cut goalscoring chances and at the end of the day that is the reason we are out of the cup. It was one of those games where we just couldn't score. There was never a doubt in my mind that we would win that game but the finishing was dreadful."

Bexhill take on Ifield Edwards at the Polegrove in the first round of the Sussex League Division Three Challenge Cup on Saturday November 1.