First win well worth the wait

IT MAY have been a long time in coming but when it finally did arrive Bexhill United's first win of the Sussex Division Three season was worth the wait. Well almost at any rate.

Billy Trivett's charges, at the fourth time of asking, produced the sort of football many, none more so than themselves, expected at the start of the campaign.

And at both ends of the pitch too with a defensive shut out matching a splendid hat-trick from McPherson & Partners man of the match Dave Carey.

"That was just what the doctor ordered," said manager Billy Trivett. "Our main priority was to keep a clean sheet and that was the most pleasing thing. We never looked like conceding a goal and we looked like a very organised team. We defended as a team, that was the main difference, rather than relying on our defenders."

And the defensive side of things is what Trivett is focusing on more than anything else because, with the attack-minded players they possess in the team, they shouldn't be short of goals at the other.

And so it proved on Saturday as Carey nabbed a hat-trick in the final half hour after Darren Witham had shot through a forest of legs in the penalty box after 24 minutes.

"It was a huge relief when the first goal went in," continued Trivett. "And you could sense the relief amongst the team. We could have been 2-0 up in the first five minutes and we spent the rest of the game in that sort of mood.

"But it was very controlled, we didn't go chasing the game and our chairman Dave Harris said that was the best performance from a Bexhill side since he's been involved with the club.

"There was possibly a little bit in the home surroundings. I think we thought we're not going to let anyone come down here and have an easy ride and I think perhaps we learnt lessons from the previous weeks when perhaps we expected to win because of the players we had here."

Bexhill: Martin, Antink, Anderson, T. Funnell, Mote, Witham, Thompson, M. Funnell, Tate, D. Carey, Hesmer. Subs not used: Storrs, White, Dolva.

The seconds of United still prop up the table in Reserve Section East following a 4-3 defeat away to a Peacehaven & Telscombe side they "could and should have beaten" according to manager Chas Tibbutt.

Six of the goals came in the first half which United ended 4-2 down as defensive errors cost Bexhill after they had opened up a 2-1 lead within the first quarter. Andy Matthews, who scored the first and third goals either side of a Greg Collingham effort, was the McPherson & Partners man of the match. United entertain Wealden from 4.15pm tomorrow (Saturday).