Albion sink EP with injury-time strike

“I’ve not told the boys this, but I don’t think they realise how close they came to beating a professional side tonight” was EP boss Dominic Di Paola’s assessment of the game, and it was on the money.

The chilly weather kept a larger crowd away but those who did turn up saw a very entertaining affair. It nearly started in the worst possible way as Brennan Dickenson’s cross nearly found its way past Ben Rose via Jordan Clark’s attempted clearance after just nine minutes, but this was Clark’s only slip in a very assured 90 minutes.

From that point EP dominated for 20 minutes with Richard Hudson having plenty of joy on the right wing, twice evading three defenders but seeing his goal-bound shots saved.

The opening goal came after 34 minutes from the boot of former EP player Charlie Oatway direct from a corner, a goal that a flapping Rose would not have been happy with.

Clark had a chance of his own making to level on 41 minutes as he robbed a defender only to blaze his effort over the bar when a little more composure was all that was required.

Albion went into to break two goals to the good, however, from another corner, this time a training ground routine which ended up with Solly March beating Rose at his near post from 20 yards. It could have been worse for EP had Alex Duncan not blocked Torbjorn Agdestein’s shot in the third minute of stoppage time.

The second period began with EP in the ascendancy and Joe Shelley pulled one back after 50 minutes as he put pressure on Yaser Kasim and then calmly slotted home beyond Grant Smith.

Brighton were reduced to 10 men after some argy-bargy between Duncan and March resulted in the latter receiving his marching orders on 69 minutes for raising his hands and to the delight of headline writers’ everywhere.

The comeback was complete in the 86th minute as Duncan ghosted into the Brighton box to tap home from close range after Albion failed to clear a Hudson free kick.

Albion won the game in the 91st minute in spectacular style through Dickenson. A long ball was allowed to bounce but EP looked to have the situation under control only for the striker to lob Rose while falling over from 25 yards, with the keeper in no man’s land.

Di Paola said after the game: “I thought we did really well but we gave ourselves a mountain to climb by conceding two sloppy goals early on.

“I can’t fault anyone but I’m gutted because it was a great opportunity for us.”

EAST PRESTON: Rose; Duncan, Pullan, Elliott, Axell; Hudson, Clark, Foreman, Shelley, Boddy; Grantham. Subs: O’Hagan (Pullan 18), Turner (Grantham 75), Rhodes (Foreman 77), Edwards, O’Brien.