Bexhill boss criticises Polegrove pitch

Bexhill United Football Club manager Marc Munday has criticised the condition of The Polegrove pitch.
Kevin Barden on the ball for Bexhill United during their 1-1 draw at home to Mile Oak last weekend. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-150919-194256002)Kevin Barden on the ball for Bexhill United during their 1-1 draw at home to Mile Oak last weekend. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-150919-194256002)
Kevin Barden on the ball for Bexhill United during their 1-1 draw at home to Mile Oak last weekend. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-150919-194256002)

Bexhill’s opening home game of the season against Mile Oak on Saturday was briefly halted at one point while a hole was filled in, and the uneven surface and long grass made life difficult for the players.

Munday said: “That’s by a long shot the worst surface in the whole league and I believe the game was nearly abandoned when the referee was finding potholes in it.

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“It shouldn’t be like that first game of the season and it’s embarrassing when teams come up to you and they’re saying the same thing.

“Our boys can play properly on a proper surface, but we’re not given the opportunity to play football at The Polegrove.”

Bexhill hire the facility - which is used by Bexhill Cricket Club during the summer months - off landowner Rother District Council, who they also pay a fee per game to lock the ground’s perimeter gates. On Saturday, however, the gates were left unlocked and the club believed it lost out on some admission revenue as a result.

A spokesman for Rother District Council said: “We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the club. We have spoken to the contractor and have asked that measures are put in place to address the issues raised by the club and ensure the gates are locked in future on match days.

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“Exceptionally heavy rain last week led to the contractor being unable to fully tender the ground as per the specification requirements.”

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