Bexhill halt losing run

Andy Atkin made a goalscoring return for Bexhill United in the 3-0 win at Steyning Town on Saturday. Picture courtesy Jon Smalldon

Goals in the last 10 minutes from Jacob Shelton and Chris Cumming-Bart after Andy Atkin’s first half opener gave the Pirates a fully deserved 3-0 victory at Steyning Town.

Bexhill manager Marc Munday said: “It was really pleasing. We got the reaction I needed and it was a really good team performance. Three goals and it should’ve been seven or eight really with the one-on-ones we’ve had.

“I’m really pleased with the amount of chances we created and how solid we looked. It was a solid, hard-working performance and the right result. That 3-0 didn’t flatter us at all. It was one of the best performances of the year.”

Boosted by the return of Atkin and Scott McDonald up-front, Bexhill produced a good team performance in their latest Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two fixture.

Atkin was denied by Steyning goalkeeper Aaron Jeal from a one-on-one situation, but made no mistake second time around as he gave Bexhill a 14th minute lead.

Allan McMinigal and Cumming-Bart were also thwarted by Jeal in similar situations, while Bexhill goalkeeper Yankuba Camara was in dominant form at the other end.

On a pitch which cut up quite badly, Bexhill continued to hold sway during the second half, but despite all their possession, chances went begging and they had to wait for a second goal to kill the game off.

It was no surprise when the goal did arrive, though. Shelton latched on to a throughball and struck a shot which went through Jeal into the net for his first goal since returning to the club recently.

Cumming-Bart was rewarded for a fantastic display with a shot which looped over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net to make it 3-0.

Munday also praised the contribution of Atkin and McDonald. “It makes a massive difference when you’ve got the likes of Andy and Scott back, and all the lads seemed to react to that,” he added. “Maybe their input made everyone else raise their game.”

Bexhill: Camara; Cooper, G. Aston, Cruikshank, Ottley; McMinigal (Wheeler), J. Aston, Elliott-Noye (J. Clifford), Cumming-Bart, McDonald, Atkin (Shelton).

S tandings (played-points): 1 Worthing United 21-45, 2 Wick & Barnham United 19-45, 3 AFC Uckfield Town 21-42, 4 BEXHILL UNITED 23-42, 5 Mile Oak 20-34, 6 LITTLE COMMON 23-33, 7 Midhurst & Easebourne 21-32, 8 Oakwood 16-30, 9 Haywards Heath Town 21-29, 10 Steyning Town 19-26, 11 Rustington 21-26, 12 WESTFIELD 23-25, 13 Saltdean United 21-19, 14 Storrington 23-16, 15 Seaford Town 24-0.