Bexhill triumph on FA Cup debut

Kevin Barden struck twice as Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One side Bexhill won 3-1 against Premier Division outfit Loxwood.

Bexhill manager Marc Munday said: “It was a brilliant result, but fully deserved. We played the better football, won the battle early on and I just think they thought they were going to walk over us. I think they took us too lightly and we dominated all over the pitch.”

Bexhill bossed the first half of an extra preliminary round match played at Eastbourne United AFC because Bexhill’s own ground at The Polegrove is still being used by Bexhill Cricket Club.

Chris Cumming-Bart hit the post with a rocket of a shot and Andy Atkin also went close shortly before Bexhill opened the scoring in the 40th minute. Barden found the net with a fantastic finish after a great bit of play from the home side.

Bexhill remained on the front foot at the start of the second half. After Atkin again wasn’t far away, Barden doubled the lead in the 55th minute by touching home a Chris Cumming-Bart ball at the far post.

Loxwood went down to 10 men midway through the half when a player was sent-off for a comment made to the referee, illustrating the frustration which had become clearly evident in the away camp.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Loxwood threw the kitchen sink at Bexhill during a dominant 10-minute spell. They pulled one back after Bexhill goalkeeper Yankuba Camara came for but didn’t get to a corner.

But Bexhill remained strong and carried on playing their football. Barden just missed out on a hat-trick before substitute Ben Phipps sealed the win with his first senior goal for the club at the end of an amazing solo run from Andy Garman.

Bexhill’s reward is a very welcome £1,500 from the FA’s prize fund and a preliminary round showdown at home to Faversham Town. A date and venue for the match are still to be confirmed, but it will be played on the weekend of Saturday August 29.

Bexhill: Camara; G. Aston, Cruikshank, Elliott-Noye, Ottley (N. Tudor); Garman, J. Aston, Woodward, Barden (Phipps); Cumming-Bart, Atkin. Subs not used: A. Tudor, Buay, Wheeler.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!