Eastbourne United hit eight to continue flying start to SCFL season
Eastbourne United have had a good week.
Another wins and a secret ambition (more of that later) fulfilled, not to mention being top of the early table.
On Saturday (in a hurricane at times), Lancing were beaten 3-1 by their visitors – and Bexhill must have arrived at the Oval with some foreboding on Monday.
It was justified as Joe Overy took precisely 31 seconds to open the scoring, slotting into the bottom corner. The challenge was on and Callum Barlow tested the keeper before James Hull made a run to the far post to score, only to have it ruled offside.
United kept probing the Bexhill defence, but they held firm against the onslaught, and on the half hour, a cross came in, Alieu Secka was adjudged to have fouled, and it was a penalty to Bexhill, but it was smashed over the bar.
United stepped up their efforts and on 35 minutes Charlie Ball, making his 250th appearance for the club, rounded the right back and slotted home for 2-0.
Bexhill made it 2-1 with 40 minutes gone. United went straight back up the other end, Rhyle Ovenden setting up Charlie Ball for his second, and United’s third. Ball and Ovenden both went close before the break, but on the stroke of half-time, Ball set up Barlow to make it 4-1.
The second half started with more of the same. Less than 30 seconds in, Barlow made it 5-1 and Bexhill were fearing the worst. United dominated, but in a rare foray forward, Bexhill made it 5-2, a sign for EUFC boss Anthony Storey to ring the changes as James Stone replaced Barlow.
It only took a few minutes for Ball to make it a hat-trick, galloping through the offside trap to slot home. Baran Kartal replaced James Hull as the pressure stayed on.
Stone narrowly missed from Ovenden’s corner before the subs combined to set up Ball for his fourth, and it was seven for United.
In the dying minutes, Ball rounded the defence, and with the goal beckoning, selflessly pulled the ball back to Stone, who made it 8-2.
The referee called time and United celebrated in style, leaving Bexhill to lick their wounds. Oh, and that “secret” ambition? It is now a full year since Eastbourne United lost a league game at the Oval.
This weekend United travel to Guernsey for what is sure to be a stern test of their ambitions before coming back to the Oval on Tuesday for a Sussex Senior Cup tie against in-form AFC Varndeanians.