Finishing touch eludes Bexhill

Allan McMinigal struck the crossbar for Bexhill United during their goalless draw away to Haywards Heath Town on Saturday. Picture courtesy Mark Killy

The Pirates just lacked the finishing touch their overall superiority merited in their first Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two goalless draw since the August Bank Holiday Monday.

Bexhill manager Marc Munday said: “To be honest it was probably our most dominant performance of the whole season other than putting the ball in the back of the net. All we could’ve done differently was score.”

Munday’s side enjoyed the benefit of the wind during the first half in its first game since the 3-0 victory at Steyning Town on Valentine’s Day.

Bexhill’s midfield was in dominant form, with the central pairing of Jack Aston and Josh Elliott-Noye seemingly winning every first and second ball.

The visitors earned seven corners during the opening 45 minutes and won the first header from pretty much all of them without managing to break through. Andy Atkin headed against the crossbar from one of them.

Mid-table Heath, who scored a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw in November’s reverse fixture, enjoyed a good 8-10 minute spell during the second half, although Bexhill’s back line dealt comfortably with anything which came in its direction.

Bexhill’s best chance to win it fell to Allan McMinigal. The left-sided player slid in to meet a ball fired across goal at pace, but the ball seemed to take a slight bobble as it got to him and hit his knee before popping up onto the crossbar.

Other opportunities fell to the likes of Chris Cumming-Bart and Atkin, but it wasn’t to be for Bexhill on their first visit to Hanbury Park since losing the Sussex Division Two Challenge Cup final to Loxwood last May.

Munday introduced Josh Pickering as a second half substitute having been impressed by the youngster in the reserves of late and Pickering looked competent on his senior debut for the club.

“It was a goal away from being a rout,” added Munday. “Maybe our final pass or decision-making wasn’t quite right, but we were first to absolutely everything and we weren’t threatened at the back. We couldn’t have done much more.”

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