Storm plays its part as Bexhill United and Lancing share spoils
The arrival of storm conditions in the run-up to Saturday's game between Bexhill United and Lancing had threatened the fixture – but an early morning pitch inspection, during a brief respite from the wind and rain, meant the game was on.
By the time kick-off approached the storm was back with a vengeance with a fierce wind howling across the pitch and as the players ran out the hardcore fans who had chosen to brave the conditions huddled together under the shelter of the historic Polegrove grand stand.
This was classic English football weather conditions and as the DJ spun Hallowe’en tunes, and the gale howled around the rafters, it was like something out of a Hammer Horror movie rather than a routine Southern Combination league fixture.
Bexhill started strongly, coming close with a couple of efforts within the first five minutes but it was Lancing who had the benefit of the wind in the first half as it whipped across the pitch towards the Brockley Road end. It was a more decisive factor on the game than the torrential rain. And Lancing capitalised on it.
On 13 minutes they forced the pace down Bexhill’s right flank and the Lancers striker Szymon Kowalczyk was first to the ball in the box and knocked it past Finn Holter into the net. Nine minutes later they doubled the lead when William McKay won a strong tackle and set up Gabe Robinson.
On 34 minutes Holter was called upon to make a fine save to keep the arrears down to two and that’s how it remained when the teams went into the break.
With the wind now to Bexhill’s advantage they set about clawing their way back into the match with real purpose. Five minutes in, Elliot Dailly in the Lancers goal was in the thick of it, pushing a shot away as Bexhill mounted wave after wave of attacks with the wind holding the ball up and pushing it forwards.
But Bexhill would have to be patient. It wasn’t until the 74th minute that Theo Coombs surged forward and found enough space to get his shot away – which he drilled into the bottom corner. It was all Pirates now and with the Lancing defence forced back both Shonk and Donaldson were agonisingly close to levelling things up.
On 85 minutes Shonk swung in the latest in a succession of corners and it was Coombs again who rose magnificently to place his header past the keeper.
The final few minutes were a rain-soaked frenzy and Shonk came within a couple of inches of nicking all three points at the death with the keeper beaten all ends up.
At the final whistle Coombs took the player of the match award after a combative performance capped off with two goals.
Bexhill’s next league action seed them fly to Guernsey at the weekend.