Given the week of rain we have had it was something that this match could take place. If we can do the same next season back at The Lair then the drainage works will have been very successful. The pitch was always going to make it difficult to play flowing football with a strip about five yards or so wide along the dugout side being the most pudding-like. When you grab a late equaliser in a match, you leave happy having gained a point from nothing but for the second time this season that was Bexhill United not us as it ended 1-1 following our 3-3 draw down on the coast.

The first half will not stay long in people’s memories as it contained a lot of endeavour but few real chances. The Lingers created the first half chance on 3mins with Phil Page – making his first start for us – in possession on the left and playing in Josh McArthur Nolan but when shooting the ball spun off his foot and behind. A minute later our December Player of the Month Stephen Hodge played in McArthur Nolan again but he was challenged and it went out for a goal kick. Bexhill United had a clear chance from a break down the left and a ball into the six yard box that their forward could only hook the ball over the bar. Both sides traded free kicks in the next couple of minutes as Bexhill hit theirs long and out, and Toby Hill delivered ours into the box from the left but it was cleared. On 11mins the Bexhill keeper came out to clear the ball but it fell to Page in the centre circle who took the chance to lob the keeper and it was only just over the bar.

Bexhill had a shot from the edge of box on 13mins but it was way wide of the goal. Louis Gates won the ball on the right and surged forward. He shifted the ball onto Jay Simpson who in turn fed Richie Wetton for a shot that was deflected for a corner. Hodge drove through the centre and played in Wetton with the ball going out for a corner. These corners were not producing any chances for us so far. On 22mins Hill had a good shot from a central position that only just went wide of the right post. A corner on 26mins saw Page get his head to the ball but could not direct it on goal. Gates was putting in a good shift on the right and made enough space for a shot that drew a save from their keeper. On the half hour George Branton got on the end of a corner and saw the ball fall to Page, who leaned back as he shot sending the ball over the bar. The chance of the half came on 36mins as Hill won the ball on the left side, played it to Simpson for him to drive forward and set up Page for a shot. The ball hit the left post. Wetton took a direct free kick from a central position in their half but the ball was rising as soon as it left his boot. Our defence was holding firm and on 39mins Tyrone Magala-Bryan covered a forward run and shielded the ball back to keeper Jack Glassborrow. With a couple of minutes to go Bexhill put a ball across our six yard box from the right but there was nobody there to connect with it so it went out for a throw. Goalless at half time.

Gates made a sharp start to the second half with a shot over the bar from the right in the first minute. He followed this up with a cross that went through their box as nobody could get on the end of it. On 49mins had a shot from the left that was blocked and sent behind for a corner. Glassborrow – making his fifth start while Jack Webb-Olley serves a suspension for accruing too many yellow cards – came and claimed the corner. Gates continued his good work on the right and played in Page for a shot but he could not keep it down. On 55mins the ball was won on halfway and with McArthur Nolan away down the right for a foot race with their left back but the ball ran out for a goal kick. A minute later, Branton cleared a goal kick to McArthur Nolan in the centre who played a good ball to Wetton. He shot from the right side but wide of the left post. Having been picked out to be man-marked all afternoon, Simpson got clear with the ball on the left, cut in along the bye line towards to the box and looked to be clearly pushed down but no free kick resulted.

Just past the hour The Lingers hit the woodwork again as Page headed a cross on to Hill but his shot clipped off the top of the bar. The lads were pushing to break the deadlock and on 62mins David Heaton chased back to win the ball and feed it out to Gates on the right. He played it to McArthur Nolan to break into the box but the ball spun off his boot when shooting in the muddy conditions. Time for a change as Jason Stripp came on for Page on 67mins. Simpson chalked up our third hit on the woodwork with his shot hitting a post. A combination of Simpson playing in Gates to cross won a corner. Simpson delivered the corner that was scrambled off the line but hit a Linger on the way out to result in a goal kick. A corner on 72mins delivered flat from the right by Heaton was turned in by Branton and we had the lead at last. On 78mins Bexhill had possession in our box but put their shot over the bar. Our defence was holding firm as Hodge chased back to tackle and clear the ball. A double change on 81mins as McArthur Nolan made way for Ellis Newbold and Hill was replaced by Rhyan Ramsay. A couple of minutes later Gates fired in a shot from a central position that shaved the right post. With the clock ticking towards 90 minutes, Bexhill had a good chance that was put out for a corner. From the resulting corner in working to clear the ball Magala-Bryan went into to a robust 50:50 challenge in the D and won the ball. However, as often happens one player came off worse and the Bexhill player hit the ground. This persuaded the referee that there had been a foul and gave a free kick to Bexhill.

There is no argument that the kick was well taken as it curled round the wall and in off the right post to make it 1-1 on 86mins. Having seen two points taken away it was important to hold on for one and be thankful that a free kick on the left for Bexhill ended with a soft shot easily fielded by Glassborrow. In the first minute of added time Simpson and Newbold combined on the left to create an opportunity for Gates but his shot went over the bar. Then with three additional minutes played Simpson was subjected to a terrible tackle that had red card all over it. There were a few open mouths as the referee produced a yellow card. Reckless? Endangering an opponent? Stripp took the free kick with a good delivery but too close to the keeper. After all his good work, Gates was feeling a strain so was replaced by Toby Allen as the game came to a close and 1-1 it was.

I do not think many would argue that we were not worth the win and see this as a chance to keep in touch with the top nine missed. Again, the result has not done too much damage as The Lingers remain in tenth place and the gap to ninth, now Midhurst & Easebourne with Eastbourne United having won, is now eight points. We still have the fourth best 6 game form on FA Full Time and really need to turn this into a win at the Withdean on Saturday. Man of the Match was a difficult one today as there were some great performances but it goes to George Branton for his work in defence and scoring our goal.