Down to the coast to have Eastbourne on Toast!

A mild day down by the coast brought a testing fixture for both sides. An unbeaten Blackheath team aiming to continue their destructive run through the league!

The game began slow as both teams started to get the pistons firing, some back and forth hockey lead to some impressive passages of play with great link up between the midfield and defence. Unfortunately an opposition pass cut through our midfield and lead to an Eastbourne attacker breaking into our D, in a mix up keeper James Kelly managed pop the ball up above his head for a tap in for the attacker. 1-0 Eastbourne.

BE we’re not disheartened and got stuck in, with skipper rob hughes controlling the ball around the back, an opportunity opened down the left channel with Chris Fowler making a darting run and slipping the ball inside to young gun Will Leverton, who with some slick stick work won a short corner. Short corner practise being put into play with James Clarke dragging into the goal to make it level, even if it did take a slight deflection a goal none the less! Game on!

The game continued and was end to end stuff leading up to half time! With great midfield chemistry from Lewis Lawrence and Fergus Catmur, and high pressing from our forwards. Whistle goes, half time, 1-1!

2nd half commences and almost immediately BE are caught napping giving away a short corner, Eastbourne fake a drag and place the ball into the back of our net, 2-1!

Some excellently threaded balls from Rikesh provide opportunities to attack the opposing end and again Leverton breaking into their D and chopping a gorgeous reverse pass/shot it could of been either into the line of Paddy Ferguson who deflected the ball past the keeper to bring things all square! Seems as though training pays off!

The game was really heating up now and getting very physical with youngster Fergus Nisbet picking himself up a green card. Eastbourne were firing on all cylinders now but were unable to break through a strong Blackheath defence being commanded by Ziggy Beesley. After some great defensive work we find our selves on the counter with Paddy driving to the baseline inside their D, with a big scramble at the goal mouth the ball was turned in by Marley Jones and we had the lead. Not the time to lose our heads now. As the game intensified further a bit collision in the middle of the park left Clarke sitting out with a yellow card! Another mention to James Kelly for not getting sent off after two foot tackling an Eastbourne attacker and getting nothing of the ball and all of the man!

Another counter attack opportunity came from myself winning the ball outside our D and bursting forward utilising Fowler who had ploughed forward on my right, I then screamed for the ball back top D where I foolishly took it to reverse and seeing my name in lights I chopped it about 4 miles over the bar, down Eastbourne high street and into the sea! Despite this we managed to hold out for the rest of the game and secured the 3 points!

A big win on the road and a big big 3 points for the boys who have got maximum points so far this season!

DOD for myself (Sam little) for a number of reasons but most for pretending that I was trying out a ritual stick and thinking of buying one, when it actual fact I had driven all the way to Eastbourne and not brought my stick with me so had to borrow one!

Man of the Match to Fergus Catmur, very solid and provided the team with strength in the midfield!