Peacehaven Win Again but Scoreline Flatters

but the 4-2 score line flattered the hosts after they made heavy weather of the match at times, especially when playing against ten men for half an hour.

The game started well for the home side with their usual sharpness out of the blocks. Three corners were won in the early minutes, with the third being capitalised upon by centre-back Craig Richards in the seventh minute with a firm drive.

Bay showed they were not here just to make up the numbers with an ambitious shot from the right flank that went just wide.

Haven were made to pay for some sloppy defending when on 20 minutes Bay forward Ben Brown caught Richards in possession on the edge of his own box. Through on goal, his shot was coolly slotted into the bottom corner to equalise.

Half way through the first half, a cross delivered into the Bay box was not cleared. Jamie Brotherton picked up the pieces and with a solid shot regained the advantage.

A minute before the break, a long ball over the top by Dan MacLaughlin was picked up by the hungry Brotherton, who did well to turn two defenders and then drive his shot across the despairing keeper for 3-1.

Early in the second half Ashley Jones had a good header saved, and MacLaughlin’s follow up shot was cleared off the line.

With the away bench feeling aggrieved at the referee’s every decision, matters came to a head on sixty minutes when Bay right-back Nathan Eastwood, went in a bit too strongly right under the referee’s nose, who had no choice but to give him an early bath.

Down to ten, Bay seemed invigorated whilst Haven lacked cohesion. An optimistic punt forward for Bay was latched onto by substitute Casey, whose effort was bundled into the goal by the unfortunate Jones to narrow the lead.

The home crowd grew anxious, as Bay pushed forward looking for the equaliser, and for a while Haven had lost their edge.

Just before the final whistle Haven’s two substitutes combined well to settle the contest. Good work on the right by the returning Wes Taite set up new signing Loyd Dawes to hammer home.

From the re-start, one final chance hit the bar which would have been cruel on Bay had it gone in.

By Michael Burnage