It’s getting to the time of the year where you need to have a back up 3G game just in case of failed pitch inspections and the wet weather that has already begun to make its mark.
Despite overnight Friday rain there was a lack of the dreaded PI words all across Twitter, the weather apps though unable to make up their minds to the state of play across the day, the thick coat making its way into the back of the car.
I had already decided on heading to Billingshurst a couple of weeks ago, namely, to present their opponents Seaford Town with their Team of the Month award for September. For those of you regular readers you will know in the summer I had help setting up a website for Sussex non-league football, www.thesnlf.co.uk.
The content below was originally paywalled.
And we’ve got a sponsored award for each month with ourselves choosing the four weekly winners then opening up a poll on Twitter for everyone to vote and decide for themselves.
Rain doesn’t suit the Hurst pitch very well and upon arrival it did look pretty heavy and the hope of not too much more rain or we might not get a full 90 minutes in, on paper a great contest in prospect, third versus first in the Southern Combination Division One.
The pitch certainly was sticky but it didn’t stop both sides from wanting to play football at very opportunity, the ball still rolling across the surface nicely with that extra zip.
The opening minutes were all from the home side with Town not getting much possession, the first goal coming against the run of play at that time. A superb ball into the Hurst box found Callum Connor who finished nicely to put the visitors in front on six minutes.
That goal certainly knocked the hosts who had looked promising in the opening five minutes and the visitors seemed to click into gear having taken the lead.
They doubled that advantage on 20 minutes, a header from a Hurst defender dropped right onto the toe of Hayden Beaconsfield who fired home.
Whilst the visitors were seemingly on top, you can’t rest on your laurels at any level and Billingshurst were back in the game on 28 minutes. A slip from a Town defender as the ball was crossed into the box found Jack Sizzey-Carter who still had some work to do before firing across the keeper and finding the back of the net.
That comeback was short lived however as just three minutes later Alex Saunders unleashed a peach of an effort from fully 25 yards out to restore the two goal advantage.
Ten minutes before half time Tyler Capon was sent racing clear of the Hurst back line and finished with aplomb past Josh Measor to give the visitors a 4-1 half time lead.
Hurst needed to come out strong and with the aid of two substitutions tried to search out a way back into the match, Town happy to play on the counter attack defending a sizeable lead.
Just past the hour mark the visitors were awarded a penalty, contested by the Hurst players, agreed with by the Hurst supporters to my right. Connor’s penalty was superbly saved by Measor as was the rebound, but Beaconsfield put away the final loose ball for his second of the afternoon.
The icing on the cake was added three minutes from time, substitute Josh Wright put clean through, rounded the keeper to slot home to put an emphatic look on the scoreline at full time.
Whilst the result makes it look like one way traffic, Hurst were the stronger side kicking off both halves, but couldn’t turn enough into goals at either point. Town certainly scored at the right times in the first half which set the tone for the win, very lethal in front of goal.
The amount of football both sides played was excellent, the conditions weren’t really set for it but that certainly didn’t deter either of them and it was really good to see.
Town as I’ve already witnessed this season have some firepower in their side and having brought back Capon from Bexhill Utd after his departure in the summer has given Paul Wise a very strong front line.
On this showing, both sides should comfortably feature in the top five, Town three points clear at the top but there was enough to see from the hosts that they aren’t in that mix by accident and they won’t come up against that kind of firepower every week.
The rain pretty much held off for most of the afternoon, one huge shower within the first half had most of us heading for the covered stand but we completed the game without too much drama.
