Eastbourne United (1) 2 Cooper 32, Dalloway 55
Tunbridge Wells (0) 1 Bankole 73
Attendance: 219
Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: £1
Mileage: 71/1,497
New Ground: 292
From all accounts, Saturday's 1-1 at Culverden represented a fair result over the course of the 90 minutes and so it was that the two sides re-assembled at The Oval, just back from the front at the gentile seaside town of Eastbourne. This was my first visit to Eastbourne United and arrived to find the small car park already full but lucky to find a spot just 50 yards down the road. Inside the stadium there were two covered enclosures, one a terrace that was quickly inhabited by the Tunbridge Wells travelling faithful and a stand seating 113 people.
This season, the Football Association have also legislated that there would be seven substitutes available to the manager, something else that is going to be onerous for clubs in the early stages of the competition. Credit to Eastbourne that they were able to, at least, name their full complement whilst Tunbridge Wells were only able to name four, one of which was a goalkeeper of, shall we say, advancing years and Alfie Hall, who, it was understood, was unlikely to be used due to injury.
The warmth of a pleasant August day had turned very slightly chilly as the game kicked off. Within two minutes, the visitors had the ball in the net via an Ollie Cooke header but the referee adjudged that there had been a push involved and the goal was chalked off.
Peter Cooper served notice as United's danger man when his header drifted wide from a free kick as the home side began to assert their authority on the game.
Just after the half-hour mark, one of the ugliest but most effective ploys in football, route one, undid the Wells' back line as the ball over the top was seized upon by Cooper who slid it past the advancing Steve Lawrence. In fairness, it was no more than Eastbourne deserved.
Little changed in the opening moments of the second period with the Sussex going close eight minutes in, denied by a goal line saving clearance by Jake Hampson.
It was brief respite for Tunbridge Wells though, as two minutes later, a superb pass out to the right wing allowed Scott Chamberlain, in acres of space, to pass across the face of goal for Steve Dallaway to slide the ball home from close range.
The deficit prompted the visiting coaching staff to make a tactical change and push Ryan Crandley forward. Personally, I thought it could have been done before they went two down as Richard Atkins was getting little change out of a giant central pairing.
Tunbridge Wells immediately looked more dangerous and a pass from Tom Lawrence just begged a touch in front goal.
With 17 minutes remaining, Bankole scrambled the ball home at the near post and Tunbridge Wells were offered a lifeline.
As the Wells pressed on for an equaliser, the long ball tactic sent Dallaway clear but he made a hash of his shot pulling it wide. A shot from Atkins was deflected wide and from the resultant corner, the big striker headed wide as time ebbed away.
A poor challenge from Eastbourne substitute, Danny Andrews, brought a straight red from the referee but, despite the man advantage, time was the enemy and eventually the referee called an end to Tunbridge Wells' FA Cup campaign for another season.
The disappointment can be quickly put to bed as there is, literally, a whole season to play for, starting on Friday with the first Southern Counties East League match at home to Corinthian.
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