A quick turn around from sunday's loss for the boys with a midweek game in our re-arranged match away to Buxted.

The East Sussex sunshine was there to greet us at a very nice ground that Buxted play out of. Despite rushing from work and school, the boys seemed up for the match.

Another shuffle around with the team today due to availability, injuries and returns. Oliver came back in goal for us while Charlie, Ethan, Toby and Dean finished the back line. Lewis G came into the midfield and slotted in down the right while Cam, Stan and Kieron kept their places across the middle. Stephen pushed further forward into the front two and was partnered up with Sam while Freddie O was our lone sub today.

The message was clear to the boys, Stay compact, work together and start strong and that was exactly what they did today. We won the ball back quickly down the left and with some great play between Dean, Kieron and Cam we fashioned our first chance with some neat passing between the 3 before Dean whipped in a brilliant cross to the far post that Lewis took down really well but just lashed at the finish. From here the game stepped up a gear with Buxted winning a corner and whipping in a brilliant delivery but Lewis was on the far post to block the ball off the line before sending us on the counter. Cam and Stan played it between them before sending the ball into Stephen who turned and played a great pass through to Sam. Sam held off his man before finishing brilliantly into the corner of the net to put us 0 - 1 up!

Just the start we needed but it was less than 3 minutes before we were pinned back. Some good play down their left side gave Buxted the chance to cross and Toby did really well to header the ball out for a corner but we struggled with the delivery and the ball in caused chaos before it was knocked over the line for 1-1.

A blistering start to the game and the level of intensity from both teams would not slow down! Both teams creating chances, both defending well with Dean getting another goal line clearance before Stephen hit the bar from a great effort outside the area. Lewis and Sam both had chances but Buxted's keeper stood strong and pulled off some great saves.

HT - BUXTED - 1 - TD - 1

At the half, the boys were confident and knew that they could get something from the game. They talked and let me know that they were happy with how we were set up and that we just needed to make a few adjustments in the final third and get that quality in the final deliveries.

We came out fast again and Sam, Kieron, Lewis and Stephen were giving the defenders a hard time with their press and physicality. Cam and Stan were sweeping up anything into the middle while Ethan, Toby, Charlie and Dean were defending really well! We came close to scoring with Sam hitting a shot goal bound but it was blocked and then dropped at Lewis's feet but a slight knock put him off balance and the ball went just over.

A few minutes later we went a goal down and some confusion along the back line dealing with a dodgy bounce gave the buxted winger the chance to run through late and beat the offside trap before finishing past Oliver. 2-1.

However this felt different, the boys head's didn't drop and from Kick off we won a corner. This time Stephen stepped up and put in a brilliant ball that Sam met sublimely with his head and directed it into the far corner to level the game. 2-2.

Buxted were rocked and we took the lead 45 seconds later. Winning the ball back from kick off, Kieron set off down the left before playing it into Sam who dribbled out to the right before hitting a 1-2 with Lewis and then sending in a wicked cross that Stephen met with a brilliant diving header that nestled into the back of the net for 2-3!

What a turn around for the boys and a brilliant show of what we can do! Now it was going to be a real battle to keep the lead.
About 5 minutes later, an off the ball altercation saw Buxted go down to 10 for 10 minutes with a sin bin and this seemed to gee up Buxted. They went on the front foot and pushed so many players forward and their persistance paid off when their winger made a run through, beating the offside trap and tried to go around Oliver but was caught and was awarded a penalty. While there was a bit of confusion as the offside flag was up, this was not the winger who was off so the penalty stood.

The Buxted defender stepped up and Oliver dived to his right and got a fantastic palm to the ball and then the rebound would be sent wide! Unbelievable save from Oliver and rightly so the boys were quick to mob him and celebrate with him.

The game seemed to fly by from here with both teams going toe to toe, physically competing across the pitch. We came close again through Sam, Kieron and Stephen however the keeper held strong again. Oliver pulled off a great stop too while Charlie and Dean put in some brilliant blocks. With a late challenge in the middle, Charlie had to come off with 10 plus added to go. This meant a shuffle so Cam dropped in at the back and Ethan moved into RB. Sam and Stephen both dropped into the middle and Freddie O went in up top. Fair play to Freddie as his first touch held the ball up before setting Kieron free down the left but he got absolutely cleared out but got right back up. Kieron was so unlucky with the run as he beat 3 players before a bounce flicked the ball up and his strike ended up in the keepers arms.

Buxted went with 4 up front for the last 5 minutes of the game and our boys set up so well with a block of 4 and 5 while building out on any ball that could get up to Freds. Stephen and Sam both went on brilliant runs that could of seen the game off but the tired legs saw the end product suffer.

Toby won a brilliant header under pressure and sent the ball out to Dean who sent another long ball down the line that Kieron and Stephen got onto. Stephen looked up and sent a ball through to Sam and Lewis but the defender got his head onto it for our corner and 40 seconds left of the game. The boys talked and Stephen sent another wicked ball into the box but the header went just wide.

The ball was sent forward however Cam met the ball in the air and sent it back before the final whistle was blown!

FT - BUXTED - 2 - TD - 3

Absolutely outstanding from every single one of the boys out there today from the first whistle to the final. They battled, they were vocal and they fought for each other out there and it is a brilliant win for them. That is a performance and result that has been long coming and they should all be extremely proud. Kept their cool when things got heated and delivered in the big moments in the game.

MOTM- SAM R - Sam was brilliant today, linking up well with Stephen and provided 2 brilliant goals and an assist but his off the ball work rate is second to none!