Lost 2-3
Scorers: Farrer, Hare
MoM: Farrer
DoD: Hare
With thanks to team sponsor MPil http://www.ideaworks.co.uk
On a cold a misty night at Polo Farm against a team that came from the east, some of the Pilgrims had a game that would end up haunting them.
High flyers Eastbourne came up against a strong Pilgrims side thats team sheet wouldn’t have looked out of place in the London premier league circa 2004.
Pilgrims got off to a good start with Eastbourne not being able to cope with the high press and the quick passing through the midfield. Creating a few exceptionally hard chances for the forward line to put away it was probably unrealistic for anyone to expect a goal to come from the opening that were made.
With the forwards and defenders getting each others memo about where the ball needs to end up, with a wonderful back post tap in Matt Ratcliff took the score to 1-0, shame it was in the wrong goal and Eastbourne lead. 2 more goals followed before half time and so the pilgrims were staring in the face of a humiliation infront of their own crowd.
A rousing team talk at half time and knowing that with such depths of fitness amongst the squad, legs were as fresh as ever, the comeback was always on.
Unlike in the first half, the umpires finally decided when there is a foul in the D it’s a short corner and with an actual drag flicker in the team unlike the usual scooper faz managed to get it back to 3-1.
The pilgrim’s hopes grew and as in the first half, if the chances for the forward line had been even half chances rather than just expecting the forwards to have to constantly score worldies then the score line could have looked differently.
Canterbury managed to pull another back with a few minutes to go but time was always against them and Eastbourne came away eventual winners.
Onwards to Old Willies next week.