August 6, 2022
The opening round of the 2022/23 National League One South season saw a repeat of the last competitive match played at Court Place Farm as Eastbourne Borough made an immediate return visit to Oxford City after losing their promotion play-off match at the end of last season.
In a match between 5th and 6th played in front of a record crowd of 1,349 for a competitive match at Court Place Farm, Oxford City emerged victorious 2-0, thanks to goals from Elliot Benyon and George Harmon, neither of whom are still with the club. Oxford City then subsequently lost at Dorking Wanderers, who went on to successfully earn promotion to Conference National. With the dawn of the new season, both sides will be optimistically hoping to go one better than last time.
I have seen one previous encounter between these two sides, when they met in the 4th Qualifying Round of the 2008/09 FA Cup, when Conference League Eastbourne overcame Southern League opposition 1-0 in a very even match. My memory of the game was that the Eastbourne line-up that day included Ashley Barnes, on loan from Plymouth, who has since gone onto play over 200 games in the Premiership for Burnley, but was totally anonymous that day. However, there was a good reason for Barnes failing to make an impression, as checking the programme for the match he didn’t play ! Presumably Plymouth didn’t want him to be cup-tied so instead it was a side packed with ex-Crawley Town players from their Conference days that edged to victory over a side two levels below them.
Oxford City have had a decent pre-season, with home draws against Conference North sides Gloucester City ( 3-3 ) and Brackley ( 1-1 ), a 4-0 victory at Southern League side Stratford Town, a behind closed doors 0-0 draw with Wycombe Wanderers, and an opening 2-5 defeat at home to Oxford United where a huge bunch of trialists took to the field – a proud day for the Trialist family !
Oxford City have been able to retain the core of last season’s side, which achieved their highest ever placing in the non-league pyramid, with keeper Dudzinski, defenders Carroll and Rowan, midfielders Fleet, Ashby, McEachran, Potter & Coyle, as well as top scorer Joe Iaciofano all signing on for another season to provide a strong spine to their side.
Obviously, their success led to some departures, with defender Zico Asare stepping up a level to join Maidenhead United, whilst outstanding young wing-back George Harmon signed for Scottish Premiership side Ross County. Other departures saw defenders Matsuzaka and Kyprianou join former coach David Oldfield at Weymouth, whilst talented teenager Ewan Clark signed for Bristol City for an undisclosed fee. Fringe players Nana Owusu, Cole Da Silva and Jacob Bancroft all left in search of regular first team football and joined Dulwich Hamlet, Hemel Hempstead and Billericay respectively. Veteran striker Benyon was released at the end of his contract.
In their place several replacements have been brought in, including ex Wycombe & Braintree French midfielder Jean-Baptiste Fischer, ex Maldon & Tiptree full-back Aaron Williams-Bushell, ex Central Coast Mariners and Bedford Town Australian left-back Lewis Miccio, ex Plymouth and Torquay Greek under 19 striker Klaidi Lolos, ex Gloucester City centre-back Tom Harrison, and ex Wycombe Wanderers and St Kitts & Nevis defender Andre Burley, who featured in these diaries last season whilst on loan at Hungerford.
Eastbourne have also had a decent pre-season, registering victories over a Wimbledon XI ( H 1-0 ), Peacehaven ( A 5-0 ), Bexhill ( H 7-1 ) and East Grinstead ( H 3-1 ), draws with Folkestone ( A 0-0 ) and Lincoln City Under 23 ( H 1-1 ), which was organised as part of the transfer of 25 goal striker Charley Kendall, with the only defeat coming at the hands of Crawley Town ( 0-1 ) in their opening fixture.
Looking at the Eastbourne squad, the stand out name is Greg Luer, who was a teenage sensation at Isthmian League Burgess Hill leading to a move to Hull City. After a handful of games in the Championship, loans followed at Port Vale, Scunthorpe and Stevenage followed before drifting back into non-league.
Midfielder Chris Whelpdale had a long career with Peterborough, Stevenage, Gillingham and Wimbledon before going on pre-season at League Two Crawley in 2018. However, he decided to sign for Conference South Chelmsford City, with the Crawley supporters forum claiming he had been offered more money at Chelmsford !
The Eastbourne Borough website has announced several new signings for the forthcoming season, with striker Jake Hutchinson signing on loan from Colchester until end of the year, whilst midfielder Shiloh Remy and left back Kai Innocent signed after being released from QPR. Centre-back Alex Wynter has signed from Eastleigh, having previously been at Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, Colchester and Maidstone.
The website also announced the signing of Miguel Scarlett from Colchester, who has 4 caps for Guyana, ( although their website said Anguilla ! ) but he isn’t the captain………
Entrance on the day for adults was £15 ( £13 online ), whilst for over 65s and NHS key workers it was £8 on line and £10 on the day. Students got in for free. Match-day programmes were £3. On a sunny afternoon, the temperature at the 3pm kick-off was 23 degrees but it felt hotter than that.
Bet365 made Oxford City marginal favourites at 23/20, with Eastbourne at 17/10 and the draw at 11/4. With the playing record between the two sides being three wins each and 7 draws, the draw looked good value.
The tea bar had burgers at £4.40, cheeseburgers at £4.90, chicken loaded fries( whatever they are ! ) for £8, hot dogs for £3.50 and chips for £3. Tea or coffee was £2, but in the heat I opted for a bottle of water for £1.
Eastbourne played in red shirts with white sleeves, with black shorts and red socks and looked to be playing a 4-5-1 formation. City were in their traditional blue and white hoops with white shorts, playing 3-5-2.
The match kicked-off in front of a sparse crowd, with Oxford United being at home to Cambridge United being a significant factor behind this, and a far cry from when the two sides last met.
The visitors got of to an ideal beginning. A long cross-field ball found Gravata in the space where a right-back would have been, but his shot was deflected into the side netting by Burley for a corner. The set-piece was delivered toward the far past but inexplicably City defender Canice Carroll jumped for the ball with his arm over his head and when the ball struck his hand, referee Oliver Mackey had probably the easiest penalty decision he will need to make this season. James Hammond stepped up to send his spot kick down the middle of the goal whilst keeper Dudzinski dived to his right. 0-1 with 4 minutes on the clock.
City responded well and dominated the next 20 minutes, with their neat, flowing passes being appreciated by the home support. Williams-Bushell looked particularly lively on the right wing and The Hoops were winning all the 50/50 tackles. They had two penalty appeals for handball in quick succession against each Borough centre-back but failed to convince the referee, and several corners were excellently dealt with by the visitors defence.
Eastbourne finally got some respite, and Greg Luer cleverly won a corner. The ball was again sent beyond the back post and was headed across goal. It looked like Dudzinski got a hand to it, but in the ensuing scramble Mitchell Dickenson forced the ball over the line to make it 0-2 to The Sports after 25 minutes.
City again reacted well, with Williams-Bushell making a strong run into the Borough area, and when the ball ran onto McEachran, his shot was blocked. However, City shot themselves in the foot again when in the 29th minute, Carroll played a pass across the pitch straight to Luer who had a clear run to goal. Whilst it looked an easy chance, his finish was impressive as he buried the ball into the top corner of the net.
City though continued to have nearly all the possession but the closest they came to pulling a goal back came from an Eastbourne error. Wynter’s clearance from the 6 yard line appeared to hit his own player and looped over keeper Worgan. Fortunately for The Sports, a favourable spin of the ball took it away from the goal and it was hoofed clear.
The visitors nearly grabbed a fourth goal in the 36th minute, Whelpdale’s snap shot from the angle of the penalty area was superbly saved by the diving Dudzinski at his near post at the expense of a corner. City this time were able to defender a corner, but when the ball was reworked to Hammond on the left, his dangerous curling cross had to be headed behind for another corner. When City partially cleared the corner, Hammond made a pathetic dive in an attempt to win a penalty, with the defender a long way away from him. The referee didn’t award a penalty, but also failed to show a deserved yellow card for simulation.
The first yellow card of the match did come a couple of minutes later though when Remy attempted to stop a quick-free kick when barely a yard away from the ball.
Oxford City’s Lewis Coyle then sent a 25 yard dipping left footed volley inches over the bar, and Ashby’s free-kick curled over the wall but into the safe hands of Worgan.
In-between Hammond’s antics continued. Going to ground after a challenge he made sure he won the free-kick by grabbing the ball with his hands as he lay on the ground.
A 0-3 score-line at the interval felt a little harsh on the home side as apart from the three goals they had played quite well. However, they had looked suspect at the back, which Eastbourne had clinically exploited.
Whatever was said in the City dressing room during the half-time break seemed to have had an impact as they quickly pulled a goal back. McEachran made a promising run at the visitor’s back line and played the ball to Klaidi Lolos. The centre-forward had looked a little off the pace in the first half, but he sent a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner as the keeper, perhaps unsighted dived a little late.
This time it was Eastbourne’s turn to respond strongly to conceding, with Remy getting to the by-line and although his low cross went beyond the dive of Dudzinski, it was hacked clear by a defender. However, it was only temporary as bouyed by their goal, City searched for another. Iaciofano made a dangerous run into the penalty area but his reverse pass found only space, and the rejuvenated Lolos showed good skill to control, turn and spread the ball wide to Coyle, whose threatening cross was headed off for a corner by Innocent before Williams-Bushell could strike. A cross was then whipped in from the right wing but Coyle, beyond the far post, could only kick wildly at fresh-air.
City continued to press, and after more neat passing in midfield, the ball was laid back to Fleet, but his shot was bravely blocked by a defender. McEachran and Ashby then combined, but the latter’s chip was again well defended at the expense of a corner.
A slightly bizarre moment occurred in the 57th minute. Eastbourne’s Vaughan lay off the pitch injured, and rather than allowing the game to restart, the referee waited until the player had recovered. However, he then didn’t allow the player to rejoin the action, and waited nearly a minute before Vaughan could re-enter the fray.
The pressure on the Eastbourne defence was relenting, and after more intricate passing, Lolos saw a shot blocked at the near post, and the subsequent cross back into the danger zone was well claimed by the Eastbourne custodian.
City then had half-hearted appeals for a penalty when McEachran was sent to the floor, but it looked a fair tackle from where I stood. The corner count continued to rise but Borough were still up to the task.
In the 65th minute, a perfect through ball found Iaciofano in space down the right and he cut inside the covering defender. Unfortunately for the home side, with McEachran unmarked in the middle of the area, he chose to go for glory but his left footed shot was straight at Worgan, who saved easily.
The home side’s defensive frailties continued to be exposed, this time centre-back Rowan passed straight to Luer, who shot first time from 30 yard effort from the right hand side towards the empty goal. Fortunately for City, Dudzinski was able to recover and push the ball away.
The pattern of the game changed with the introduction of several substitutes, and the final 20 minutes saw the home side’s endeavours peter out as they failed to create any more chances of note, and the visitors saw out the rest of the match in relative comfort to head back to Sussex with the three points.
It was hard to know what to make of Oxford City’s performance. They played a lot of nice football, dominated most of the possession but rarely made an impact on the Eastbourne defence. At the other end, playing with three at the back might need to be considered, especially with the number of mistakes being made.
Eastbourne looked a decent side. Defensively well organised, they looked dangerous on the counter and looked capable of scoring more goals, but that might also have been due to the quality of Oxford City’s defending. Their back four can all be satisfied with their day’s work today.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-TzpKER2OU
Oxford City : Dudzinski – Burley ( Humphrey-Ewers ), Rowan, Carroll – Williams-Bushell ( Fischer ), Fleet, Ashby, McEachran, Coyle ( Miccio ) - Iaciofano, Lolos
Eastbourne Borough : Worgan – John, Wynter, Dickenson, Innocent – Remy ( Hutchinson ), Vaughan, Hammond, Whelpdale, Gravata – Luer ( Scarlett )
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