For the first time this season, Eastbourne Dynamos manager Gary Taylor had to leave players out of the squad, instead of struggling to field a side. In the end, all 14 squad members had attended training on Thursday. Dynamos travelled to Battle to play Battle Baptists in their last league game before embarking on three Cup games in a row. All that was said at training about last weeks game seemed to have an impact before they game where everyone seemed up for this game and determined to secure the Club's first League win, but 2 minutes into the game, Eastbourne found themselves behind when a short back pass to Simon Burke in goal put him under pressure. The on rushing forward charged his clearance down before the ball finished in an empty net. Dynamos could have been level just 3 minutes later when Neil Taylor rounded the defender before shooting wide. Battle increased their lead on 7 minutes when S. Burke's clearance landed at the feet of the Battle midfielder. Their winger managed to get his shot away, but with S. Burke beaten, the ball cannoned off the post only to land at the waiting Battle striker's feet. His shot just crossed the line before S. Burke cleared the ball. It could have been worse for Eastbourne when Battle hit the bar on 12 minutes, but luckily the ball was cleared before Baptists could have another attempt. N. Taylor was again trying to find his way through the Battle defence, but good defending stop Taylor in his tracks after a neat through ball. Mark Likeman then turned his man before shooting from 25 yards. The diving Battle keeper couldn't get to the ball as it ended up in the bottom left hand corner for the Captains first goal for the club on 23 minutes. N. Taylor was having another attempt 7 minutes later when he picked up a loose ball in the area, but his shot went over the untroubled keeper. Eastbourne started the second half with a bit more fight, putting in a few tasty tackles and really looking like they were going to go for it and try and get something from this game. But 3 minutes in, a ball across the box evaded everyone in the area, only to land at the waiting strikers feet at the back post, but his first time shot went just wide of the post. On 54 minutes, Baptists looked certain to score, but a mass of Dynamos defenders got in his way and the ball was deflected over for a corner. Eastbourne Dynamos make their first substitutions on 62 minutes when Darren Vine and David Moran replace Jeff Ferguson and Gary King. S. Burke was called into action with the Battle Baptists striker one on one, but Burke pulled off a great save and James Smith cleared the loose ball from danger. On 71 minutes, Lloyd Taylor picked up an injury and was replaced by Stephen Fletcher. With roughly 10 minutes left, Likeman put N. Taylor through, but his shot went over after never really gaining control of the ball. S. Burke was again called into action on 87 minutes, when the Battle striker was clear through on goal, but the Dynamos keeper put enough pressure on him to put a bit too much on his shot and the ball went over the Dynamos bar. In the dying minutes of the game, Eastbourne put together their best move off the game and produced probably their best chance of the game as well. Fletcher ball through to Vine looked to be going out for a goal kick, but Vine managed to get his cross in with N. Taylor waiting in the 6 yard box, but the Battle keeper managed to intervene, but he couldn't keep hold of the ball and the clearance was picked up by Dayle Courtier, he managed to get his shot away, but a deflection took most of the sting out of the ball. Eastbourne fell to their third defeat of the season, and will now sit bottom of the table for the next month, as they don't play in the League again until 28th October when they take on Red Lion. A much better performance from Dynamos, and probably their strongest of the season so far. In the end it was silly mistakes that cost the Dynamos the game early on, and they never really recovered. But as a team, this was a big improvement and a lot of positives can be taken from this match. |
