Eastbourne Dynamos had the long trip to play Icklesham Casuals in the League Cup this weekend. Dynamos were missing several players, but it did allow a few fringe players to get in a few games.

Simon Burke replaced Martin Bell in goal who was recovering from an operation, while Glenn Taylor, Christian Corder and Jamie Drummond joined Stephen Fletcher, Dayle Courtier, Alex Stannard and James Dale already unavailable for this match.

Icklesham started the game far better, and took advantage of a very disjointed Dynamos side. It wasn't long before the hosts took the lead, a corner was swung in from the right and Simon Burke tried to claim the ball but the Icklesham player fired in the lose ball.

Not long after, Eastbourne found themselves further behind, after Icklesham had a couple of chances, they put one away when Dynamos failed to deal with a long ball, and the Icklesham winger took advantage and scored past a backtracking keeper into the net from outside the area.

The visitors were fragile for the first period of the game, but as the half wore on, they did start to settle. Their main problem was that they couldn't win the ball in the air, and it was always coming back to them after his was just lumped forward and away from danger.

When Eastbourne did manage to get the ball down, there was some nice passing going on, but it was all in the wrong area, and Eastbourne looked vulnerable when they lost the ball.

Dean Pugh had a couple of good runs doing either flank, while Lloyd Taylor put in some good crosses from the right. Darren Vine also had a chance from just inside of the area, but he dragged his shot wide of the goal.

Icklesham had a goal disallowed, the midfielder shot through a crowd of players, from which Burke parried, but the ball landed at the feet of an Icklesham player who knocked the ball into the net before being flagged offside.

Icklesham then went further ahead just before half time when the ball over the top was latched onto by their forward, whose shot hit the far post before going in.

The second half saw Dynamos look to get the ball on the deck and compete a bit more, but they suffered a set back when captain Austin Ward rose to challenge for the ball and a clash of heads saw Ward come off worse. Later, x-rays show a hairline fracture above his eye socket.

Dynamos did settle a little after this, but Icklesham managed to increase their lead when their striker scored from outside the area after Dynamos gave the ball away after a free kick.

Eastbourne were defending better than in the first half, but still looked suspect whenever the hosts ventured forward. Dynamos didn't really look like scoring and never troubled the home keeper.

Burke was forced into a brilliant save when he tipped the ball over the bar after a shot from outside the area. Icklesham did eventually get a fifth when they cut through Eastbourne before scoring.

Eastbourne will want to forget this game very quickly, and move onto the next one. Dynamos can play brilliant football when they get the ball on the ground and pass it, but they need to learn how to battle and fight for the ball, on the ground and in the air, because these seem to be the areas where they are coming off second best at the moment.