Eastbourne Dynamos looked to reach the second round of the Eastbourne Challenge Cup this week with Eastbourne League side the Yew Tree the visitors to Old Town.

Dynamos were left waiting after The Yew Tree got caught in traffic, and they weren't given any time to warm up when they emerged from the changing rooms, and it showed in the first couple minutes when Dynamos held onto the ball and was forcing all the play.

It wasn't long before the Yew Tree where in the game, and it was them that forced the first meaningful shot on goal, but were denied when Dave Moran cleared off the line on 7 minutes.

The Whites could have taken the lead on 15 minutes after a good move was out of the reach of the outstretched striker at the back post.

Simon Burke was forced into a good save on 17 minutes to keep the scores level, and 5 minutes later, Ferguson was denied his second goal from outside the area in as many games when his shot cannoned off the bar with the keeper beaten.

The Yew Tree took a deserved lead on 25 minutes when they cut through the Dynamos defence and slotted past S. Burke in the Eastbourne Dynamos goal.

Straight from the kick off, Wayne Burke spread the ball wide with a great ball to Jeff Ferguson on the right wing, and Neil Taylor headed in his cross for his sixth goal of the season and an instant response for Eastbourne.

On 30 minutes the Yew Tree where back in front when a well taken free kick flew straight into the top right hand corner.

Yew Tree repeated the act 7 minutes later, but this time from further out and the ball landed in the far left hand side of the net.

With the half time score at 3-1, Dynamos manager Gary Taylor had a bit of work on his hands. His half time talk must have worked as Dynamos flew out the starting blocks for the second half, caused Yew Tree a few problems before Ferguson turned his defender in the area before firing past the keeper for Dynamos second of the game after, apparently, good words from Gary King.

The game seemed to go a bit stale for a few minutes, with no real chances to speak of, and the game becoming more of a midfield battle with neither team controlling the game.

Gary King replaced David Moran on 65 minutes. Dynamos where level on 70 minutes when Darren Vine beat the offside trap and with only the keeper to beat, lofted the ball over his head and into the net.

A minute later, Wayne Burke riffled in a long range effort from the right to give Eastbourne the lead for the first time in the game at 4-3.

After that there was no looking back, and Dynamos seemed to grow in confidence. On 76 minutes N Taylor beat the keeper to the ball, but his shot bounce off the bar and the Yew Tree defender cleared.

A minute later, Lloyd Taylor replaced Jeff Ferguson on the right. N. Taylor then turned provider when he laid the ball through for Stephen Fletcher to coolly knock past the keeper.

With the game into its final minutes, the referee lost complete control of a game where there wasn't a dirty tackle all game. A shot from the Yew Tree forward hit the bar before bouncing down on the goal line.

The Yew Tree celebrated a goal while the Ref had not blow his whistle to award a goal, the linesman flagged saying it hadn't gone over, while Dynamos where playing to the age old rule of play to the whistle.

The referee eventually awarded a goal, but Dynamos keeper S. Burke took his protests a bit to far and was harshly given a straight red card. The ref then refused to continue with the game until Burke had left the playing area, even though he had left the pitch and the changing rooms were locked. He wasn't making friends with either team for making a mountain out of a molehill.

With Dynamos lead cut to the single goal, they pushed for the final few minutes to make sure of the passage through to the next round. Fletcher tumbled over the keeper and there were a few protests from Dynamo players for a penalty, which never looked like it was going to be given. But the keeper, who had the ball safely in his hands, threw the ball at Fletcher who was still on the floor, before falling to the floor himself in theatrical fashion holding his chest, before being given his marching orders like his opposite number. Dynamos where also awarded a penalty because of it, which N. Taylor held his nerves and sent the replacement keeper the wrong way for his second of the game.

The referee turned into his own worst enemy, and both teams officials commented on how he could avoided the final few minutes with some common sense. For Dynamos the result was another step forward as they secured their second victory and remain in both Eastbourne cups with attentions on next week's big game against the Red Lion as the Dynamos look to get off the bottom of the table.

Team Sheets