Eastbourne Dynamos played their first game for three weeks when they took the trip to Catsfield. The weather during the previous weeks had made the pitch very soft in places, and made the game very hard work for both sets of players. Dynamos managed to scramble a side together with a host of players missing from their large squad, but a very different side that lost 9-3 at the Rec towards the beginning of the season. The game started with Catsfield on the attack, with Dynamos being pushed back. A few counter attacks from Eastbourne did nothing to help ease the pressure. After a while, Eastbourne did manage to push forward more and became more of a threat on the Catsfield goal. Dynamos had a succession of corners, but failed to really test their keeper. Catsfield took the lead when they broke forward and got behind the Eastbourne defence. They striker managed to avoid Martin Bell's challenge as he came rushing out his goal before he placed the ball into an empty net. Dynamos didn't let their heads drop, and could have been right back in the game, but Lloyd Taylor's shot bounced the wrong side of the line after coming back off the bar. Catsfield went further ahead when their winger capitalised on a slip from Dayle Courtier before racing through on goal and scoring. Dynamos could have gone further behind, but a last ditch challenge from Mark Likeman ensured that the Catsfield player couldn't get his shot away. With the half time score at 2-0, Eastbourne were still in with a chance of getting something from this game. Dynamos flew out the blocks for the second half, and Taylor had another shot saved by the keeper, but this was to be as good as it got for Eastbourne, as Catsfield went down the other end of the pitch to make it 3-0, injuring the Eastbourne keeper in the process. Catsfield extended their lead further when their left-winger's cross evaded everyone and finished in the far corner of the Eastbourne goal. A fifth goal soon followed as the Dynamos players thought the game had stopped because of two players down injured, but Catsfield took advantage score again. Dynamos did stem the flow, even if they did start to look a little disorganised. The lack of a substitute was really noticed at this stage of the game. Dave Moran clearly hadn't given up as he sidestepped the defender before getting in a cross. Eastbourne did concede a sixth, as Catsfield played their way down the right side of the pitch before avoiding the challenges in the box and eventually putting the ball in the net. Eastbourne were unlucky not to have been in a better position after their first half performance, but Catsfield showed in the second half why they are top of the league. Dynamos second half performance will need to be forgotten quickly as they need something out of the next few games if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation. |
