Giles hits four as Bexhill power to 8-1 win

Bexhill United Football Club produced what manager Ryan Light described as it's '˜most complete performance' of the season on Saturday.
Wayne Giles scored four goals in Bexhill United's 8-1 win away to Worthing United. Picture courtesy Jon SmalldonWayne Giles scored four goals in Bexhill United's 8-1 win away to Worthing United. Picture courtesy Jon Smalldon
Wayne Giles scored four goals in Bexhill United's 8-1 win away to Worthing United. Picture courtesy Jon Smalldon

The Pirates went one better than their two 7-1 wins in August as they triumphed 8-1 away to Worthing United in Southern Combination League Division One.

Wayne Giles led the rout with a four-goal salvo, Jack McLean bagged a brace, and there was one each for the fit-again Drew Greenall and leading scorer Jack Shonk.

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Light said: “It was definitely our best performance of the season across the whole 90 minutes, it was our most complete performance.

“We were tenacious and solid in defence, and going forward we were just scintillating. Our attacking play was phenomenal.”

See also: * In-demand hot shot set to stay at Bexhill* Shonk double fires Bexhill to comeback win* New boy hits hat-trick as Bexhill win 7-1Giles - who Light described as ‘a real livewire’ - opened the scoring when he met Craig Ottley’s cross to the near post, swivelled and half-volleyed the ball in off the upright.

The second goal stemmed from a Bexhill goal kick. Dan Rose’s ball forward landed at the feet of Shonk, who produced a sublime piece of skill to back-heel the ball through Worthing’s defence for Giles to run onto and finish nicely.

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McLean made it 3-0 at half time when he picked up the ball on the left, ghosted past two opponents like they weren’t there and drilled his shot into the far corner of the net.

Rose pulled off a really good save just before the break from a rare Worthing attack, but Bexhill picked up after the break from where they left off before it.

They went 4-0 up when McLean danced his way round a couple of home defenders and got to the byeline before laying it on a plate for Giles to complete his hat-trick.

Giles then grabbed his fourth and Bexhill’s fifth. After latching on to a throughball, Giles travelled around 30 yards with the ball at his feet and just as a couple of opponents were catching him, he came up with a lovely left-footed finish from the edge of the box.

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Bexhill’s sixth goal came when Worthing’s goalkeeper came out of his area in attempt to clear, but his miscued kick looped over him, allowing McLean to chest the ball down and run it into the net.

Greenall came on for Giles and was quick to make an impact, heading over from a corner almost instantly and then blazing another attempt too high before scoring Bexhill’s seventh with a screaming shot into the roof of the net at the end of a neat move.

Shonk completed Bexhill’s tally with a goal his perseverance merited. Having been denied by several brilliant saves during the course of the game, Shonk finally beat the goalkeeper when he latched on to an attempted clearance, skipped round a defender and smashed the ball home.

Worthing nabbed a consolation with virtually the last kick of the game. Tobi Minter got in front of Bexhill defender Lewis McGuigan to divert a cross goalwards and the ball squirmed under Rose, who had performed very well.

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Bexhill: Rose; Robertson, McGuigan, McFarlane, Ottley; Holden, S. Bunn, J. Bunn; Shonk, Giles (Greenall), McLean. Sub not used: McEniry.

Southern Combination League Division One top half standings (played 7 matches unless stated): 1 AFC Varndeanians 19pts (+15 goal difference), 2 Alfold 16 (+13), 3 Hailsham Town 15 (+15), 4 Steyning Town (6) 15 (+9), 5 BEXHILL UNITED (6) 12 (+18), 6 Wick (6) 12 (+2), 7 Littlehampton Town 12 (-1), 8 Selsey 11 (0), 9 Seaford Town 11 (-3).