No Vase glory run for Eastbourne United - but who's to say Langney won't have one?

A goal down in just 29 seconds, Langney Wanderers came from behind to overcome local rivals Eastbourne United in an eventful FA Vase tie at Priory Lane.
Langney do battle with Eastbourne Utd / Picture: Andy PellingLangney do battle with Eastbourne Utd / Picture: Andy Pelling
Langney do battle with Eastbourne Utd / Picture: Andy Pelling

In fact, United were two goals up before Wanderers had got into gear. From the first whistle, a smart move down the right sent winger Alfie Peacock in behind, and his cross was nodded in at the far post by the unmarked Jack Hobden. Cue a kind of stunned surreal silence, as if nobody quite believed it.

But United had self-belief in plenty, and they were stretching a bewildered Wanderers defence on both flanks. A Connor Townsend effort thudded off the foot of the right-hand post, and then Kane Penn swerved in from the left to strike a wonderful dipping shot that doubled the lead on 16 minutes.

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Matty Crabb’s men were on fire. Peacock was causing such problems on the right wing that Wanderers manager Alex Walsh switched his full-backs in a vain effort to contain him – only for Peacock himself to swap touchlines and resume the mayhem.

Langney do battle with Eastbourne Utd / Picture: Andy PellingLangney do battle with Eastbourne Utd / Picture: Andy Pelling
Langney do battle with Eastbourne Utd / Picture: Andy Pelling

Could it last? Not for long. On 20 minutes, Ali Mekawir skipped through on the end of a slick passing move and wrong-footed U’s keeper Jordan Hawkins with a low shot from 15 yards.

Two minutes later, United self-destructed, allowing Harry Ducatel to net from close range with a shot-come-rebound which should have been cleared.

Four goals in the first 22 minutes! It had the spectators enthralled – and one amateur statistician calculating that, if the goal cascade continued, we would finish up with an 8-8 final scoreline, and sudden-death penalties.

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In the event, the remaining three-quarters of this riveting, full-blooded tie saw just two more goals – both to hosts Wanderers – but nobody was complaining about value for money. A crowd of around 200 had dutifully complied with the temperature-testing and contact-tracing, and there was ample room for all, around the pitch perimeter.

Out on the 3G, meanwhile, Wanderers were growing ominously stronger. United were coping quite well with returning journeyman striker Liam Baitup, but they struggled to stem the fluent movement of attacking trio of Mekawir, Trey Masikini and Gary Ingram.

And then the first half finished as it had begun. With 44 minutes and 58 seconds on the clock, Callum Sherriff bagged a trademark goal from close range, and Wanderers were ahead for the first time.

It was a pivotal moment: instead of containment and a waiting game, Matty now had to set up his side to go hunting for an equaliser. In the early phase of the second half, they did so impressively. Wanderers found themselves defending a bombardment of attacks – and surviving.

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Nerves and tempers frayed, with the yellow-card count, already on three from the first half – rising to seven. But the contest was sealed with 20 minutes left: Trey Masikini raced through the United central defence and drilled home a fourth goal to put clear water between the two teams.

No glory this season, then, for United. But who would bet against Langney Wanderers setting off on the sort of FA Vase run that their opponents enjoyed some six seasons ago? Stranger things have happened.

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