Crowborough Athletic 1-1 Eastbourne United - If we can get it right, I think we'll be very, very good but I think it's going to take time, says Crowborough Athletic boss Sean Muggeridge

Crowborough Athletic 1 – 1 Eastbourne United
Location	Crowborough Community Stadium, Fermor Road, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 3BU
Kickoff	30/07/2024 19:45

CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC  1-1  EASTBOURNE UNITED
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Tuesday 30 July 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Alderbrook

CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC manager Sean Muggeridge says he is not being defeatist when he says he expects his side to be a mid-table outfit this season.

The Crows have lost 11 players that helped the club finish in third-place in the Southern Combination League Premier Division last season, picking up 81 points from their 38 games before losing to Newhaven 5-4 on penalties after their home play-off semi-final finished 1-1.

Crowborough Athletic lost their third cup final in as many years, losing 2-1 to promoted league champions Steyning Town Community in the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup on Saturday 11 May.

Muggeridge made three changes to the side that suffered a 3-0 opening day home defeat to newcomers Petersfield Town at the weekend, while Anthony Storey’s Eastbourne United made a quartet of changes from their side that lost 2-0 at Haywards Heath Town.

Crowborough Athletic targetman Stephen Smith – who scored eight goals for the club last season – buried a header three minutes before half-time, before Eastbourne United grabbed an equaliser courtesy of an own-goal from recalled goalkeeper Martin Grant after holding midfielder Rhyle Ovenden hit the far post.

Referee Chris Findlay-Gerr threw a couple of players in the sin-bin during the second half.  Smith was out of the game for 11 minutes and 47 seconds, while Eastbourne United’s holding midfielder Luke Leppard missed 12 minutes and 30 seconds.

Crowborough Athletic are in fifteenth-place in the table tonight, while sixth-placed finishers Eastbourne United are one place better off after both club’s picked up their first point of the new campaign.

“I’m pretty disappointed we didn’t win to be fair with the chances created. We just didn’t have that sort of cutting edge, everyone, not just the strikers, everyone,” said Muggeridge.

“I’m really, really happy with the performance but obviously you only get one point for that and we really should’ve got three really.

“Two points dropped? I think so, being at home. We came out of the stalls.  They did have a couple of chances but the goal came, we were on top. We could’ve had two or three more.  We had free headers from corners, they can go in.

“They’re a good side and I think we made them quite ordinary tonight.”

Crowborough Athletic created their first opening after only 221 seconds following a set-piece.

Winger Arron Hopkinson played the ball down the line for right-back Marcus Goldsmith to whip in a cross from within the right-channel and debutant central midfielder Jakob El-Hage jumped up at the far post to steer his header over the crossbar from six-yards.

“He was at Littlehampton, he played against us last year for Eastbourne United and he’s been on trial with Newhaven but we’ve seen something in him and I quite liked him tonight. He done really well.  He came off because he was a bit leggy, like all of them really. We’re just not fit at the moment and I’m actually trying to get everyone fit in games. I think we’re a couple of weeks behind most teams,” admitted Muggeridge.

Eastbourne United swiftly went up the other end and almost grabbed the lead with five minutes and 27 seconds on the clock.

Goalkeeper James Broadbent hit the right-channel with a free-kick, Charlie Ball flicked the ball on towards Trevor McCreadie (who scored 61 goals during two seasons while playing for Tunbridge Wells) and the striker hooked the ball across the face of goal towards left-wing-back Edward Ratcliffe, who ghosted in loop his header against the top of the crossbar.

“I mean, it was quite a good header to be fair but it didn’t look a good chance until he made it a good chance,” said Muggeridge.

“Trevor McCreadie is what he is. He’s a quality striker. I think people just see him for his goals but his hold-up play is very good as well, as you saw tonight.”

Crowborough Athletic were lacking composure inside the final third as Eastbourne defender Kobe Agbude (who plays on the right of a three-man central defence) intended pass for Brett Patton was intercepted by Connor Pring and the former Snodland Town holding midfielder pinged a long ball to release Goldsmith down the right channel and his cross found Smith, whose poor touch on the edge of the box allowed Broadbent to comfortably gather.

Max Thompson (who plays at the heart of defence) was allowed to run over the half-way line before feeding Patton, who swept the ball out to right wing-back Baran Kartal, who cut past Marcus Goldsmith before crossing low into the middle for Patton, who took a touch before sweeping a left-footed shot towards the bottom left-hand corner, which was comfortably saved by Grant in the 34^th minute.

Muggeridge said: “They’re a different sort of Eastbourne United side. I think they played some good football.  They played some good football down the right and they caused a few problems first half – but so did we.

“It was a quite a different, younger looking Eastbourne United side and they actually played quite good football.”

Muggeridge felt Thompson should have been sent-off for a last-man foul on Smith, who turned the Eastbourne United defender on the edge of the box before being brought down and out came a yellow card for the number 17.

Faced with a five-man wall, Rory Salter’s left-footed free-kick from 22-yards sailed over the top of the left-hand post.

“If it’s seen as a foul and seen it as a yellow card, you can’t see it as a yellow card.  You’ve got to see it as a red,” claimed Muggeridge.

“If it’s in the penalty area – I was told it can be a yellow because it’s double jeopardy.  The referee believes that there was a man covering and there was no one to be seen covering! It was one-on-one. He’s been brought down!

“I don’t like to see players get sent off but he should’ve gone – simple as that!”

Crowborough Athletic opened their goalscoring account for the new season by taking the lead with 41 minutes and 6 seconds on the clock.

Ollie Hyland released Vowles down the right and his sublime cross was met by Smith’s free-header, which he buried into the bottom left-hand corner emphatically.

“We did this on Saturday and we had these crosses just going past Steve or just over him and I think that was an absolutely quality cross.  That’s what that cross deserves is a goal like that,” added Muggeridge.

“I thought we were going to go on and win it after that but we didn’t get a second goal, unfortunately.”

The home side went direct and they missed a decent chance to double their lead with 43:37 on the clock.

Goldsmith launched a 60-yard long ball from right-back and Smith got in between two defenders but lacked composure, drilling his right-footed half-volley past the right-hand post.

Muggeridge said: “Again, he might’ve tried a little chip over the goalkeeper because the goalkeeper was committed but he tried the half-volley.  Again that goes in, you’re looking at a win really.  Steve Smith scored the first goal and he’s a handful as you know. We just have to try to be better in those positions.”

When asked about his thoughts at the interval, Muggeridge added: “It was a bit mixed because I was frustrated we was not more goals up but I just think all the tactics and all the things you can go, I’m an old-school manager but all the tactics and getting the ball out and playing, I just think  getting the ball out wide and getting the ball in the box is sometimes forgotten in the modern game and that’s what we do.

“We’re not quite there yet because we’ve not had a very good pre-season and that’s down to me because I’ve come back late because of the cup final and obviously losing 11 players doesn’t help.

“I’ve brought in players who haven’t really had much game time so that showed on Saturday and it showed a little bit tonight but we’ve got quality youngsters coming off the bench and if we can sort of bed them in, the future is going to be good.”

Eastbourne United created the first chance, just 135 seconds into the second half, following a set-piece.

Former Ashford United man, Ovenden floated the ball in from the left and defender Harvey Mapstone rose within a crowd of players, which was comfortably caught by Grant.

However, Eastbourne United produced a well-worked move to restore parity with four minutes and 51 seconds on the clock.

A Crowborough counter-attack broke down on the half-way line before Ratcliffe released attacking midfielder Ball, who cut inside before releasing Ovenden, who swept his right-footed shot across Grant before hitting the far post.

The ball then kissed off the grounded Salter inside his six-yard box, before hitting Grant’s arm and rolling apologetically over the goal-line for an own-goal.

“I think it’s a Martin own goal. It actually hit Rory, hit the post, come back and hit Martin. I’ve spoken to Martin, and he turned round and said it hit him on the arm,” confirmed Muggeridge.

“It was a good move by the way by them but we dived in, in their left-back position, that’s where the goal came from.  We dived in there committed and I don’t really want people to foul people. We probably should’ve taken a foul on the half-way line, which we didn’t and it went down the line and crossed it in and the guy’s hit it and it’s hit Rory and hit the post.

“If things are going well for you, they hit the post and they go wide or they hit the post and it comes back to one of our players and he clears it. Obviously that didn’t happen. It’s just the way things are happening at the moment.  We’ve had some good runs for a long time and things going for us and things aren’t going for us at the minute but that will turn around.”

Smith was thrown in the sin-bin (15:03-26:50) and Eastbourne United’s numerical advantage almost paid off during this period.

Kartal’s hooked pass found Patton, who played in Ratcliffe, who dinked the ball over the advancing Grant and the ball flashed past the far post, with Eastbourne resident McCreadie lurking at the far post for a simple tap-in.

Storey’s side were also on the front-foot when it was eleven-a-side and Grant pulled off a brilliant left-handed save to deny McCreadie in the 28^th minute.

Thompson floated a free-kick in from the left towards a crowd of players, Grant made a fine reaction save at his near-post before McCreadie swept a first-time right-footed drive towards the bottom right-hand corner, only for Grant to get down swiftly low to his left and used a strong left-hand to make a big save.

“You have to try to keep a player of that quality quiet and I think we did.  You saw glimpses when he rolls defenders very well but I think he had one chance where the keeper came out and got it but we limited a player like that to that one chance,” added Muggeridge.

Eastbourne United were reduced to 10 men when Leppard was thrown in the sin-bin (30:47-43:17) and Crowborough Athletic threw caution to the wind in search of a victory.

Muggeridge was asked about the time frame that Smith and Leppard were kept out of the game for.

“He (the referee) asked me and Anthony Storey, their manager, to come and read the Rules (Laws).  Now we know the rules, it’s 10 minutes and it’s not in play now, it’s 10 minutes.

“They need to get these things right. I know it’s hard being a ref. I understand that but timing something is not hard, like you could put the alarm on, you can do anything.”

Salter swung in a left-footed quality delivery, the ball was flicked on by centre-half William Puffett and Hyland got the final touch inside the six-yard box before goalkeeper Broadbent smothered the ball low to his left to prevent the ball nestling inside the bottom far corner.

Mapstone got away with a strong tackle on Hyland on the corner of the penalty area, before Goldsmith whipped in a cross towards the far post but Smith knocked the ball back across goal and past the far post.

A dominant Crowborough Athletic went close to notching the victory with 38:17 on the clock, when four of their substitutes were involved in a sweeping move in the final third.

Adam Larkin, Harry London and Harry Forster all linked up well before Alfie Lambden curled his first time shot around Broadbent and just past the far post from 20-yards.

“We put on fresh legs to go for it and we did,” said Muggeridge.

“Smithy was on his legs, bless him. I was going to take him off because he was booked as well but I needed that aerial threat, so I kept him on. He was knackered, bless him. He done a lot of running.

“It was a great move and Alfie came on and just curled it wide.  Harry London played really well in wide areas and we put a couple of crosses in.

“We was well on top at that point.  I did actually go for it when they had 10 men. It didn’t stop too much when Luke Leppard came back on really. I think it was only going to be us that would go on and win it.”

Smith went on a mazy run and beat a couple of Eastbourne United players before flashing his right-footed shot just past the foot of the left-hand post, past the despairing dive of Broadbent, who also picked up a yellow card for timewasting with an 86^th minute goal-kick.

The Crows missed a glorious chance to snatch the victory (45:17) when Hyland’s hooked pass released London down the right and he put it on a plate for Smith, who lacked composure inside the box and lashed his first time right-footed drive over the crossbar from 15-yards.

“The one at the end, I think was more tiredness, a tired shot. That was the best chance.  The other one he ran through a couple of players.  He’s getting fitter Steve. He’s a handful, an absolute handful when he’s on it and he was one of my man-of-the-match.”

Crowborough Athletic welcome Kevin Stevens’ Bearsted here on Saturday to contest a FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie.

The Bears finished in seventh-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division last season and opened their new campaign with a 1-1 home draw against Stansfeld last weekend.

Muggeridge said: “It’s not a FA Cup tie I would want really because I know Bearsted and I know how good they are, they can be.  I know Kevin would say that as well, is that if they were consistent, they would be pushing for winning the league. I think they are that good.  They just have what we had last year. I think they’ve got games that they don’t perform and hopefully it will be Saturday but I’m expecting a very, very tough game.  I’m thinking it’s going to be a very difficult game.”

When asked what is expected of his Crowborough side this season, Muggeridge, who operates with a very modest playing budget, explained: “It’s not ideal but it’s a start. If you would’ve said one point out of two games, I probably wouldn’t have been happy with it but the way things have happened in pre-season, to lose 3-0 on Saturday, I was really disappointed but that performance out there (tonight), I know we’re going to be alright.

“You’re going to ask me where abouts are we going to finish aren’t you?

“Well, you’re going to see 11 players’ working their socks off and what you’ll probably see this year, not being defeatist, probably middle of the table. If we get in the play-offs, it will be a massive achievement for this club because any team that loses 11 players and we haven’t got a big budget to go and get just as good that has gone.

“We’ve got a really, really potentially good young side coming through. I think when you’re doing what we’re trying to do, when you’re bringing those players and starting those youngsters, I think you can’t expect to be winning the league at the moment but I do expect it next year to go close.

“I think I would be delighted with middle table. Play-offs would be ecstatic, that’s not me being negative, I think that’s where we are.  I was confident we was going to get into the play-offs last year – I was confident we was going to win it and if you think about the team we had, we had it for three or four years, added here and there and that’s what you need to win the league.”

When asked what motivates him to carry on with management, Muggeridge replied: “It’s getting harder and harder because I’ve got grandchildren now. I think sometimes do I just go and watch Henry (play for Faversham Town) or do I just put my feet up.

“When you’ve got young players coming through, I think it gives you that extra bit.  If we can get it right, I think we’ll be very, very good but I think it’s going to take time.”

Crowborough Athletic: Martin Grant, Marcus Goldsmith, Rory Salter (Josh Turner 88), Connor Pring (Harry Forster 69), William Puffette, Tom Boddy, Leo Vowles (Alfie Lambden 79), Jakob El-Hage (Adam Larkin 83), Stephen Smith, Ollie Hyland, Arron Hopkinson (Harry London 68).

Goal: Stephen Smith 42

Booked: Leo Vowles 45, Ollie Hyland 63

Temporary Dismissal: Stephen Smith 61

Eastbourne United: James Broadbent, Baran Kartal, Edward Ratcliffe, Max Thompson, Harvey Maptsone, Kobe Agbude, Luke Leppard, Brett Patton, Trevor McCreadie, Charlie Ball, Rhyle Ovenden (Arthur Grout 77).
Subs: Gene Best, Alfie Gander, T’yano Wilson, Mardy Ovenden

Goal: Martin Grant 50 (own goal)

Booked: Harvey Mapstone 9, Max Thompson 38, James Broadbent 86

Temporary Dismissal:  Luke Leppard 76

Attendance: 223
Referee: Mr Chris Findlay-Geer
Assistants: Mr Matthew James & Mr Mark Preston
Observer:  Mr Tim Lawrence