Town Stun Title Chasers - Eastbourne Town vs. Dulwich Hamlet

The Saffrons with the town hall in the background

This weekend I made my second trip to Eastbourne to see the Ryman One South game between Eastbourne Town and Dulwich Hamlet. I'd visited Eastbourne last season to see Eastbourne United of the Sussex County League Division Two. This trip also allowed me to experience the strange situation of being at the seaside while it's snowing. Dulwich are engaged in the a tight battle with Maidstone United for the South Division title. At the start of play Dulwich were two points behind the Kent side with three games in hand. Eastbourne were in mid table and needed to start a good run of form for a possible chase of a play off spot.

Kick off at The Saffrons

Eastbourne have the first chance of the game when the striker is played through but the Dulwich keeper is able to prevent an early goal. Dulwich then come close when they have a header from close range headed off the line by the Eastbourne defender. Eastbourne then take the lead from a header of their own. A deep cross is headed back across the keeper and in to the far corner of the net. Dulwich come close to equalising soon afterwards but the effort from close range is tipped on to the post. From the resulting corner Dulwich have another shot from just outside the box but the ball goes over the bar. Eastbourne double their lead just before the break with another header.

Eastbourne deliver a ball in to the box in the first half

The second half is a largely uneventful affair which is broken up by lots of petty fouls and the game threatens to boil over. Dulwich have an effort which goes just wide following an impressive cross field pass. Mid way through the half the Dulwich keeper makes a good save from a free kick but Eastbourne coast to a two nil win to set back Dulwich in their chase for the league title.

Dulwich look for an equaliser in the first half.

Trains to Eastbourne depart from Victoria on a regular basis and the journey takes just under an hour and a half. The walk from the station to The Saffrons only takes around five minutes. On South Street in-between Gildredge and Saffrons Road there are at least four pubs very close to each other. I went to The Eagle and The Dolphin  which are both worth visiting. The clubhouse is shared with the hockey team and you can watch games of hockey from there before the game and at half time. The clubhouse has Sky Sports and has the standard selection of drinks.

A very good programme was produced by Eastbourne Town with lots of reading for the long train journey home. There was an interesting section on other local Sussex sides. There were also a couple of interesting on previous meetings with Dulwich and matches played on the same day in previous seasons.

The dugout side of the ground.