AFC Varndeanians deny Hailsham Town again

A frustrating night at The Beaconsfield for Hailsham on Tuesday saw the home side never seem to get the luck of the bounce as AFC Varndeanians followed up their 3-0 FA Vase win earlier in the month with a 2-0 defeat of the home side in the league.
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Hailsham began brightly, playing at a quick tempo and putting the visitors on the back foot, enjoying plenty of possession before a quick break saw Wester Young forced into a good save on seven minutes.

An early enforced change for the Stringers saw Tim Johnson forced off to be replaced by Jamie Salvidge, but Hailsham were still pressing when a quick break from the visitors led to the opening goal - a Hailsham through ball cleared to half way, before a driving run down the left led to a cross which was knocked into the corner of the net.

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The Stringers could have hit back almost immediately, when Charlie Playford's curling free kick somehow swung through the box without finding a target, but it would take a fine Young save on 33 to deny Varndeanians a second, before a moment of controversy two minutes later. With the visitors pushing, a challenge inside the area was allowed to proceed as an advantage, with the shot across goal then tapped in from on the line, only to be pulled back for an assistants flag. After some discussion between referee and assistant, a penalty was awarded for the initial challenge which was fired into the corner.

Again Hailsham looked to quickly get back into the game - Jamie Salvidge and Joey Pout both seeing headers blocked before the interval, whilst a Rhys Taylor free kick whistled not far over. The Stringers though would be temporarily reduced to nine men before the break, with Taylor and Salvidge sin binned, mystifying home supporters who felt that the two had been harshly treated in comparison to their opponents.

Hailsham, still down to nine, started the second half under pressure with the woodwork coming to the rescue on 46 before Young make another fine save from the rebound, before play was stopped for around 10 minutes when an aerial ball saw Jake Hoodless take a nasty knock to the head after a horrible collision in the air. Whilst Varndeanians sporadically threatened and enjoyed more of the ball after the interval, with Jack Findon and Sammy Townsend in particular putting in some good tackles, Hailsham too had chances to get back into the game - Taylor desperately unlucky with a rocket of a shot from 25 yards just the wrong side of the post, whilst Joey Pout's hooked over from another well-flighted free kick and Salvidge also fired over.

Next up for the Stringers is the long trip to Selsey on Saturday (3pm), followed by another game under the Tuesday night lights when Roffey come to town in the Sussex Senior Cup First Round (7.30pm). The following evening the Under 23's host Langney Wanderers in the Sussex FA U23 Cup.

Stringers; Young, Hoodless (Fox 50), S Pout, Townsend, Findon, Playford, Webster (Worsell 81), Stracey, J Pout, Johnson (Salvidge 14), Taylor

Unused; Feasey

Attendance; 77

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