Eastbourne Town in seventh heaven as they thrash Windsor in the FA Vase

A stunning second half performance from Eastbourne Town led to a comfortable path into third round of this years FA Vase and the expense of Windsor, on a rain and wind swept Saturday afternoon at Stag Meadow.
Dan Bolwell blitzed the Windsor defence on his way to four goals in the game. Photo by Jon RigbyDan Bolwell blitzed the Windsor defence on his way to four goals in the game. Photo by Jon Rigby
Dan Bolwell blitzed the Windsor defence on his way to four goals in the game. Photo by Jon Rigby

The win exacted some revenge for the three, one reverse at the hands of the same opposition in the fourth Round two years ago at the Saffrons.

Manager John Lambert made four changes from the side that had beaten Little Common midweek in the RUR Cup, coming into side were Dan Tear, Tom Vickers, George Taggart and caption Simon Johnson, dropping out were Nathan Hover, Brad Pritchard

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Both sides started the game at a quick pace, and there was not much to choose between the sides early on, the first chance fell to Town with Sam Cole stinging the palms of Lewis Gallifent with a rasping volley having got the better of Windsor defender Kai Davis.

After ten mins the game was starting to settle down, and Town were beginning to stamp there authority, and it nearly brought the opening goal, Aaron Capon raced onto a through ball rounded the keeper and from a narrow angle his goal bound shot was cleared off the line by Windsor captain Luke Appleton.

A scare for Town a few minutes later when a cross from the right from Kingsley Etefia found Thai Fraser but his header went wide from six yards out.

There was even bigger scare just before the half hour mark when Windsor from a half cleared corner hit the cross bar twice in quick succession, first from Fraser with the help of a superb touch from Michael Platt in the Town goal, and then from Luke Brooks-Smith before Town managed to clear.

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Town were to make Windsor pay straight down the other end and were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box out wide after Capon was fouled by Andrew Higgins. Dan Bolwell's whipped in swinging free kick evaded everybody including Gallifent to put Town one up.

There were chances for both sides in the remainder of the first half, first Dan Perry missing from close in following great work from Capon and Bolwell, and then Platt with a comfortable save from Paul Coyne's strike from the edge of the area.

Whatever Lambert had said to his charges at half time had done to trick, as they put on a scintillating twenty five minute spell at the start of the second half, which destroyed Windsor.

As some supporters were still returning to there seats after there half time cuppa, Bowell had already scored the goal of the game, having received a pass from Capon, he curled a quite superb effort into the far top corner to give Gallifent no chance, and breathing space for Town.

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On fifty-one minutes the Tie was effectively over, Bolwell capping a fine individual display by completing his Hatrick following good work down the left from Cole and Taggart and a cross from Perry leaving Bolwell with a tap in.

Perry himself had another chance following great work from Cole down the left , but he did not have to wait long for his customary goal, on fifty nine minutes Taggart played him through and there was inevitable outcome and a fourth for town.

The fifth goal arrived five minutes later, and it was that man Bolwell again. Smashing in a free kick from the edge of the box with the help of a deflection of Coyne to beat the Helpless Gallifent.

On sixty eight minutes Capon got the goal his all action performance had deserved, finding himself on the left he cut inside beat two Windsor defenders before shooting low and hard across Gallifent into the far corner.

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No sooner had the Town supporters begun rejoicing at Capon's goal they were in seventh heaven a minute later, when Perry added his second of the afternoon, following an excellent cross from Cole.

Lambert rang the changes for the closing twenty minutes with Scrafton, Pritchard and Strevett replacing Capon, Taggart and Vickers which naturally stemmed the momentum Town had built up.

Windsor grabbed a goal in injury time through Deacon, but it was purely a consolation.

Town had produced a stunning second half performance to the delight of there manager who said: “I thought we were deservedly one up and half time, it could have been more, although Windsor had hit the bar”

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Lambert added “Second half we came out the traps fast and played probably the best forty five mins we have played as a group, and scored six in about twenty three mins to put the game out of reach from Windsor”

“We had so many attacking situations in that period, our pressing and work rate was first class”

“Big mention to the travelling support in turning an away tie into what seemed like a home tie with there noise and singing – The player love them, and gives them a big lift”

Town's reward is a away tie against Leighton Town who currently sit sixteenth in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division.

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