Eastbourne Town Vets winners of the Sussex Veterans Challenge Cup Final

Eastbourne Town beat Old V's emphatically to lift Vets Cup

AFC Varndeanians 1 - 6 Eastbourne Town

Despite a hard-working display in extremely windy conditions from AFC Varndeanians, it was Eastbourne Town who stormed ahead to win the Sussex Veterans Challenge Cup after a 6-1 victory.

The game started off fast with the first goal coming from Eastbourne in the 12th minute after Danny Simmonds played the ball into the box and AFC Varndeanians defender Mo Shakoori attempted to clear it but the ball ended up in the back of his own net to put Town up 1-0.

Town then thought they had made it 2-0 after Chris Dicker had the ball in the back of the net but the linesman ruled it out as offside after conferring with the referee. 

But lightening would strike twice just minutes later as Simmonds thought he had doubled his goal tally, but the linesman once again ruled off for offside.

With the constant pressure from Eastbourne they managed to finally make it 2-0 after Graham Holman floated the ball into the box to find Matt Crabb who buried his chance to see Town finally get their second in the 29th minute.

It was clear that Varndeanians manager Chris Foulerton had strong words to his side during the half-time break as they came out the blocks flying in the second-half forcing John Purdey to make a fine save to deny them their first goal of the game.

However, just one minute later the sucker punch would come as Town’s Holman charged down the left-hand side of the pitch and crossed the ball into the box, but the wind managed to pick the ball up and see it float into the top corner giving goalkeeper John Gilson no chance between the sticks.

Holman then got his second just four minutes later when he was given too much time to compose himself by Varndeanians defenders and he managed to rifle his shot into the bottom corner of the net to see Town storm ahead 4-0.

Varndeanians then had a mini resurgence and managed to dominate play for a period of the second-half that culminated in them getting their first goal of the game from substitute Nick Emmerson after his cross managed to find its way into the back of the net with ease. 

But the reaction from Town came almost immediately as Dave Temple charged down the left side and fizzed a ball into Luke Denton who dispatched it to make it 5-1.

The final goal of the game came in the 86th minute as Simmonds played in a near perfect curling corner which found the head of Denton who rose above all the rest to double his tally and secure the trophy for Eastbourne Town making it 6-1.

Eastbourne Town Vets celebrate winning the Susssex Veterans Challenge Cup
HIGHLIGHTS - AFC Varndeanians vs. Eastbourne Town
Watch Your Instant Replay's highlights of the Sussex Veterans Challenge Cup Final between AFC Varndeanians and Eastbourne Town.

(A selection of photographs can be found on Facebook - courtesy of Steve Mills at Simon Roe Photography)
(Video highlights are available above and also on YouTube - courtesy of Your Instant Replay)

Stats: (AFC Varndeanians-Eastbourne Town)
Goals: 1-6; Shots: 10-11; Shots-on-target: 5-9; Corners: 1-3; Fouls: 11-2; Yellow cards: 1-0; Red cards: 0-0.

AFC Varndeanians Vets: Gilson, Pucci, Low ©, Graham, Spragg, Phadnis, Shakoori, Phillips, Stone, Walsh, Setter. 
Subs: J. Emmerson, Natarajan, N. Emmerson, Anderson, Payne. 

Eastbourne Town Vets: Purdey, Myall ©, Osborne, Davidson, Denton, Holman, Dicker, Crabb, Reeve, Sargent, Simmonds.
Subs: Dyer, Tester, Temple, Wheatley. 

Match report by Charlie Scott