The University of Sussex Football Manager society was a society that certainly existed, writes Mike Wallis. As with many university societies, it was essentially just a drinking club and I’m not a massive drinker, so I wasn’t the most active member.
One activity organised by the society was “scouting missions” to local non-league sides and a local derby between Lewes and Eastbourne Borough in the Sussex Senior Cup was an obvious choice. And so, the 25th January 2012 was my first visit to The Dripping Pan. Due to my graduation, accidentally getting a job in the Midlands and a match getting postponed when I’d travelled down especially for it, it would be another four years before I visited again.
Fast forward 12¾ years, I’ve seen more than 150 matches at the Pan, the Football Manager society’s Facebook group is not yet completely dormant and Lewes are playing Eastbourne Borough in the Sussex Senior Cup.
Eastbourne turn up with about 25 players, several of which disappeared before kick-off. The shirt numbers suggest this is a second string XI, with Michael Klass making a(nother) return to the Pan, as he continues his tour of Sussex non-league clubs.
Eastbourne don’t mess around from the kick-off, shooting directly from it and very nearly catching Toby Bull off his line. The ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced away. Pavey hit the post again for Eastbourne shortly after. Eastbourne dominated the first 30 minutes and eventually got a first and then a second shortly after, Vukoje scrambled the ball over the line at the far post for the first and Harley got onto the end of a through ball to make it 2-0.
Lewes came back in the second half. Sablier and Bassett had been rested for this game, but were summoned from the bench, with Jack Enkh following not long after. Calvin Ekpiteta has turned up with Lewes having already played for both Cray sides and Potters Bar this season and he pulled one back when the ball broke loose on the edge of the area, driving a shot low into the corner. Lewes probably should’ve equalised, Ghannam shanking his chance into the Philcox, Sablier had a shot from a narrow angle saved, Bassett’s shot cleared off the line and Maliq Morris had a chance too,but Eastbourne held on.
Lewes out of two cups in the space of four days. Eastbourne Borough are going well at the top of the National South and probably deserved the win.
I can remember very little of the Sussex Cup match in 2012, Eastbourne won 2-1 and a pint got thrown at us after one of the Eastbourne goals. No pints were thrown last night, but Eastbourne also won 2-1. I’ll be back next week for Dover at home, rather than waiting for four years.
Lewes: Bull, McIntosh, Kaiser, Ojemen, Elechi (Enkh 56), Antonio (Sablier HT), Ekpiteta (Nano 78), Hamilton, Ladapo, Hutchinson (Bassett HT), Ghannam (Maliq Morris 66).
Goal: Ekpiteta (63)
Eastbourne Borough: Metcalfe, Diarra, Ligendza, Klass, Ballard-McBride (Quick 70), Bird, Harley (Davis 70), Pavey, Duah, Vukoje (Sesay 70), Innocent.
Goals: Vukoje (17), Harley (30)
Supporters Club player of the match: Marcus Sablier