FOOTBALL: Holders EP crash out after bizarre game

BRIGHTON Charity Cup holders East Preston FC crashed out of the competition in the first round on Tuesday evening, in what EP manager Paul Curtis described as the most bizarre game he has ever been involved with.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Jan 2010, 12:52 BST
Updated 20th Jan 2010, 12:53 BST

East Preston went down 2-1 after extra-time against Division 1 side Pagham, but the defending champions finished the game with just eight players on the pitch.

Keeper Maciek Kason was sent off after just 23 minutes for handling the ball outside the area and left-back Mark Burgess took over the role in goal, as EP had no reserve goalkeeper available on the bench.

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Burgess then had to leave the match at half-time owing to other commitments, which left right-back Dale Campbell to pull on the gloves and Curtis to come on and fill the position in defence.

Curtis was EP's only substitute as Louie Murray and Danny Smith, who were due to arrive at half-time, were stuck in traffic and never made it to the game.

The scores remained level until the 88th minute when Ryan Cox looked to have netted the winner for Pagham, but a late injury-time equaliser from Phil Churchill sent the match to extra-time. But with Jay Huet and James Fay going off injured, EP could not hold out, despite their best efforts, and Lewis Gibbs' deflected shot in the 22nd-minute of extra-time sent Pagham through.

Curtis said: "I was really, really, happy and to be honest we should have won it.

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"I have never been involved in a game like it but I was absolutely delighted with the team's effort, attitude, spirit and commitment. If we can take one fifth of that into Saturday against Sidley, then that'll be excellent.

"Taking nothing away from the cup, but we enter it as a bit of respite as it's much better work than training, but obviously if we had progressed that would have been great."

EAST PRESTON: Kason; Burgess, Saunders, Windsor, Campbell; Huet, Fay, Moss, Maymon, Azimi, Churchill. Subs: Curtis (Burgess 45).

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Related topics:FootballEast PrestonDivision 1