Pirates triumph in final home game

Scott McDonald scored his eighth goal of the season in Bexhill United's victory over Storrington on Saturday. Picture courtesy Mark Killy

Goals from Allan McMinigal, Scott McDonald and Josh Pickering were enough to clinch a 3-2 win against second-bottom Storrington in Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two.

“We could’ve had about 10,” said Bexhill manager Marc Munday, who played in goal with regular custodian Yankuba Camara injured and three possible replacements dropping out.

“It was pleasing because we created so many chances again and probably finished the hard ones. We had quite a lot of play down their end and the only bits they had were the two goals. I didn’t have a shot to save.”

Bexhill had to defend one corner during the first half, but other than that the play was all up the other end and they took the lead on the half-hour. Allan McMinigal, who has been unlucky not to score in recent games, put Bexhill ahead with a great strike from 18 yards.

Bexhill pushed on in search of a second goal, but it remained 1-0 at half time and Storrington equalised out of nothing soon after the restart. Anthony Cooper got caught in the right-back position and the ball was crossed for the unmarked Kelvin Lucas to volley home from five yards.

The equaliser seemed to spur the home side on and it was all-Bexhill for the next 25 minutes. Leading scorer Scott McDonald restored Bexhill’s advantage in the 56th minute by heading home his eighth goal of the season.

Josh Pickering made it 3-1 just three minutes later with a fantastic strike for his first senior Bexhill goal, becoming the club’s 17th different scorer this season in the process.

Storrington pulled one back when Sean O’Reilly wasn’t marked tightly enough at a corner and headed in from three yards.

But a repeat of the 3-3 draw in November’s reverse fixture never looked likely as Bexhill spent the closing stages on the front foot.

Plenty of other chances came and went during the course of the match, including McDonald having a couple of opportunities similar to the one he scored and Jack Aston’s two close range efforts.

Nathan Tudor came on as a substitute and did well on his return from injury.

Bexhill: Munday; Cooper (Tudor), Cruikshank, G. Aston, Ottley; Cumming-Bart, J. Aston, Elliott-Noye, McMinigal (Wheeler); McDonald, Pickering (Shelton).