United End Winning Streak

BEXHILL UNITED'S mini revival came to an end against a Franklands Village side that just about deserved all three points at The Polegrove on Saturday.

The hosts didn't help their cause by giving away two careless goals inside the opening half an hour against opposition that started the day in second place in Sussex Division Three.

Bexhill hit back through captain Benjie Symes' second goal in three days and soon after saw their opponents reduced to 10 men, but the visitors still had the know-how to secure victory.

Buoyed by successive wins over Forest and Newhaven, Len Watkins' side looked up for the challenge provided by their high-flying visitors and during the opening exchanges there was little to choose between the teams.

Ian Rise threatened on a couple of occasions for Bexhill but it was Franklands who struck first on 14 minutes when against the run of play Anthony Humphreys' cross-shot took a wicked deflection off Darrell Shaw, completely wrong-footing keeper Alan Read.

Franklands were gifted a second just before the half hour mark. Sloppy play by Alex Page gave the ball away to Paul MacKay whose cross from the right was met by Ian Barber, diving full-length to dispatch a spectacular header over the outstretched Read and into the top far corner of the net.