Eagles continue to lose altitude as they succumb to Beachside

Photo:  James Anderson (No.4) leaps into the arms of a Beachside team-mate after scoring his side's second goal in the last minute of the game [PlessPix]
 

(Men’s Southern Championship, Warrior Park, Thursday, 22 October 2020)

New Town White Eagles 0

Beachside 2 (B Whitehall 12, J Anderson 90)

HT:  0-1   Ref:  B Kopra

New Town White Eagles:  Nutting;  Brown-Price, Butler, Clamp, Clark, Leszczynski, Longden, Luttrell, Phillips, Ryan-Buchanan, Vernon  (Subs:  C Anderson, Cook, McKay, Rojahn)

Beachside:  Wilson;  J Anderson, Andrews, Bomford, Cox, Ellis, Goldsmith, Maxwell, Mulcahy, Toselli, Whitehall (Subs:  Fewkes, Fisher, Law, Roberts)

Photo:  Ben Whitehall (left) celebrates his opening goal with team-mate Matthew Bomford [PlessPix]
 

New Town White Eagles were in with a chance of the title a few weeks ago, but they have since fallen in a heap and are out of contention.

They were beaten 2-0 at Warrior Park on Thursday by Beachside, a team way below them on the standings.

One of their former players, Ben Whitehall, opened the scoring for Beachside after just 16 minutes when he got onto the end of a through ball and lobbed it over the advancing keeper.

Photo:  Grant Nutting was in excellent form for Eagles.  He prevented a goal late in the game with a fine block at the feet of Ben Whitehall. [PlessPix]
 

Late in the game, Whitehall was unlucky when his ferocious free-kick rattled the crossbar.  Eagles keeper Grant Nutting flew through the air in style, but he didn’t get near the ball.  Nutting also produced a brave save late in the game in a one-on-one with Whitehall when he dived at the striker's feet and won the ball.

Photo:  Eagles' Jac Ryan-Buchanan (right) wins the ball [PlessPix]
 

Beachside’s captain, Brett Andrews, kept a tight rein on Eagles’ Jacob Clamp and the contests between this pair got quite physical at times.  Andrews was shown a yellow card for one particularly brutal challenge.

There were few chances for either side and the game degenerated into a dour midfield slog.

Many of the players looked tired and off their game.  Perhaps their bodies are not attuned to playing in the early afternoon on a Thursday, and they were certainly not used to the artificial surface.

Photo:  Eagles' Sam Leszczynski can only watch as Beachside clear [PlessPix]
 

Eagles were missing defender Liam Brown, but striker Sam Leszczynski was back after a lengthy absence through injury.

Eagles’ defender Matthew Luttrell was stretchered off in the closing minutes after damaging a knee that was already firmly strapped.

With a 1-0 scoreline seemingly inevitable, James Anderson netted after a corner in the final minutes to make it a little more respectable at the end.

Photo:  Eagles' Toby Butler nudges a Beachside opponent [PlessPix] 

Photo:  One of the many clashes between Eagles' Jacob Clamp and Beachside's Brett Andrews [PlessPix]

 

Photo:  Eagles' Matthew Luttrell is stretchered off by Steve Vernon, Chris Leszczynski, Andrew Leszczynski and Peter Wass [PlessPix]