Palmer Heroics Secure Cup Final

Eastbourne hockey club played host to Lewes for the sussex cup semi-finals on Saturday, and it was a day of drama at the Saffrons. Both 1st and 2nd X1s matches were hotly contested, but it was Lewes’ 2nd X1 that squeezed through thanks to a goalkeeping masterclass from youngster Billie Palmer following a sudden death p flick showdown.

Despite a rousing team talk from Captain Seb Daniels a poor warm up saw Lewes start the game slowly and Eastbourne duly assumed control, switching the ball well across their defensive lines. Eastbourne’s dominance in possession led to the opening goal on 17 minutes when Lewes gave the ball away cheaply from a break away and failed to recover. Despite their slow start Lewes began to assert themselves, with Danny Poulsen, Callum Boyland and Oli Loader winning back some control of midfield, and strong bursts forward from Sam Rea and Theo Whiting, but never the less the visitors went in to half time behind.

Lewes continued their fight back with a strong start to the second half and were duly rewarded with an equaliser thanks to a precise strike from a penalty corner in the 42nd minute by new signing Hamish Middleton. The remainder of the half saw both teams locked at 1-1 with two Eastbourne players seeing yellow cards and Lewes also down to 10 men briefly when Poulsen received a naïve green card with 8 minutes remaining. Ultimately the teams couldn’t be separated in normal time and it went to penalty strokes.

Lewes’ keeper Billie Palmer, and central midfielder for the day Oli Loader, showed experience & composure beyond their years to keep Lewes in it with two fine saves from the former and a coolly slotted ‘no back-lift’ flick from the latter. Palmer completed his heroics with a sensational save, batting away Eastbourne’s first sudden death flick low to his right, with Joe Rideout duly converting for Lewes to take a jubilant Lewes 2nd XI to a dream final against old rivals East Grinstead.

MOM – Billie ‘the cat’ Palmer
Report by: Danny Poulson