A trip to Bexhill is never easy and a bumpy pitch made it hard for both sides but with the hosts just behind the play off positions and the Boars looking to bounce back from the defeat against YMCA, the two teams set about each other with no holds barred to produce one of the better 0-0 draws.
Roffey were without the injured Tom Tolfrey, Jack Poplett, Danny Pappoe and Terrell Joseph but welcomed back James Pearse from injury and new signings: Alex Barbery and James McElligot to the bench.
The first shot on goal from Dan Pearse bobbled and ended up over the bar. Bexhill broke down the right and the far post cross was sliced high and wide by their striker. Next Roffey lost possession and the Bexhill player tumbled in the box with no apparent contact from Pat Gibbs and the perfectly positioned referee waved any claims away.
Roffey started to push their hosts back and and Jordan Mase jinked his way down the left and his cross was only half cleared by keeper Alex Hobden and three different Roffey players attempted to bury the loose ball with home defenders managing to block with various parts of their bodies the attack ended with Dan Pearse avoiding the mass of players but seeing his shot go wide.
The scramble saw Cavan Chedzey suffer a rib injury and he had to be replaced by Barbery who immediately started to make life difficult for Dan Rogers at the heart of the home defence
A corner from Ryan Ferrar was not properly cleared and Ash Mutongerwa’s shot looked destined for the bottom corner but Hobden somehow managed to keep it out end then react to block Barbery’s follow up.
Jake Legrange and Devon Fender combined down the right and the cutback saw Dan Pearse fire in a shot which appeared to strike a Bexhill hand but the referee did not judge it to be a penalty.
Fender burst into the box and his stinging shot was touched onto the post by Hobden although the referee awarded a goalkick. Just before half time a cross into the Roffey box resulted in Archibald heading down and Capon hooking the ball over the bar. HT 0-0
Roffey started the second half as they had ended the first with a press winning the ball back and Mase’s shot was deflected and Hobden fell on the loose ball.
Legrange’s cross bounced around in front of goal but ended up in Hobson’s hands. Legrange then set up Mase for a shot which curled too high. McElligot came of the bench to make his debut and went on a wriggling run to set up Mase whose shot was again blocked for a corner. The kick was whipped in and somehow avoided everyone and just missed the far post. Fender’s run into the box was picked out by Mase and his pull back found Fernandes who’s turn it was to have his shot blocked for another corner.
The more the Boars pressed the more risk there was of Bexhill catching them on the break which they nearly did but their substitute's shot was easily fielded by Monty Watson Price in the visitor’s goal. The next break ended with a Bexhill free kick 20 yards out which Jack Shonk pulled wide. This was shortly followed by another about 30 yards out which was hit high and wide by Hollobone.
Barbery was leading the line well and a flick-on from him ended with McElligot putting in a cross but only into the safe hands of the excellent Hobson. McElligot and Neathey set up Mase, but his shot bobbled wide on the uneven surface.
Shaun Findlay was pushed forward as Jamie Wanstall came into the back three and it was Findlay’s cross that Barbery couldn’t quite reach and McElligot’s shot was cleared off the line. A far post cross was driven back in by Findlay and Barbery’s clever flick was inches outside the post.
There was a scare for the Boars when Aaron Capon got free and Watson Price who had had had very little to do managed to touch his shot onto the post to keep his twelfth clean sheet of the season.
Findlay went down the left and squared the ball for Fernandes whose shot was blocked for yet another corner.
So, the game ended with no score but no lack of effort and goalmouth incident. Both sides had given their all there was mutual respect between them at the end.
Roffey were disappointed to drop two points but had performed with credit in a difficult fixture and should look forward with confidence to next week’s six pointer at Eastbourne United.
Roffey: Watson Price, LeGrange (Wanstall), Mutongerwa, D.Pearse Gibbs, J Pearse(Fernandes)Findlay, Mase, Fender(Neathey) Chedzey(Barbery), Ferrar (McElligot).