Saturday 13 March 2004 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

The only change to the starting line-up that overcame Hinckley was a suspension enforced one – the available again Matt Coupe a straight swap for the suspended Jim Rollo at right back. A heavy downpour just before kick-off did little to improve the less-than-perfect Twerton Park surface but this didn’t prevent the visitors getting off to a flying start. Within the opening 12 minutes they could have been two goals to the good. Just three minutes had passed when an unmarked Pearce got onto the end of Simmons’ free-kick. His header was powerful but Paul Evans produced a stunning flying save to tip it over the bar. The big City keeper was helpless nine minutes later though from a deflected Smart long range effort that dropped a yard over the bar. In between Gary Owers almost burst into the Eastbourne box only for Smart’s well-timed tackle to stop him and on 15 minutes Darren Hawkins headed over but it was still Borough who looked more threatening. Simmonds fired a 20-yard effort straight at Evans and Ramsey wasted a great chance from a Tuck cross, heading tamely into the keeper’s arms. Having weathered this storm City began to get going and their neat passing soon began to stretch their opponents without ever really looking like finding a goal. Scott Partidge and Frankie Bennett were finally beginning to see more of the ball and it was the former who tested Hook for the first time on 35 minutes after dispossessing Pearce. He went ever closer a minute later rattling the crossbar from 20 yards with the keeper well beaten.

So the interval arrived with City on top but still looking for the breakthrough and within two minutes of the restart they found it. The move began with Evans catching a free-kick and quickly throwing the ball out to Hawkins. He made ground before passing to Partridge who, in turn, helped it onto Jamie Cook just inside the area. His shot was parried by Hook but Bennett was first to the rebound to fire home his first goal of the season. Unfortunately this was his last involvement as a rib-injury forced him off five minutes later but this had little negative impact on City’s control of the game. Hawkins rushed a chance after 53 minutes after Cook intelligently switched play and substitute Steve Tweddle allowed Hook to smoother his 66th minute close range effort. The Sports defence were struggling to contain Partridge and he should have sealed the game with a free header seven minutes later only to direct it straight at Hook. With Sam Bailey having another outstanding game, ably assisted by Steve Jones, at the centre of City’s defence, Eastbourne were looking increasingly short of ideas, although they did have a strong penalty appeal waved away after Bailey appeared to fell Simmonds. At the other end the former Bristol City teenager was denied his first City goal by Tuck’s goalline clearance. The closing minutes saw City play keep ball and frustrate the Sussex side. During this spell Hawkins almost capped his final City appearance with a goal, heading Bobby Ford’s cross over, before Tweddle did grab a deserved second. Tuck’s attempt at a quick free-kick went straight to Partridge and he laid the ball off to Cook. His cross-shot flew across goal where Tweddle was on hand to prod it home from six yards out.