Vs. Herstmonceux (H)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Tim Nunn
Ben Garlick
Chris Mammone (c)
Wes Longley
Seb Elliott	(82 Ian Nunn)
Anthony Hunter
Matt Lee	(82 Ollie Jeffs)
Rafael Ribeiro
Jack Hunter
Zac Smith
Josh Mullett
Referee: N Greenfield
Goals: J Hunter (9,10), Ribeiro (19), Mullett (29,55).
HT Score: 4-2
FT Score: 5-4

The new BBFC 2^nd team faced Herstmonceux at home in their first ever competitive fixture.

Although the match started in the dry, it was not long before the rain came and the away side had the first clear opportunity when on five minutes they broke down their left and the striker had more time than he thought as he rushed his shot into the side netting.

The Baptists hit back and took the lead when great work by Rafa stopped the ball going out for a goal kick and he pulled it back to the on-rushing Jack who smashed it home. Barely a minute past before Jack added his and the Baptist’s second. Good work down the right from Anthony ended with a blocked shot before Zac’s follow-up was well parried by the keeper. The ball then fell to Jack who knocked home for the second.

Herstmonceux looked to get back into the game and got on the scoresheet when hesitation in the defence left a simple tap in on sixteen minutes. More good work on the right presented Rafa with the opportunity to restore the two-goal lead. This he did by curling the ball off the post low into the bottom corner.

The match, which slowed down a little as both sides tried to get the upper hand, exploded back into life just before the half hour mark. Tim acrobatically tipped a long-range effort over the bar before great work by Zac released Josh over the top. Josh took the ball exceptionally well by heading it on the knocking it out of his feet, before smashing it past the keeper at his near post.

The action was not yet over as on 34 minutes the flight of a free kick was misjudged and it was headed in from a few yards out by an unmarked Herstmonceux player.

The Baptists came out for the second half eager to put the game to bed and on a few occasions they were thwarted by some alert goalkeeping before Josh got his second. A fabulous curling strike from Matt crashed against the post and Josh was on hand to place the ball past the stranded keeper.

Man of the match Tim then produced a superb save to delay the impending Herstmonceux fightback. A shot was drilled at his near post and he got down and got a strong hand to it to push it out for a corner. The rest bite was short-lived as they soon added a third goal on sixty five minutes. It was very similar to the second as a free kick was poorly defended and was put in from close range. Herstmonceux added a fourth just after seventy minutes when a cross was scrambled home at the far post.

With just under ten minutes left an injured Matt was replaced by Ollie and Ian came on to add from solidity to the defence in place of Seb.

Herstmonceux had chances to equalise, but shot too early and the ball ended up either high or wide. Their desire to hit the ball early was down to the great exhibition of last ditch tackling by Chris that had thwarted numerous previous efforts.

Some committed defending ensured the Baptists maintained their lead when the final whistle sounded. A great team performance, from the starting eleven to the subs and the supporters. This is a young side that can only get better as the season goes on. Exciting times are ahead, although we have a hard game next week against Magham Down who will be desperate for revenge after our victory there a couple of weeks ago.