Vs. Herstmonceux (H)
Starting XI	Substitutes:
Dale Scowen
Dave Mills
Alan Cowley
Max Sztyber
Paul Ford
Adam Staplehurst
Dave Sitch	(70 Gary Walsh)
Ollie Jeffs (c)
Pete Cooper	(55 Paul Rook)
Steve Spicer
Tom Frere-Smith
Referee: A Apps
Goals: Jeffs, Frere-Smith, Spicer.
HT Score: 2-1
FT Score: 3-4

Today is the first day of advent and in thousands of Christian churches around the world the first of the candles will have been lit in the run up to Christmas.

This first candle represents HOPE and yesterday, exactly a year to the day since the car accident that left him with injuries that should have killed him, Steve Spicer scored his first goal for Battle Baptists. Praise God for Steve's life that is a testimony that there is hope in ANY situation.

Steve went into trauma once more as his teammates engulfed him in a celebratory crush (no kisses!!!).

With just 15 minutes left in the game, Steve's goal put us 3-2 up and it looked as though the scene was set for him to be the focus of a great post match celebration.

But rather than steeling themselves for a battling 15 minutes, his team capitulated, conceding 2 goals and forfeiting the result to a jubillant Herstmonceux side who throughout the afternoon, never really looked like getting a win.

The fact that 'Ceux were in a position to win the game was largely due to some poor finishing by Battle earlier in the match, and one stunning first half equaliser which Dale Scowen in goal had no chance of saving.

The truth is that after a tentative first five minutes, the Baptists found their feet and played some great football. Ollie Jeffs, acting as captain for the day, put the home team ahead after about 20 minutes, finishing off a well-constructed left wing attack that ended when Tom Frere-Smith squared for Ollie to side foot his pass into an open net from the penalty spot. After Spicer's enthusiasm earned him a 'talking to' by the referee, he then jinxed his way through a bemused defence only to flunk his chance. On the right, Dave Sitch linked play very well, beating the full back and cutting in several juicy crosses which deserved a more fruitful outcome. Not to be outdone, Pete Cooper outpaced his opponent, scything a path down the left.

After the thumping equaliser, Battle recovered their initiative recovering the lead shortly before the break with a counter attack the ended in a Frere-Smith finish.

Within seconds of the restart 'Ceux were level again when the unmarked Chris Field took advantage of a sleepy defence side footing home from six yards. After Spicer's strike threatened to make the headlines, Battle conceded a third equaliser when Jon Brettany headed in directly from a corner before Tim Honeysett helped himself to the winner with a smartly struck shot from 18 yards.

Having conceded late goals to lose their last 2 games, the Baptists will cling to the hope that they can hang on to a lead and claw their way out of the danger zone in Division 2...there's always next week lads.