Bexhill beaten by high-flying visitors

United remain second-bottom of the table having lost three of their first five games, but they are unlikely to endure many more difficult afternoons than this one.

"They are probably going to be a side that's going to be in the top three I would think," said United joint manager Bill Trivett, "and I think a point would have been a bonus. But we're still on about 75 per cent of what we're capable of and, after another two or three games, I think we will be on par with the rest of the teams."

They certainly weren't on par with Wealden, but Bexhill were still very much in the contest until last season's Division Two Challenge Cup winners scored two goals in the space of five minutes just after the hour mark to move three-up.

"Those two goals took the wind out of our sails," Trivett continued. "We did still feel at half time that, if we could just get a goal in the first 15 minutes of the second half or stop them from scoring for the first 20 minutes, we might be able to pull something out of it."

Bexhill, for whom debutant striker Lee Roberts showed flashes of promise despite a lack of service, couldn't stop Wealden from scoring, although each of the goals they conceded perhaps could have been avoided.

Former Lewes and St Leonards player Andy Johnson was afforded a free header in midfield, from which former Polegrove favourite Wes Tate ran through and volleyed past Bexhill goalkeeper Adam Taylor at his near post in the 10th minute.

Tate again got the better of the outrushing Taylor for the second goal on the hour, hooking the ball across goal for Tobi Hutchinson to nod into an empty net.

Taylor was then rather slow to get down as Justin Harris' deflected free kick trickled into the net for the third goal, although referee David Bull failed to spot his assistant's offside flag in the run-up to the free kick being awarded.

Dave Carey pulled one back for the hosts with a stunning 92nd minute volley after shrugging off Dan Merry from Taylor's long kick.

But the most revealing statistic was that Wealden, packed with higher level experience, engineered 21 attempts at goal to Bexhill's four.