They have been thinking about floodlights at the Crouch for 20 years, planning permission has come and gone on more than one occasion, but finally, on Tuesday 18th September, there was light and what a brilliant spectacle they provided.

Lancing were the first to test out the new facility and they joined the fulsome praise for Seaford’s new lighting, which will now allow Town to enter the National cup competitions, such as the F.A.Cup and F.A.Vase, something they have previously only dreamed of.

There was an impatience about the ground when the teams warmed up as day changed slowly to night, but once kick off time arrived the pitch was bathed in the new light and with some of Seaford’s older players watching on in envy, Town’s current players, lead by captain Barry Knight were escorted onto the pitch by members of the club’s Under 9 team.

It was a particularly pleasing moment for Town’s skipper, who had been one of the youngsters in the Division Three champion side, that won promotion in 1986 which started the quest for lights which is now no longer a dream.

Town’s biggest crowd for many years were in jovial mood, but they were stunned into silence when Lancing gate crashed the party to open the scoring in the 8th minute. Sam Palmer was found in acres of space by a clever through ball, and he held his nerve to calmly pass the ball round the advancing Lamin Faal.

Adam Kneller had already hit a chance wide for Seaford, then after the goal a corner by Steven Peachey caused havoc in the Lancing goalmouth and Tom Callaghan was unlucky when his close range effort was blocked on the line.

Lancing’s goalkeeper, Richard Whittington was finding himself in the thick of the action as he parried a Chris Stanyard shot back to Callaghan, but was quick enough to be able to recover and tip the ball round the post. Unfortunately for Whittington, he only delayed the inevitable as Town equalised from the resulting corner. Peachey curled another kick into the area and this time Callaghan was able to fire home through a crowd of players for his first goal of the season.

Mark Woodward had a chance to give Town the lead when he latched on to a Kneller free kick, but his first time volley was well saved. The game had been played in a good spirit, but suddenly a slightly late challenge by Stanyard on Mark Saxby drew a violent reaction from the Lancing player and both were sent off by referee Peter Lindsey. The challenge by Stanyard would usually have brought no more than a warning from the referee, as he was clearly going for the ball, and there are plenty of occasions when Saxby’s reaction may have produced a yellow card, not red.

When referee Lindsey arrived on the scene he already had the red card in his hand to show to Saxby, and then as the Lancing player was making his way down the touchline, he also showed red to the surprised Stanyard. They may have been a touch of even handedness by the official, and fortunately it was the only flashpoint in the game.

When the action resumed Knight broke out of his usual defensive role to have a 30 yard effort saved by Whittington, while at the other end Palmer had a superb shot on the turn which was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Faal.

Town made a great start to the second half and were rewarded when Callaghan netted his second of the game. Kneller won a good header on the half way line and Callaghan picked it up outside the penalty area. His control was good and his finish deadly as he beat Whittington low down.

Three minutes later Town added to their tally, this time it was midfielder Ben Dartnall who got in on the act after a surging run by Adam Dawson. He had battled his way to the edge of the area and when he played it into the box it ran nicely for Dartnall and with the Lancing defenders appealing for offside, he tucked it sweetly into the bottom corner.

Lancing were battling hard to get something out of the game, but were running into a brick wall in Woodward who had not missed a header all the game. It was a little unusual then when Lancing pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute, when substitute Will Berry found himself unmarked at the far post and his header back across goal wrong footed Faal and nestled inside his far post.

As the game opened up Town’s own substitute Scott Stepney went close from a deep cross, but his header passed the wrong side of the post, then Callaghan hit the bar after a superb solo run and shot, but neither side was able to break through again and Town celebrated 3 points on this historic evening.

Manager Duncan Kneller was pleased with the performance of his team, but for him, as with all the other old players it was the occasion which meant such a lot to him and he will surely be keenly awaiting Town’s first F.A.Cup tie on their hallowed surface.

Team: Faal, Dawson, Hunt (Ranger), Knight, Woodward, Keith (Stepney), Kneller, Dartnall, Stanyard, Callaghan (Doherty), Peachey.

Man of the Match: Steven Peachey (Always a handful down the left)