Watts header helps Billingshurst grab a point away to Bexhill

The long grass and the bumpy surface didn’t make for a high-quality game but Hurst started well and were causing the hosts trouble going forward.

The first clear-cut chances fell to Bexhill, but the impressive Liam Matthews in the Hurst goal was in great form once again.

On 20 minutes, a Paul White free kick was swung in and Watts headed past the diving keeper to give his side a rare lead.

Five minutes before half-time, a Sam Gravestock cross was met by the on-rushing White but a smart save kept the score at 1-0.

Bexhill matched Hurst’s shape in the second half and started the half the brighter of the two sides but couldn’t find a way past Matthews.

On the hour mark, a Hurst free kick was easily caught by the keeper who immediately launched the ball into the Hurst half. A good cross to the home striker again saw Mathews push the shot away, but this time Hurst’s fortune ran out as a mis-hit shot fell to another player who bundled home.

Hurst started to settle again and were causing problems and on 85 minutes substitute Craig Grantham went for an aerial challenge and was clattered into from behind, but with nothing given, the striker’s protests resulted in a red card.

Manager Chris Simmons said: “It was a hard-fought battle on a difficult surface and although a point away from home at Bexhill isn’t a bad result, I thought the performance was good enough for all three points.”

Billingshurst: Mathews, Bradshaw, H.Bowles, Carse (Game), F.Bowles, Copestake, Gravestock (Hawkes), Powell, Stallibrass, Watts (Grantham), White.