Eastbourne Town 0 Whyteleafe 1

A DEPLETED Whyteleafe side, missing several key players, put on a battling performance on the south coast on Tuesday night to steal the points with a stoppage time winner.

Darren Watson popped up with the decisive goal that projected Leafe into the top half of the Ryman League Division One South.

The visitors went close to opening the scoring after 15 minutes when a corner kick triggered a scramble in the goalmouth that ended with Kieron McCann's scot being saved by Russell Tanner.

Chris O'Flaherty shot wide later on after beating three players on his way to the edge of the penalty area.

Eastbourne should have broken the deadlock nine minutes after the interval when Gary Brockwell was through one-on-one with Rob O'Hara, but the Leafe keeper ushered him wide and O'Flaherty made a saving tackle.

At the other end, Tanner had to tip a 30-yard effort from debutant Leon Warley over the bar, before Brockwell again ran clear on the hour mark, O'Hara this time saving bravely at his feet.

The Leafe keeper was almost caught out with 20 minutes left as he headed the ball away and Francis chipped it back over his head, but Danny Oakins got back and headed the ball away from the goal.

As the visitors tired in the closing stages, Eastbourne began to get on top and O'Hara made three crucial saves from Fred Foreman, Brockwell and Peter Featherstone in the final four minutes.

But it was Whyteleafe who had the last word. Good play from Platel and McCann won a corner that was taken by O'Flaherty and headed home by Watson in the box.

Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Holmes-Lewis, Warley (Ringrose), Fleming, Goodchild, McCann, D Coleman, Oakins, Watson, Platel, O'Flaherty. Unused sub: Massey.