First half goals by Kieran Rowe and Martyn Box saw Burgess Hill Town progress in the Emirates FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Eastbourne Town.

Managers Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett brought in defender Nathan Cooper after the defender signed in the week from Littlehampton whilst Martyn Box returned to the line up having missed last weeks league opener with Sevenoaks due to injury.

The Hill started brightly as we worked it down the right, it comes to Ben Pope who fires it across the face of the goal.

On ten minutes the Hillians took the lead as a bouncing ball fell to Kieran Rowe 25 yards out and he absolutely wallops it into the top corner. A fantastic strike for his second in as many games.

Hillians continued to be on top in the first half and it should have been 2-0 as great play from Harry Lawson drives us forward and finds Rowe who plays a one two with Pope but this time can’t beat former Hillian goalkeeper Chris Winterton.

Another good chance for Hill to double the lead saw Bobby Price cut in from the left but he smashes an effort just over.

Two minutes later the lead was deservedly doubled. It’s a beautiful passing move which sees the ball spread to the right, it’s clipped into the box and Martyn Box waits for it to drop out the sky and volley it with his right foot into the net.

The hosts had two more chances before half time to increase their advantage. Firstly Box whips it in from the right and Rowe makes his run but heads over from 5 yards and then Hill drive through the heart of the Town again, it falls to Lawson who shoots just wide with his left.

The second half started with an early shot for Hill as Rowe shoots from distance again, this time over the bar but the lead was halved minutes later as the visitors got themselves back in the game.

Hill concede a corner and get punished with a fabulous finish by James Waters and suddenly it was game on.

On 59 minutes there was a big chance for Hill to get back firmly under control, Ollie Davies speeds away and looks to find Pope but it’s just ahead of him. Later on Pope does really well to force a corner which Nathan Cooper heads at goal, but no one can tap it home. Lewis Taylor also had a header go onto the roof of the net.

On 86 minutes Hill almost wrapped it up but Pope, who had been brilliant all game, has a shot deflected for a corner which Cooper attacks but it’s straight at Winterton.

The game was almost sent to a replay as Eastbourne had a massive chance and should have equalised in the last minutes but they headed over from 4 yards.

Despite the late chance it was the Hillians who held on and marched into the next round of the Cup with the draw being held on Monday.