Eastbourne United AFC produced one of the cup upsets of the season as they dumped Ryman Premier League side Lewes out of the Sussex Senior Cup after a 2-1 victory at The Dripping Pan

United started the game with a real fire in their belly and with the game just 3 minutes old, Jack Divall skipped past his man on the left wing to produce an inch perfect square pass for the lethal Liam Baitup, who duly opened his body to produce a delightful curling effort past former Eastbourne Town ‘keeper Kieron Thorp in the home goal to send the visiting players, officials and supporters into raptures.
Lewes looked to pull themselves back into the game after their early shock, but former United man Nathan Crabb could only fire wide under pressure from the United rear-guard.
Divall and Mark Goodwin were a constant threat to Lewes all evening and Goodwin came close to extending the United lead as his powerful low cross was narrowly turned around the post by a Kelvin Brown.
Baitup, playing as a lone striker, had his eye on further goals as he hit a 25 yard effort that narrowly passed the Lewes crossbar before he turned provider for Divall who failed to test Thorp with a powerful strike.
Adam Sargent in the United goal was a virtual spectator for much of the first half as any chances Lewes created were either high or wide of his goal.

The second half saw United continue to work hard with the midfield trio of Stracey, Bunn and Barden coming out on top in numerous battles.
The second goal came on 56 minutes when the lively Goodwin produced another mazy run and cross that saw Thorp misjudge the cross as the ball fell to Baitup who was on hand to fire home after seeing a first effort blocked by a covering defender.
With the very real prospect of being beaten by a side 55 places lower than them in the non-league pyramid, the strike prompted changes for the home side with former Charlton Athletic youth team players Ben Godfrey and Karl Beckford introduced as they went searching to turn around the two-goal deficit.
Sargent produced two stunning reaction saves from Anthony Thomas and Godfrey as Lewes stepped up there pressure on the United goal before pulling a goal back on 70 minutes when a corner wasn’t fully cleared and player/manager Simon Wormull steered the ball past Sargent to give Lewes hope of a successful comeback.
United were made to defend manfully by the consistent bombardment from Lewes and did so with Captain Pete Featherstone, Shaun Lee, Aaron Filsell and Gianluca Del-Gaudio all putting their bodies on the line to keep Lewes at bay.
With just two minutes remaining, United had their hearts in their mouths as Wormull drifted into space and looked well placed to score, but proceeded to fire his shot high and wide of the United goal.
But United endured four minutes of added time and held firm to secure a deserved and memorable victory for Paul Daubeney and his staff as EUAFC continue their journey to Round Three of the Sussex Senior Cup with the prospect of being drawn against Brighton & Hove Albion, Eastbourne Town or Eastbourne Borough a distinct possibility.