No doom and gloom at City
Chichester City’s management say they are not about to start criticising their players after a poor start to their league campaign.
Instead, all at Oaklands Park are remaining confident that Isthmian south east results will improve once some of their regulars are back.
And in the meantime the club who made national FA Cup headlines last season can focus on the chance of another run in the competition.
City have already come through two cup rounds, coming from behind to overcome basingstoke and cribbs.
They host Hellenic League side Risborough in Saturday’s second qualifying round, but are determined not to get ahead of themselves by starting to dream of another surge to the first round proper.
City assistant boss Graeme Gee admitted the league start, which has brought a home 3-1 loss to Ramsgate and Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Whyteleafe, had not been ideal.
He said: “We’re not quite firing on all cylinders but injuries, suspensions and unavailability through work and holidays has hit us hard.
“We’ve been without some mainstays of our success of recent years – people like Ryan Davidson, Kaleem Haitham and Gicu Iordache.
“We’ve had a couple – Rob Hutchings and Josh Clack – suspended already and Ryan Penny, who we signed recently, has now moved on, while others have been away for certain games because of other commitments.
“A club at any level would struggle without that many, so we’re not going to turn against the lads.
“They’re a fantastic bunch who have done ever so well for us over a few years and we’re confident league results will improve once we get some bodies back and can have a more settled side. That’s no disrespect to those who have been playing as they’ve been giving their all.”
Gee and manager Miles Rutherford made a four-hour round trip to Buckinghamshire in midweek to watch Cup opponents Risborough – and Gee said they’d make it tough for City, who then visit early leaders VCD in the league next Tuesday.
“Risborough are a couple of steps below us in the pyramid but they’re a very good side and will feel they have a chance. A cup run would be great but if you get ahead of yourselves, you get caught out.
“We’ ll give them plenty of respect .”
Pagham’s second win of the season – a 2-1 home success over Crawley down gatwick– took them into fifth spot.
Lions boss Kerry Hardwell said: “I was delighted to get the win at home in a game from which we really deserved the points.
“After two draws in previous games we knew we must kickonathome, aslastseason when we (the management) came to the club we were very hard to beat at home and frustrated a lot of teams when they came to nye timber lane. That’s we did again against an unbeaten Crawley Downgatwick side.
“Although they didn’t really create much they had lots of the ball and we looked to counter attack when we could. The only negative was that the game should have been out of sight at 70 minutes - the forward players need to get a ruth less side to them and punish teams when they get the opportunities.
“Defensively we were superb and our shape throughout was great.”
CDG took the lead in the seventh minute when Sullivan headed home a cross.
Top scorer Joe Clarke scored a superb equaliser two minutes later. Collecting a short pass in midfield, Clarke jinked passed several defenders and scored with ease.
Pagham took the lead in the 18th minute with a first P ag ham goal for striker grant Radmore. The Anvils gave the ball away and it squirmed across the area and fell to radmore.
David crouch and joe bennett could have increased the lead before half- time, but were kept out by the keeper.
Ontuesdaynight, a Jamie Carroll goal couldnotprecent the Lions losing 2-1 at Hassocks.