Rocks on roll – but expect hiccups
Jack Pearce hailed an ‘excellent’ Rocks performance that carried them to seventh place in the Isthmian premier – but warned fans there would be more setbacks ahead.
Two first-half Brad Lethbridge goals were enough to secure a 2-0 win against Margate last Saturday.
It was a second clean-sheet home victory in eight days for Pearce and Robbie Blake’s team.
They aim for three in a row when Tooting and Mitcham visit in the FA Trophy on saturday– before Burgess Hill come to town for a sussex senior Cup second-round tie next Tuesday.
Pearce said: “It was nice to build on last week’s win. The atmopshere was good and some of our football was excellent. We should have scored more than two.
“I will say to supporters again, though – we have a very young side and there will be more hiccups along the way. We’re not going to win and keep a clean sheet every week.”
Pearce said a recent change from their usual 4-3-3 system to 4-2-3-1, using Harvey Why te and tommy leigh as the two holding midfielders, was working well.
He said Lethbridge’s double would give the young forward a boost after a mixed start to the campaign.
The Rocks have opted not to continue the loan of Pompey academy forward Alfie Stanley because, with their forward options, they couldn’t guarantee him a starting spot.
Pearce said: “Alfie needs to be playing and will go on to do well somewhere, I am sure.”
Goals from Gicu Iordache and Emmett Dunn helped Chichester grab an important 2-1 Isthmian south east division win at Herne Bay.
Zak Ansah pulled one back for the hosts and had a chance to level from the spot in a dramatic last ten minutes but keeper Steve Mowthorpe pulled off a super save.
It was the sort of spirited, tenacious team performance seen regularly from Chi last season, with every player puttin gina real shift.
City made the best of the opening chance sand a mixup in the her ne bay back four gave devon fender an opportunity. It was smuggled away with Chi players appealing for a penalty after fender appeared to be impaired.
The hosts had a spot kick shout turned down following a challenge on Ryan Cooper.
Iordache put Chi in front with his fifth goal in four games – a lovely free-kick in the 11th minute. George Kamurasi had no chance.
The visitors doubled their advantage on 18 minutes from another set-piece with Dunn glancing a header past K am ur a si after con nor cody whipped in his delivery.
Ansah found the net in the 41st minute, sweeping a pass from Ryan Cooper beyond Mowthorpe.
Mowthorpe pulled off a fine double save as Bay threatened from a corner.
Some clever forward play from Dean Grant won Herne Bay a penalty with 10 minutes to go. Ansah stepped up but Mowthorpe went the right way and got a strong glove on the spot kick to preserve Chi’s lead.
Et ha np richard and clack each went close to a third for City, while Herne Bay had another appeal for a penalty dismissed.
City host Cray Valley PM on Saturday.
IAN WORDEN
Saltdean2
Chi &Selsey Ladies 4 SCFA County Cup
A well-taken hat-trick from star striker Jane Yeates put Chichester & Selsey into the quarter-finals of the County
Cup. Salt dean started strongly but Amber How den and Sophie Phelps were more than a match for them.
Gemma Simmonds was at the heart of Chi’s midfield and was leading the attacks.
The visitors broke through just after the tenminute mark.
Tash Wild worked space down the wing and laid the ball into the path of Yeates, who stabbed the ball past keeper Katie Burr.
Chi should have doubled their lead with Yeates through on goal but her effort went wide.
Shortly after the half hour Yeates got it right to give the green and whites a 2-0 lead as she benefit ted from a mix-up in the Saltdean back-line.
Close to the hour Yeates completed a hat-trick with the best of the bunch. A weak clearance from Burr was intercepted by Simmonds, who played a great one-two with Megan Fox before feeding Wild. Her quick thinking saw a deft pass into Yeates who finished beautifully.
Chichester seemed to switch off and salt dean found an instant reply through Tia Berry. Phelps netted a fourth for the green and whites, bundling in a corner.
In injury time Saltdean scored thanks to an exquisite lob by Millie Carter over Lizzie Knight’s head.
Chi & Selsey boss Sadie Blakely said: “I’m happy we are through but disappointed at the way we switched off to enable Saltdean to gain a foothold in a game that they really shouldn’t have.
“Yeates was fantastic and deserved her hat-trick. We move on to next week and another winnable game at home to Hounslow.” ALAN PRICE
Selsey 0 Worthing Utd 2 SCFL division one
Worthing United held on for victory at Selsey.
The Blues had the first chance when a great ball from Ryan Morey sent Cam Jenkins through, but his effort brought a fine save by the keeper. The home side’s momentum was shortlived and in the 16th minute Worthing’s Josh Brown capitalised on a defensive error as he intercepted a poor clearance and slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Worthing continued to apply pressure on Selsey but were denied by good saves from Selsey shot- stopper Syd Davies and excellent defending from Bradley Higgins-pearce.
Thevisitorsdoubledtheir lead in the 29thminutewhen an attempt from Tshikume Phadagi took a deflection off a defender and fell to Joe Patching for a tap-in.
Selsey started the second half well and a comeback looked on in the 57th minute as they netted from an excellent cross. However, Harley Bain was just offside.
The hosts had a chance to pull one back when Morey went through one on one with the keeper. But Worthing’s No1moylanwasquick off his line and saved well.
JOE WILLIAMS
East Dean 1 Hunston 7 WSL Championship south
East Dean fell to another thrashing as they conceded seven at home to Hunston.
Eastdeanputpressureon from the first kick and were 1-0 up after 15 minutes.
Dan Richards put a fantastic ball down the line for Ollie Haggar who linked up well with James Ford up top and tucked the ball into the bottom corner.
Richards nearly converted an ambitious overhead kick before Hunstonlevelled withafine30-yardstrikethat left debutant goalkeeper Ed Firlotte helpless.
Hunston then took control and led 3-1 at the break.
It was4-1 soonaftertherestartbutafterlettinginafifth the Dean had a few chances.
A sixth and seventh went inforhunstonandeastdean had Firlotte harshly sent off when he came out of his area and put his hands up to stop a shot hitting himintheface. BEN PETT