Selsey’s Varn yarn is not a happy tale –Reds beaten too
Selsey 0 AFC Varnd’nians 1 SCFL division one
Selsey boss Daren Pearce felt his side deserved a point after defeat to AFC Varndeanians.
The Blues lost 1-0 at home to AFC Varndeanians, and stay in fifth place.
The only goal came from Matt Waterman, who scored the winner in the 77th minute.
It was Selsey’s first league defeat in ten games, but it came after the Blues were knocked out of the Division 1 Cup by Wick as they conceded in the 87th minute through Wick’s Shane Brazil.
Pearce said of the Varndeanians loss: “We were a little bit unfortunate. I think a draw would have been a fair result. We played some good football. We cancelled each other a little bit. It was two good footballing sides and they got the break and we didn’t.
“We had a good couple of chances, which we didn’t capitalise on. They had one, and scored from it. Connor [Kelly] made a good save in the first half, so you could argue a draw would have been a fair result.
“They are a good and well organised side. They have got some experienced players that have played at a high level, so it’s good to pick your wits against them, but we acquitted ourselves well and we didn’t manage the break on Saturday.”
Selsey will look to bounce back when they travel to 12thplaced Billingshurst in the league on Saturday.
Selsey: Kelly, Mockford-allott, Atkinson, Hambleton, Higgins-pearce, Phillips, Dowdell, Warren, Bassil, Jefkins, Morey. Subs: Miller, Hall, Britton.
Bosham 1 Copthorne 3 SCFGL division two
High-flying Copthorne brought Bosham back down to earth with a bump with a stirring performance that meant they left Walton Lane with the points.
The title challengers went through the gears to leave the hosts without reward.
Bosham started well and after only ten minutes were in front thanks to captain Ian Reddington, who calmly slammed home a spot-kick after the returning Nick Edgington was needlessly fouled in the box leaving referee Luke Irelan-hill with a simple decision.
The dangerous Jimmy Ruston was next to go close for the Robins. The striker fired a stinging shot at goal which keeper Jamie Craven could only parry away from goal. Edgington pounced on the loose ball and thumped a low drive across the box and out of play.
With a sizeable crowd cheering them Bosham maintained their high standards with Edgington a constant handful, winning headers and being hard to dispossess when on the ball. The pace of Ruston also made life difficult for the visiting defence.
Goalscoring opportunities were all that lacked from the rest of the first half.
Things took a turn for worse once the match resumed with Copthorne coming out with a new vigour and within minutes Stuart Cameron had found the back of the net to draw them level.
His flicked finish from a free-kick into the danger area gave keeper Harley Redman no chance and was a real blow for a Bosham side that had showed so much promise and quality.
Bosham struggled to find a return to their first-half rhythm and chances were very scarce and the Whites showed great resilience and temperament to dominate.
The well-drilled visitors went on to score the goals to seal the deal in the final quarter. Oscar Weddell latched on to a perfect through ball, slicing the defence open, and finished with a sumptuous effort across Redman into the bottom corner. Laurence Morley rounded off a perfect second half with a third.
Morley picked up the ball inside the Bosham half and went on a surging run towards the area. With space opening up Morley let fly from long distance and found the bottom corner past the despairing dive of Redman.
Bosham host Jarvis Brook this week.
Bosham: Redman, Metherell, Briance, Clark, Reddington, Spicer, Terry, Jarrom, Edgington, Bishop, Ruston. Subs: Desi, Mullen, Redman.