Miller makes Midhurst pay as Selsey prosper
Midhurst Selsey SCFL division one
Midhurst and Selsey served up a five-goal thriller at the Rotherfield.
Two goals from Lindon Miller, including what proved to be the winner, guided the Blues to their third straight win, leaving them in fifth place and one point off fourthplaced AFC Varndeanians.
Miller opened the scoring in the 20th minute to put the visitors on the front foot. Selsey doubled their lead in the 42nd minute through Ryan Morey, Selsey’s top league scorer.
Josh Sheehan pulled a goal back for Midhurst in the 45th minute before Harry Giles equalised for the Stags on the stroke of half-time.
Midway through the second half, Selsey scored again through Miller, and that proved enough.
Selsey boss Pearce said: “To be fair, we played well. We were 2-0 up and cruising, and then we made two silly mistakes which let them back into the game, and then in the second half, we got what we expected from them.
“We weathered the storm and then got a good third goal. We scored three good goals on Saturday, which was pleasing.
“We changed the team talk within about a minute so it was disappointing on that side of things but then in the second half, we knew what we were going to get from them.
“We weathered that and got a good third goal, which we deserved.
“It was a tricky game. It was always going to be tough. They’re second from bottom and fighting for their lives. The pitch wasn’t great to get the ball down and play on.”
Pearce is challenging his players to finish the season on a positive note and try to catch at least one of the sides above them.
Pearce admitted he was surprised with how the season had gone, and did not expect in this position.
He credited his young players who have stepped up to the plate through the development squads, stating that the majority of the players who are in the under18s squad, have gone on to become regulars in the first team.
The under-18s sit top of the under -18s West League with three league games.
Selsey’s first team’s next game is a trip to Oakwood on Saturday, April 6.
Midhurst, who remain one place and five points off the bottom, visit Sidlesham this Saturday.
Midhurst: Bird, Behan, Merrit, Carter, Broughton, Sheehan, Tollworthy, Dreckmann, Farr, Slater, Giles. Sub: Brown.
Selsey: Kelly, Mockford-allott, Atkinson, Hambleton, Higgins-pearce, Phillips, Bennett, Dowdell, Miller, Jefkins, Morey. Subs: Warren, Hall, Bain.