Chi City are in top three as they win third game in four

Second half goals from Gicu Iordache and Scott Jones made it three wins in four for the Isthmian south east new boys as Chi City finished off a first month at step four of the non-league pyramid in third place.

Miles Rutherford & Co were able to name an unchanged starting XI for the first time this season. Jimmy Wild, back at the club for another spell, joined Rory Biggs and Denis Gurau, a product of the youth set-up, on the bench.

A couple of opportunities came and went for the hosts early on. Lloyd Rowlatt had two stabs at getting to a Jones knockdown but the ball wouldn’t sit up for him and keeper Luke Watkins dealt with the danger.

Watkins had to face a Matt Axell set-piece but the midfielder’s effort was too central and he gathered easily.

Chi fell behind in the eighth minute when a burst of pace from Anthony Adesite got him past Ryan Davidson down the left. The No10 sent in a precision cross to striker Max Morgan, who gave Steve Mowthorpe no chance.

Adesite won Faversham, who like Chi are nicknamed the Lillywhites, a freekick but it didn’t trouble Mowthorpe.

Chi weren’t clicking and a neat exchange between Morgan and Donvieve Jones almost led to another chance but Mowthorpe and Rob Hutchings tidied things up.

Iordache shot wide before a powerful header from Faversham’s Jones went the wrong side of the upright.

A mistake from Corey Heath gifted Michael Freiter an opportunity but MOM Mowthorpe pulled off a fine stop. And the Chichester keeper was called into action again with an excellent double save to deny Adesite and then Morgan.

Hutchings made a timely tackle and launched a counter-attack where Kaleem Haitham jinked through a couple of challenges but couldn’t pick out a teammate.

A minute later Haitham found a marauding Connor Cody only for his attempt to curl just round the post.

Adesite and Steve Mills set up another opportunity for Faversham that was smuggled away by the defence.

Wild came on for Heath at the interval to partner Jones and it was Chichester’s leading scorer who was key in the equaliser two minutes after the restart when his persistence and smart flick led to a super cross from Davidson to Iordache, who lashed the ball in.

The tricky winger had another chance with a cheeky attempt that might have caught Watkins out.

Next Wild had a shot on the turn blocked and on 56 minutes a Rowlatt free kick deflected off the wall for the corner from which Chi scored what proved the winner.

Axell delivered it and Davidson nodded it back into the six-yard box to the inform Jones who headed in his fourth goal in a week.

It might have been 3-1 on the hour but Watkins palmed away Cody’s firm header from another Axell corner.

Chichester had a goal ruled out for an infringement on Watkins in the 70th minute before Wild fired a shot just over the bar. Things quietened down for a bit as Chi, conscious of losing 3-2 in their last home fixture against Whyteleafe, looked to take the sting out of the game and held on for an important three points.

Chi entertain Chalfont St Peter in the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

After the win in the league at home to Flaversham Chichester suffered defeat to Hastings United in the opening group encounter of the Velocity Trophy under the lights at Oaklands Park.

Both sides made changes in preparation for the FA this weekend.

And it was goals from Thomas Chalmers and Kenny Pogue which gave Hastings the win.