Honours are even as Stags and Selsey meet

Midhurst and Selsey each had to settle for a share of the spoils at the Rotherfield.

Selsey started the brighter and took a deserved lead in the eighth minute as former Stag Callum Dowdell ran on to a pass by Oli Humphries and beat a hesitant Dawid Gorski in goal to finish from a tight angle.

As the half progressed the Stags worked themselves back into it with several good crosses from Josh Sheehan causing the visitors a few problems.

The visitors had a chance to double their lead with Ollie Humphries forcing Gorski into a good save with his legs in the 37th minute.

Three big chances came in space of a few minutes for the Stags. Sheehan put in another dangerous cross from the right only for Liam Dreckmann to head over when he should have tested Billy Nash in the visitors’ goal.

Danny Lane found himself in space and beat Nash only to see the flag go up for offside. Midhurst’s Rich Carter and Selsey’s John Phillips vie for the ball during the sides’ 1-1 draw at the Rotherfield

Duncan Brown had a header from a corner cleared off the line on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors started strongly after the break with the opening chance falling to Dowdell, who forced Gorski into a smart stop.

Gorski was soon in action again but in the 64th minute Sheehan got free on the right and his cross reached Dreckmann at the far post and he poked home to draw the Stags level.

Midhurst looked likely to get the second half but failed

to test Nash. Selsey boss Daren Pearce said: “It was a good point away from home for us against a Midhurst side who have started the season well.

“I was really pleased with the way the lads defended and the way we dealt with the direct approach from Midhurst.

“We scored a good goal early on and we then had a couple of good half chances from which their goalkeeper made two good saves.

“All in all a draw was a fair

result, but we could have gone home with all three points but for their goalkeeper on those two occasions.

The lads have had a bit of criticism in the past week but responded the right way – trying to do the right things and play the way we encourage them to.”

Midhurst & Easebourne visit Southwick on Saturday while Selsey host Mile Oak.