Cup win can get us moving

Chichester City coach Danny Potter hopes their midweek cup victory can kick-start a new unbeaten run.

Miles Rutherford’s team were 5-0 up at half-time against Steyning in an RUR Charity Cup tie at a murky Oaklands Park.

It ended 5-2 and Potter said it was a useful exercise – both to get through to the last eight of the Sussex-side competition and to get some match minutes into the legs of young squad members who are pushing for first-team opportunities.

The win – which sets up a quarter-final visit to free-scoring SCFL premier division side Littlehampton Town – puts Chi in good spirits ahead of a big week in which they will play county rivals Three Bridges and Whitehawk in Isthmian south east league clashes and host leagueabove Folkestone Invicta in the Velocity Trophy.

Callum Overton (2), Lewis Hyde, Lloyd Rowlatt and Ryan Davidson secured the RUR win over Steyning before the break, though Steyning responded well in a second half in which City had Rob Hutchings sent off. Potter was pleased with the result and the performance and said: “We started at a fast pace and did everything right in the first half.

“We played a very strong side and gave minutes to the players that needed them.

“In the second half Steyning gave us more to think about but we were clear winners and we look forward to going to Littlehampton for the quarter-final.”

Potter said the goal spree had helped get City’s past two outings – in a 0-0 draw at Lancing and a 1-0 loss at East Grinstead – out of their system.

“We had great momentum before

Christmas and we hope this win will kick-start us again so we can go on another run.

“We host Three Bridges on Saturday and we know Jamie Crellin (Bridges manager) and they beat us earlier in the season when we felt we were unlucky to lose. It should be a good game.”

Chi go into the game ninth in the table, four places ahead of Three Bridges.

Potter said the City squad was in good shape, not hit badly by injuries or Covid cases, and he was delighted to see some of the club’s under-23s and under-18s showing they were ready to step up.