Selsey earn a play-off in Surrey
Alex Weinberger came off the bench to grab an equaliser against Sevenoaks five minutes into stoppage time – with Chichester’s last kick of the 2022-23 season.
It meant an up-and-down Isthmian League south east division season that started with a draw away in Kent ended with a draw away in Kent, with Chi finishing in the top half of the table, in tenth place.
Oaks’ Solomon Baugh scored the opener on 27 minutes before Emmett Dunn’s first goal of the campaign made it 1-1 at the end of the first half.
Freddie Parker bagged a double to give the hosts what seemed an unassailable lead, but the visitors didn’t give up and pulled one back through Connor Cody with 15 to go – and Weinberger was in the right place at the right time for a share of the spoils.
Both teams came into this campaign-closer on the back of a couple of victories.
Ethan Prichard and Olly Munt were the only Chi changes to the starting XI that beat East Grinstead four days earlier.
Joe Moore did well to hold off an opponent two minutes in and win a free-kick before skipper Josh Clack found Prichard, who rolled his marker. The first opportunity occurred when Rob Hutchings, in fine form of late, picked out Munt, who dragged an effort wide.
Joshua Ogunseye was flagged offside and Lewis Hyde managed to clear after a neat one-two between Baugh and Karn Miller-neave. Munt combined with Dunn and Prichard only for the final pass to get cut out.
Baugh was adjudged offside following a lovely ping, and a poor touch from Ben Pashley presented Emmanuel Mensah with a chance which the No8 blazed over.
Helge Orome was cautioned for pulling back Lloyd Rowlatt and Baugh couldn’t get past Dunn and Cody a minute or so later.
Munt had a shot saved by Tyler Mccarthy and Clack hit his follow-up at the keeper.
Kieran Cadogan’s attempt from some distance was parried by Chi custodian Kieran Magee before Baugh forced the shot-stopper into a decent save.
A lovely pass sent Ogunseye probing down the right to cause the away side problems. Nice control by Parker got Oaks going but after an exchange between Ogunseye and Orome, Chi smuggled the ball away.
Cody was sucked in and Baugh put Oaks ahead with a left footed finish beyond Magee and a despairing Cody on 27.
Prichard might have levelled less than three minutes later only for Mccarthy to get his angles right. A precise Rowlatt delivery was cleared, and what looked like a fair challenge was deemed a foul by referee Tolu Sangowawa.
Rowlatt couldn’t get the ball under his feet after a slick move involving Prichard, Dunn and Moore. The Chi midfielder hit a pass too hard towards Munt before Mccarthy tidied up when Cody tried to set Clack up.
Good strength from Cody helped him win a throw up against Baugh before Moore sent Hutchings scampering away down the left to deliver in Munt’s direction but Mccarthy got there first.
Hutchings was caught by Ogunseye and Parker got a talking to. Hutchings’ subsequent free-kick was deflected for a corner in stoppage time which Hutchings whipped over and the ball eventually fell to Dunn, who levelled with a shot on the turn into the bottom corner.
Miller-neave tried his luck with a long-ranger a minute after the re-start before Parker drifted too easily past two defenders and restored the hosts’ advantage with his fourth goal in three games.
Hutchings had defending to do and cleared, and then Baugh was flagged offside. A back-heel got Baugh away on the left but composure by Hutchings allowed him to chest the cross back to Magee. Dunn got clattered on 56 only for Hutchings’ free-kick to be hacked away.
Oaks made a double substitution with Fumnaya Shomotun and David Kawa replacing Orome and Ogunseye before Parker gave the home side a 3-1 lead after being teed up by clever skill from Shomotun.
The visitors brought on Isaac Bello and Liam Montague for Clack and Munt with 20 to go. Lexus Beeden went into the ref ’s notepad for a shirt-tug before Chi won a cheap set-piece which Rowlatt delivered.
Magee had to have his wits about him to deny another goal just before a fierce Cody volley got the away side back into things on 76.
Cody might have levelled 60 seconds later but Mccarthy was on hand to keep it at 3-2. And Parker, on a hattrick, latched on to Shomotun’s pass only to lift an effort over the bar.
It was end to end stuff and Magee managed to get a glove on a shot that was moving about. Cody headed the corner away and Beeden’s attempt was too high.
Nice skill got Montague in down the left; another chance went begging for Chi, and sub Shomotun danced into the box only to pull his shot wide.
Hutchings spurned an opportunity to shoot and a Chi penalty appeal was dismissed. Just when it seemed the Sussex side might fail to get anything in Kent once more, supersub Weinberger popped up to ensure it finished all square.
Bosham FC
kept up their hopes of a top-four finish in division two of the SCFL with a 4-0 romp at Rottingdean.
Goals by Joe Boschi and Marco Giambelardini put them two up in the opening ten minutes and Lewis Rustell’s second half double wrapped it up.
The Robins were at home to St Francis last night and play their final game on Saturday. away to Brighton Electricity.
Selsey FC are off to Surrey on Saturday for an SCFL Division 1 play-off semi-final with Epsom and Ewell.
They clinched their playoff place when they won their final league game 1-0 at Hailsham.
Selsey boss Daren Pearce said: “To their credit Hailsham made it tough as this was their last game in the division after being relegated on Thursday night.
"With nothing to play for they wanted restore some pride and they did this in front of a reasonable size crowd.
"Coming to terms with a bumpy pitch we went about out gane trying to do the right things at the right times and with the hosts hardly causing us any anxious moments, we needed to.be patient.
"This paid off after a first half in which we controlled the game, having a few half chances.
"The breakthrough came in the second half when a good run and cross by Rocco Gamblin was converted by the onrushing Shane Brazil.
"We had a few more half chances and a goal disallowed for a push on the goalkeeper when it appeared no-one was near him.
"We kept possession well and controlled the remainder of the game, gaining three points to secure the final playoff spot.
“The lads have been brilliant this sesosn and have grown as a group. We’ve stayed competitive in a demanding season.
"This is the highest the club has finished in a number of seasons.”
Pearce praised his players and the Blues fans for their season’s efforts and appealed for a big push by all concerned in the play-off game at Leatherhead FC (3pm).