Downing Dorking is a fillip for Blues
Chichester City beat Isthmian south east basement club Beckenham 4-0 at Oaklands Park to halt a run of home losses.
Miles Rutherford made significant changes to the starting line-up defeated by Herne Bay four days earlier.
Mo Jammeh, Rob Hutchings and Josh Clack dropped to the bench and in came Kyle O’brien, Joe Moore and top scorer Ethan Prichard.
Becks’ Dieko Falade found Funsho Sinai after a pass from Mundiaga Wanogho and the visitors won a corner which Rhys Wyborn delivered.
Wanogho headed it wide before Connor Cody tidied up as Finlay Lovatt broke into the box. Cody then picked out Conrad Honore, who had some lively moments, and neat skill allowed him to play in Isaac Bello.
Joe Clarke couldn’t get enough power on one effort.
Chi keeper Kieran Magee was out swiftly to claim on 16 minutes before O’brien hit a dead ball off-target.
Prichard and Hutchings hooked up but the final attempt missed, as did Prichard’s follow-up which went over. Sinai had appeals for a penalty turned down by ref Stephen Hawkes.
Falade was accused of simulation and booked in the 31st minute.
Bello won a penalty for the hosts when impeded driving into the area. Prichard stepped up and drilled the kick home to Nick Blue’s left for his 12th goal of the season.
Before the break Donnell Anderson was booked; Clarke was clattered by Wanogho; Lovatt caught Curtis Da Costa and Clarke was carded for swiping at Sinai.
Alfie Bloomfield replaced Falade for the visitors after the interval and Prichard took a free-kick when Emmett Dunn was unfairly challenged but it came to nothing.
A corner was sent in by Prichard and with the ball seemingly curling in, Cody got a final touch to make sure and double the lead seven minutes into the second half.
Wyborn was cautioned for a foul on Dunn and Prichard cut inside well only for the move to fizzle out.
Clarke needlessly saw red for a second yellow as he brought down Sinai so Chi played the last 25 minutes with ten.
Rob Hutchings replaced Steve Hutchings as the hosts re-set. Hutchings’ pass to Bello was superb and the midfielder smashed it home to make it 3-0.
It looked like Becks had pulled one back three minutes later but the header from Finley Roberts’ set-piece was offside.
Honore picked out Hutchings but he dragged his attempt wide.
Becks overhit a free-kick; Magee made a rare save; Hutchings pulled another off target and Prichard fired one into the side-netting.
Clack, introduced for Bello, combined with fellow sub Hutchings and his ball to Prichard got cut out.
Sub Lewis Allen might have been more measured as we went into stoppage time and then MOM Prichard found the back of the net again with practically the last kick as he drilled beyond Blue to make it four.
Chi’s busy schedule continues – they visit Three Bridges on Saturday and host Merstham at Oaklands Park next Tuesday.
In a game that was very scrappy, other than the two goals the Stags conceded, neither keeper had a great deal to do.
The opening 25 minutes was stop-start, neither side getting a foot hold.
United got a grip in a 10-minute spell when they were reduced to 10 men with Bailo Camara sin binned.
They took the lead in the 34th minute. The Stags stopped, expecting a foul on Siph Mdlalose, but United had other ideas – with Jordan Brown making a great save only for Hayden Beaconsfield to react quickest.
Five minutes later they were awarded a penalty when Brown bundled down Josh Goul. Max Thompson stepped up to convert the penalty.
In the second half United sat deep allowing the Stags to have a lot of the ball and defended well.
Stags boss Andy Ewen said: “We got what we deserved, nothing. We didn’t work hard enough, were bullied, and our quality wasn’t good on the day.
"That happens, but things I can’t accept is lack of workrate and having no desire. The lads know they’ve let themselves down, it’s how we react now – it’s gone. I expect a good reaction at Bexhill on
Saturday.”
Meanwhile, first-half goals by Jamie Carroll and Howard Neighbour couldn’t stop losing 3-2 at home to Eastbourne Town. The Lions host Little Common on Saturday.
Pagham Wittering United 3 Opitmus 1
West Sussex League D2S
Wittering United got back to winning ways thanks to bit of luck, a wonder-strike and last-ditch defending in the final moments.
The first real chance came when Rob Courtman's free kick fell to Connor Forrester, who headed just over.
It was 1-0 on 36 minutes as Ross Ballam scored from the spot after Raul Peerisa’s shot was blocked by a defender’s hand when a long throw by MOM Tom Macey caused havoc.
It was two six minutes later as Jack Copper's cross was deflected on to his own bar by Adam Hodder and went in off keeper Matt Levey’s back.
On the hour an excellent save by United keeper Jack Benham kept it at 2-0.
On 75 minutes Courtman struck a 30-yard shot through a crowd of players and in.
Five minutes from time Max Roger's low shot from a narrow angle gave the visitors a well deserved consolation.
Saturday was a good day at Selsey FC – with another great showing from the youth football section and an SCFL Division 1 victory over Dorking B for the first team.
The youngsters were mascots for the day and had a halftime penatly shootout against Selsey’s reserve goalkeeper.
As for the game itself Dorking Wanderers B arrived top of the table and looking to extend there lead at the summit. Selsey wanted to get back to winning ways after a frustrating weekend last week when they lost 1-0 at Alfold.
A good advert for football, the game was played at a very high tempo with both sides looking for the opening goal. The first half went by in the blink of an eye. Both sides had half-chances but nothing to make either goalkeeper work too hard.
The second half saw Selsey boss Daren Pearce make a few little tweaks. He said: “We came out a lot stronger and were looking the more likely to score – and we did as a Ryan Morey cross was headed into the top corner by new signing Ollie Humphries on his home debut.
"Although our visitors did push for the equaliser we had the chance to seal the win when a through ball from James Henton to Morey saw him go through on goal only for the visiting keeper to come out and produce a great save.
"At 1-0 you are never totally comfortable but the lads carried out the game plan we worked on at training in the week so well that our visitors couldn't break us down and when they did Syd Davies made a couple of saves to keep it at 1-0.”
This Saturday Selsey, seventh in the table, host Oakwood. All support welcome.
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