Lyne nets only goal as EP grind out win

A stop-start match which did not have a lot of free-flowing football was decided by a moment of quality on 57 minutes. A free kick on the left-hand side was clipped in superbly by Hayden Hunter to the back post and Tom Lyne timed his run to perfection to nod the ball home from inside the six-yard box.

The first half was controlled by the home side although they did not create any clear-cut chances and perhaps should have done better with the amount of possession they had.

Oakwood came into the game more in the early stages of the second half but it was EP who took the lead after 57 mins through skipper Lyne.

East Preston had a couple of half chances after they scored but restricted Oakwood to long range efforts and Chris Cook in the EP goal had a comfortable afternoon as he kept a third successive clean sheet.

EP manager Bob Paine said: “This was a difficult match as we expected but in the end, it was another win, another three points and three clean sheets in a row.

“Sometimes you just have to grind out results which is what we did today. We were solid defensively and found Oakwood difficult to break down. We needed a bit of quality to grab us the goal which is what we got from Hayden and Tom, which in the end won us the match.”

East Preston remain fifth in the table, four points behind leaders Little Common with two games in hand.

East Preston have signed defender Ollie Stevenson from Lewes, where he has played in the under-18s and in the development squad. He made his debut for the first team when Garry Wilson was Lewes boss.

Paine said: “I’m delighted Ollie has decided to join us at East Preston and he will further improve our excellent young squad.”

Stevenson added: “I decided it was time to leave Lewes to further my senior football career and I like what I’ve seen and heard at East Preston.

“It is clear they are very ambitious and have some excellent young players.”

EP entertain Storrington on Saturday.

EAST PRESTON: Cook; Josh Parazo, Jacob Parazo, Hallett, Lyne, Etherington, Bull, Barnes, Rance, Huet, Hunter. Subs: Purkis, Gilbertson, Franzen-Jones, John, Taylor.

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