Chichester have their Banbury cake and eat it

Banbury took an early lead through sloppy defending from Chichester.

This seemed to ignite Chichester who started to dictate the play and their equaliser came midway through the first half when good inter-play between Martin Gough and Andy Sparshot sent the ball to the back post and the diving Cameron Mead deflected it in.

Some excellent possession and transfers through the midfield of Matt Cox, Alex Thakore, Jack Lerwill, Luke Emmett and Sparshot enabled Chichester to take control.

A penalty corner was won and Gerald Cox fired the ball to the right post for Gough to deflect the ball into the roof of the goal.

Chichester made it three when the energetic Emmett beat 2two players and smashed the ball into the top corner.

Both teams geot frustrated and Emmett paid the price by getting the first yellow card of the game.

The second half saw more sloppiness from both sides and Banbury intercepted a poor pass from Chichester and broke into the D to score.

Conner McLaughlin was the stand-out Chichester player, influencing the game while defending and attacking - another impressive display from the young home-grown starlet.

Chichester saw out the rest of the game and will try to continue their resurgence at Oxford University this week.

CHICHESTER: Godsmark, Matthews, McLaughlin, Spear, G.Cox, lerwill, M.Cox, Sparshot, Emmett, Mead, Gough, Holton, Thakore.

Centurions 0 Hailsham 6

Top team Hailsham were well-organised, and despite key interceptions from Cornelius, they quickly opened the score.

Mealing and Harris combined well to keep Hailsham at bay, but Hailsham regrouped and slotted in two in quick succession.

Proctor and Brown were called on to keep the ball from the Centurions D. Vaughan’s kick-outs found Harris and Dixon but the ball came back to the Centurions 25 and a goal from a short could not be stopped.

The fifth goal of the half came from a corner.

The second half was different. A short to Horsham was deftly saved by Edge off the line, and this spurred on the Centurions attack. D Brooker combined well with Thew who found Pordage, but the attempt was thwarted.

A counter attack led to another corner to Hailsham which they converted for their sixth.

Centurions really pressed with D Brooker having a chance. C Brooker supported well and Centurions corners came thick and fast, but not that consolation goal.

Harris built on one of her best games and made a great run to the opposition D, but slipped at the crucial moment.

CENTURIONS: L Proctor, L Thew, L Harris, N Edge, D Brooker, A Pordage, E Dixon, D Brown, E Dixon, C Mealing, C Brooker, C Cornelius, B Vaughan.

Middleton & Bognor 2 Brighton & Hove III 2

M&B went into this game with a strong squad of 14 but spent the first quarter defending strong attacks from B&H, one of which led to a goal.

After the restart, Brighton gained control but were quickly in trouble after the M&B defence found Steve Pullen, making a sweeping run out to the wing and in behind B&H defence, who were caught out as Brandon Hanley converted the cross.

In the second half, there were lots of opportunities missed by both sides until Etienne Stephens beat a player at the top of the circle and shot on the reverse, beating the keeper.

The lead was shortlived as B&H scored from a penalty corner move.

Both teams hit the keeper’s pads in the last minutes.

McClure was man of the match.

M&B: Newman, Saunders, Lodge, Cox, Smith, Hansford, Stephens, Pullen, Roberts, Ravening, Spedding, (McClure), Hanley, Bradley.

Worthing Tigers 5 Chcihester Cherubs 7

Sussex Development League

Chichester ran out winners at the end of a 12-goal thriller last Saturday.

The Tigers were out of the traps right from the whistle pushing a complacent Chichester back into their own half. Almost before Chichester had secured any possession Worthing were deservedly ahead.

The league leaders had to dig deep against a Worthing side growing in confidence. Slowly they got themselves back in it with Creswick and Sowden finding the net, only for Chichester to be pegged back. Futcher started to play an increasingly dominant role striking twice before the break to see Chichester turn around 4-3 up.

In the second half, Chichester looked more composed - scoring early to extend their lead.

Worthing were not going to give up and again found a way back into the game, exchanging goals with Chichester. They scored a penalty stroke for a foul at the top of the D after a short corner and also had a goal disallowed for a back-stick infringement after a well-worked short corner.

Futcher was not to be denied and scored twice more as well as a second from Sowden to see Chichester run out winners.

Chichester’s evolving side saw a debut for Dimage and a second game for Woodruff who looked omfortable stepping up from the under-U14 side. The Cherubs remain top of the league but face a stern test at Brighton on Saturday.

CHICHESTER: Alder, Gleeson T, Woodruff, Clark, Gleeson J, Gibbons R, Sowden, Lowther, Gibbons C, Creswick, Palmer, Futcher, Dimage.