FOOTBALL: County League weekly round-up

Swans were leading the County League Division 2 match 2-0 when the referee decided to call-off the game as his assistants were struggling to see the other side of the pitch.

Craig Grantham and Kristian Harding had put the home side two up within 10 minutes, but it was an ironic end that the first game under the lights was called off owing to poor visibilty.

Swans manager Ricky Hamilton said: "It wasn't great (visibility), but I don't think it had got much worse than when we started.

"It's disappointing when you're winning 2-0, and it really should have been more, as you want to continue.

"But we left it in the officials' hands and that's what they decided.

"We now must focus on Saturday, and Wealden. It'll be a tough game but we started brightly on Tuesday and two early goals and a lot of chances shows we are growing in confidence."

Storrington had won 1-0 at Clymping on Saturday, thanks to Harding's goal 15 minutes from time.

Storrington had the better of the opening exchanges and played the majority of the game in the Clymping half, but their good early work was almost undone when James Davis was adjudged to have pushed his man in the penalty box.

To Swans' relief, Joe Shelley's resulting spot-kick grazed the top of the bar.

They could even have been one up at half-time had Harding and Grantham not been denied by some fine saves.

Storrington pressure was finally rewarded on 75 minutes as Richard Ayres and Grantham linked up well to release Harding for a clinical finish.

More goalkeeping heroics followed as Grantham went closest to extending the lead with a flicked header.

Hamilton added: "We are stronger mentally and physically now, we seem to have got the drubbing from Loxwood out of our system. I think we can look to put a run of results together."

STORRINGTON v Clymping: Elliott; Davis, Blaydon, Carter, Sleat; Tasker, Ayres, Rhodie, Tidman; Grantham, Harding.

Worthing United continued their impressive start to the season to maintain their four-point lead at the top of Division 2 with a 3-0 win at Midhurst, who are still without a point.

United joint boss Jason Rutherford said: "It went to plan, I thought it would be more difficult that it was and it's pleasing that we won without playing particularly well.

"Most other teams are playing cup matches at the moment, which I see as an advantage because they've got to chase us.

"Sometimes a cup run can get in the way but now we can concentrate on the league and pick up as many points as possible from this tough run of away games we've got. The form is very pleasing, so we just need to keep going and see what happens."

Darren Annis hit the bar and had another effort saved early on, before Gareth Green opened the scoring in the 19th minute from James Bentley's cross.

Bentley got the second himself nine minutes later. He half-volleyed home Harry Constable's ball. Green then slid home the third on the hour.

UNITED: Standen; Constable, Curnow, Elliot; Bentley, Hayward, Corkhill, Hibberd, Joseph; Green, Annis. Subs: Carter (Annis 75), Georgiou, Philpott (Bentley, Joseph 80), Hunt.

Lancing lost their third successive game as they went down 3-1 at promotion-chasing Wealden in Division 2, but manager Martin Gander remained optimistic.

He said: "We'll turn it around, I'm not worried. Every team has a blip but we've been conceding too many goals and haven't had any lucky breaks. They were a beatable side but we missed too many chances."

Dan Garrod fired Wealden ahead on 30 minutes but Lancers then missed several equalising chances. Dan Griffin fired over and Darren Boswell clipped the bar and Lancing were made to pay in the 54th minute, when Andrew McDowell doubled Wealden's advantage.

Adam Burton made it 2-1 from Rob Partridge's cross, but debutant Nick Green was sent-off for a second bookable offence.

Garrod then made the points safe with his second 15 minutes from time.

Gander added: "Nick Green is an excellent player, and I'm very pleased to have got him. The sending-off shows that he's competitive and he will give us an extra dimension. I'm looking forward to having him at Lancing."

LANCING: Best; Borrer, Beard, Ford, Mighall; Boswell, Green, Sims, Griffin; Clayton, Partridge. Subs: Burton (Griffin 57), Hannah (Clayton 68), Rowe (Sims 85).

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