Littlehampton and Lancing share spoils... Wick suffer setback… Worthing Women sink Sutton

Littlehampton Town 1 Lancing 1

Isthmian south east division

The Isthmian south east division honours were shared when Lancing visited Littlehampton on Easter Monday.

Littlehampton went in front on five minutes when Josh Short broke through the middle to hit a low strike past Alieu Secka.

After an untidy spell when Lancing could not keep the ball, they settled and after coming close they equalised when Tommy Blennerhasset rose well to head home.

Eight minutes into the second half, Lancing player of the match Marcel Powell was brought down in the box.

Blennerhasset took the penalty but his effort lacked power and was saved.

Both sides had chances after that but Lancing finished strongly with Mark Goldson forcing a superb save from Golds keeper James Binfield and Liam Hendy blocking a goal-bound effort from close range from Finn Daniels-Yeoman.

The draw left Lancing 14th in the Isthmian south east division, still not quite certain of finishing clear of the relegation play-offs. They will be able to make sure of that this Saturday at Sheppey.

Littlehampton, who drew 1-1 at Corinthian on Saturday thanks to a Devon Fender goal, are 12th and go to Three Bridges on Saturday for a game that has been made all-ticket.

DAVE WILMOTT

Lancing 0 Chatham 1

Isthmian south east

Lancing lost by the only goal at home to title hopefuls Chatham – meaning their Isthmian south east division relegation fears go on a little longer.

Some changes were forced on boss Dean Cox as a result of injuries and unavailability, and into the starting line-up came Tyrone Madhani, Darius Goldsmith and Marcel Powell.

Littlehampton Town v Lancing in pictures by Stephen Goodger.

Chatham were lying second in the table, but anyone watching would have been surprised to find that 12 places separated the two teams.

Chatham looked to unsettle Lancing from the kick off with their high tempo play, particularly along their right with the pacy Ike Orji getting in behind and hammering a cross into the six-yard box. Lancing cleared but it came back in shortly afterwards with Alieu Secka quickly off his line to gather.

Goldsmith, Finn Daniels-Yeoman and Mo Jammeh were beavering away in midfield. Goldsmith delivered his side’s first shot on target which had keeper Ben Bridle Card at full stretch. Soon Powell put an effort over the bar.

With 20 minutes gone, Chatham came close to taking the lead. Emmanuel Oleyede let fly with a thunderbolt which was just wide. Lancing’s front three, Madhani, Tommy Blennerhasset and Powell, were not giving defenders much time to settle on the ball but the Chatham back line showed all their experience.

Powell created Lancing’s best chance of the first half getting beyond his man and floating a cross into the six-yard box. Madhani outjumped his marker and got his head to the ball but it was off-target.

The home side’s back four of Mthunzi, Allen, Butler and Berry were solid, winning balls in the air and disrupting a series of dangerous attacks.

On the stroke of half-time, Orji, who had been kept fairly quiet by Berry since his burst forward in the opening minute, suddenly burst into life again with a cross that the Lancers dealt with.

Play was end-to-end as the second half got underway. Powell showed some clever footwork, making progress into the box, earning a corner, while at the other end Allen showed coolness under pressure putting the ball over his own bar to cut out a threatening ball.

On 54 minutes Jack Evans got the breakthrough from the spot, which was to prove the only goal of the game. It came in controversial circumstances. Referee Sean Phillips stunned the Lancing players by identifying an infringement in the penalty area, which he considered justified a penalty. Protests by Lancing players cut no ice. In the process, Madhani got himself a caution as did Secka.

This stung Lancing into a determined response. They appeared to have a legitimate penalty claim, which failed to impress the ref. A powerful run from Will Berry took him from deep in the Lancing half towards the Chatham area but his effort was deflected wide for a corner.

For Chatham Ashley Nzala wasted a chance to increase his side’s lead.

Allen sent some well flighted crosses into the heart of the Chatham defence and tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards which was deflected for a corner. Butler outjumped defenders at the far post, but his glancing header landed wide.

Mark Goldson replaced Madhani. Chatham brought on Callum Peck for Ashley Nzala.

Lancing replaced Powell with Charlie Towning. Blennerhasset continued to harass the Chatham defenders and sent a good strike just wide of the upright.

Lancing’s continued to press for an equaliser without being able to fashion a clear-cut opening. Jammeh was named MoM.

DAVE WILMOTT

Worthing FC Women made it three wins out of three against Sutton.

They followed victories in the FA and League Cups by securing maximum points to maintain the tussle at the top of the London & SE regional premier division.

Tenacious play by Sammie Quayle won a corner, which Georgia Tibble swung in right under the bar to score the first goal.

A Rachel Palmer throw brought under control by Quayle resulted in the second 15 minutes into the second half.

Worthing are still three points behind leaders Ebbsfleet with a game in hand.

GARETH NICHOLAS

Wick O Godalming 1

SCFL Division 1

Wick conceded their first goal in 576 minutes of league football as Godalming sub Tom White made it a bad day for the play-off chasing Dragons at Crabtree Park.

White left the Gs’ bench to smack a volley past Keelan Belcher with 13 minutes remaining in a close contest.

Wick v Godalming in pictures by Stephen Goodger.

Wick were furious the set-piece had been awarded, and their claims the ball went behind off a visiting player looked justified.

Defeat left them in danger of failing to claim home advantage in the play-offs – and even dropping out of the picture altogether.

Wick were without leading goalscorers Dave Crouch and Zac Harris through suspension and injury but will take solace from a performance which suggests they will not fear the Gs if they meet again in the play- offs.

East Preston 2 Wick 2

SCFL Division 1

Wick saw two precious points slip from their grasp as East Preston snatched an injury-time equaliser in torrential rain at Crabtree Park on Tuesday night.

The match, switched to the Dragons' den because the pitch at The Lashmar was waterlogged, survived inspections of its own before kick-off and at half-time.

Carl Bennett headed East Preston ahead just before the half-hour but two quick goals from centre-half Nathan Hawker put Wick in front.

EP won a contentious free-kick with little time left on the clock and the set-piece was bundled in by Matt Woodward.

Wick go above Selsey into fifth but need beat Billingshurst at home on Saturday.