FOOTBALL: County League round-up (April 29)

He said: "It was a good result considering we had quite a few players out today. It was disappointing to concede late on, but that's one of those things. We should finish in the top six, which is a good season for us."

Town looked a beaten side before the start of the game. Manager Mark Dalgleish was unable to attend the game due to work commitments and two players arrived within half an hour of the kick-off.

Clymping were trying to bounce back after a 5-1 mauling during the week at the hands of Worthing United, where Paul Brown netted Clymping's only goal of the game.

So the ingredients did not look promising and nor was the first 20 minutes in all honesty, as the ball rarely came down from 20 feet in the air due to some panicky ball control and a rock-hard pitch.

Steyning defended resolutely, clearing three Clymping efforts off the line from corners, but otherwise looked reasonably comfortable in open play.

It took a nave shove in Joe Stokes' back by left back Andy Whittingham to gift Clymping the lead, as Joe Shelley coolly smashed home the penalty for his 14th goal of the season after 24 minutes.

Just five minutes later, a weak punch from Town goalkeeper Mike Abbott, who was otherwise having a solid game, fell to David Gaskin's feet just 12 yards out and he made no mistake.

Gaskin should have added to his tally after the break, having been played in twice, only to find a heavy final touch placing the ball into the grateful Abbott's hands.

At the third time of asking, Gaskin scored a second after latching onto yet another Shelley flick, and he slotted under the diving Abbott.

This seemed to galvanise Steyning a little and they managed a shot, as Nani Ali flicked on a cross that was kept out by a combination of goalkeeper Michael Oakley and the post.

Steyning got a consolation goal in the 90th minute with their second shot of the game. Ali spectacularly volleyed in an overhead kick from 10 yards.

CLYMPING: Oakley, Stokes, Brown, Young, D.Di Paola, Biggs, Shelley, Meehan, Gaskin, Ghent, Castro. Subs: Peters (Gaskin 64), Churcher (Ghent 72), Brackley, Browne, Paice.

Wick increased their unbeaten run to 13 games on Saturday, although they were denied all three points when Lingfield fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.

Wick had taken the lead in the County League Division 1 game in just the second minute when Dan Bassil was left unmarked from a free kick to fire home from close range.

Lingfield nearly responded immediately but Simon Wallace headed against the bar and he then nodded another opportunity wide.

Bassil then twice went close to doubling Wick's lead. He was first denied by a brilliant Brett Lovett clearance and then saw an effort hit the bar from the edge of the area.

Wick did go 2-0 ahead on 31 minutes. Lingfield's Aaron Jeffery handled in the penalty area and Clinton More scored from the spot for his fourth goal of the season.

Ollie Davis twice went close to pulling a goal back for Lingfield before they made it 2-1 in the 63rd minute when Wallace headed home.

Eddie Koboah and Andy Dalhouse, twice, had opportunities to draw Lingfield level before they got the equaliser in injury-time when Teddy Ansell crossed for Wallace to score from close-range.

Chichester's draw with Ringmer leaves Wick still four points off third place but with two games in hand.

WICK: Labrum; Torode, Sharman, Wrigley, Buckland; Barnard, Pearce, West, French; More, Bassil. Subs: S.Murfin, Huggett, Gaskin, Kilner, Hand.

Rustington manager Kevin Short is targeting a strong finish to the season after his team's 3-1 win on Saturday over a Rye United side, who need only one more win to take the County League Division 2 title.

Short said: "It was a good win, we started well and it was an excellent team performance. Seven points out of nine is a brilliant return considering the teams we've played and I want us to carry on and finish the season strongly."

James Butt, playing in an unfamiliar centre-forward position, put Blues in front but the champions-elect equalised before half-time.

Substitute James Bennett then made it 2-1 from a Chris Darwin ball in the 70th minute, and then tapped home the third from a Rob Butcher pass two minutes from time.

On Wednesday, Blues were held 0-0 by local-rivals Littlehampton, who had Ross McKay sent off for a second bookable offence in the 52nd minute.

Andy Boxall and Chris Darwin had Blues best chances, while Barney Boutwood fired a good, late chance wide, that could have won it for Golds.

Littlehampton joint manager John Suter said: "It was a nondescript first half, but after Ross got sent off we dug deep and I think a point was fair. We battled well and could have even nicked it."

Short said: " It was a tight, even game, as you'd expect from a local derby and a draw was fair. We couldn't break them down and they defended well."

Despite a midweek point, it was a weekend to forget for Golds as, on Saturday, they crashed 7-0 at home to Sidley.

Braces from Jason Taylor, Matt McLean and Kenny Pogue, as well as a single strike from Kevin Rose condemned Littlehampton to a defeat, which left Suter feeling very embarrassed.

He said: "It was very disappointing and not acceptable. You shouldn't lose 7-0 at home to anyone, and it was a bad day at the office for us. The first half was tight, but we fell apart after half-time."

RUSTINGTON v Rye: McCarthy; Tucker, Neal, Wimbleton, Green; Darwin, C. Matthews, Butcher, Boxall, Morten; Butt. Subs: Bennett (Butt 62), Duffy (Green 65), Peters, Woodward, S.Kirkham.

RUSTINGTON v Littlehampton: McCarthy; Tucker, Neal, Wimbleton, Green; Cox, C.Matthews, Butcher, Boxall, Darwin; Smith. Subs: Hudson (Cox 15), Duffy (Matthews 70), Bennett (Hudson 80).

LITTLEHAMPTON v Rustington: Stoner; Young, McKay, Windsor, Hazell; Janman, Tabor, O'Hagan, Charman; Russell, Lawson. Subs: Boutwood (Tabor 63), Beadle (Janman 65), Adedoja (Lawson 71).

LITTLEHAMPTON v Sidley: Stoner; Tabor, Windsor, McKay, Young; Buckett, Russell, O'Hagan, Charman; Adedoja, Boutwood. Subs: Crawford (Russell 28), Janman (Tabor 38), Lawson (Buckett 68).

East Preston slumped to their third consecutive defeat in Division 2, with an embarrassing 2-0 defeat away to relegated, bottom-of-the-table side Midhurst.

EP have now won just one of their last seven games, after they had been threatening a late surge with a four-game unbeaten run.

They now travel to lowly Steyning on Saturday, before a home fixture against Seaford, the last side they beat.

On Saturday Midhurst's James Wills opened the scoring on five minutes, before James Glue doubled their advantage and sealed the points on the hour mark.

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