FOOTBALL: County League round-up (August 12)

JOE Shelley's injury-time header gave Worthing United Football Club a 4-3 victory over Littlehampton on Tuesday, after they had started the season with a 0-0 draw with Seaford on Saturday.

Tuesday's game had all the ingredients of a one goal bore in wet and windy conditions, but both sides played some good football.

The first goal came the way of United after Ryan Hudson was afforded too much room and played a slide-rule pass to Richard Ghent, who gave stand-in keeper Dave Gaskin no chance after just 14 minutes.

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Eleven minutes after going behind, Barney Boutwood pounced on a slip by Seb Di Paola to coolly slot home and level the scores. And it looked for all the world that it would remain level until just three minutes from half-time when Golds' Dave Schneider missed his kick to allow Ghent in for his second of the match.

Just four minutes into the second half and Golds were level again. After a long ball evaded the United defence and found Boutwood, he once again slotted home with confidence for his second.

United took the lead again on 58 minutes, but this time through skipper Shelley, who appeared offside, as he side-footed home a Richard Moss centre. But the lead lasted just three minutes as a hopeful chip from Schnieder found Nathan Peacock's head and the ball seemed to find the far corner of Alex Bryant's goal, in agonising slow motion as far as the home side were concerned.

That appeared to be it for goals until three minutes into stoppage time when a needless foul by Jon Bennett gave Mitchell Hand the opportunity to swing one last free kick into the Littlehampton box. Shelley's header took the ball beyond a helpless Gaskin and gave United all three points.

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United manager Dominic Di Paola said: "It was a relief to win, but I felt we were the better side. We had three players out who would have made a difference, but credit to Littlehampton, as they kept battling."

United began their campaign with a 0-0 draw at home to Seaford on Saturday, in Di Paola's first game in charge.

Seb Di Paola and Jehan Huet both saw efforts saved, and Shelley had a effort ruled out late on for United. Seaford could have nicked the points but Neil Francis cleared off the line twice in quick succession from James McKenzie.

Dominic Di Paola said: "It wasn't a bad result, we had more possession and played neat and tidy football. The team aren't bedded in 100 per cent, and considering we're starting from scratch again, we did well."

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United are at Selsey in the FA Cup extra-preliminary round on Saturday.

UNITED v Littlehampton: Bryant; Biggs, Hand, S.Di Paola, Francis; Hudson, Shelley, Young, Ghent; Moss, Huet. Subs: Nicholson (Moss 62), Meehan (Huet 90), D.Di Paola, Bunting, Stokes.

v Seaford: Bryant; Biggs, S.Di Paola, Curnow, Francis; Hudson, Shelley, Rayner, Ghent; Jones, Huet. Subs: Moss (Ghent 60), Meehan (Jones 80), Young (Curnow 88), Hand, Stokes.

A brace from Darren Annis helped Lancing to a 3-0 home win over East Preston on Tuesday evening, after they had drawn their opening game 2-2 with Bexhill on Saturday.

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Annis poked home the opener on 35 minutes after Lee Garnham's shot had hit a post and Lancers doubled their lead early in the second half.

Annis raced through and clipped the ball over EP keeper Maciek Kason.

Lancing then got the third with 25 minutes remaining when Chris Hibberd's 25-yard free kick took a deflection and flew in.

EP went close late on but Lancing keeper Matt Evans made two smart stops from Mark Burgess.

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Lancers joint manager Jason Rutherford said: "It was a good result and was pretty comfortable in the end.

"We created a lot of chances, as we did on Saturday, and we've got to be pleased to take four points from our first two games.

"Some people seem to think that we should be winning every game but we're never going to do that.

"It takes time after putting together a new squad."

Lancing started the campaign with a 2-2 draw at home to Bexhill on Saturday.

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Lee Garnham headed Lancers in front on 25 minutes from a Wayne Joseph cross.

Benjamin White equalised on 40 minutes, but Michael Hemsley restored Lancers' advantage three minutes after the break.

Bexhill levelled for a second time on 63 minutes, after Lancing keeper Evans missed his attempted punch, and Scott McDonald nipped in to equalise.

Rutherford said: "It was frustrating as we were the better side. We were in the ascendancy, you never want to lose your first game, which we haven't, so that's pleasing.

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"It was an unfortunate mistake by Matt, but it happens and you can't hold it against him.

"With the squad we've got, we should get a top-half finish. We've got a big squad, which is good and bad, and we've got to make sure we keep them all happy. If we get injuries, we can easily bring cover in, which is the advantage."

Lancers play Sidley in the FA Cup extra preliminary round on Sunday. The game takes place at Hailsham with a 3pm kick-off.

Any replay will take place at Culver Road on Tuesday evening.

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LANCING v East Preston: Evans; Hemsley, Pickford, Sharman; Turner, Hibberd, Hayward, Joseph, McLaughlin; Annis, Garnham.Subs: Green, Kirkham (Annis, Garnham 75), Scott, Mighall, Elliot.

v Bexhill: Same starting XI. Subs: Mighall, Kirkham (Hibberd, Garnham 80), Green, Elliot.

Storrington, who finished last season with seven wins from eight games, lost their opening game of the new County League Division 2 campaign 2-1 at home to Rustington on Saturday.

Tom Carter put Swans in front on 60 minutes, but Jason Wimbleton levelled from Chris Darwin's cross five minutes later.

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Wimbleton then got the winner with 20 minutes left from another Darwin cross.

STORRINGTON: G.Elliott; Davis, Rhodie, S.Elliott, Carter; Tidman, Watton, Humphreys, Harding; Martin, Grantham. Subs: Howard (Humphreys), Blaydon, Maymon, Meason, Gillard.

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