Chichester City beat Havant & Waterlooville thanks to Dunn's stunning strike

City made just the one change to the side that beat Carshalton 3-0 on the road on August Bank Holiday Monday as Billy Vigar lined up at No 9 with captain Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson either side of centre backs Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley and Kieran Magee in goal. Dunn again began as the holding midfielder behind Joe Clarke, Lloyd Rowlatt, Isaac Bello and Ethan Prichard.

Both side’s had chances in the first half but it remained goalless and it got a bit scrappy for a little while with passes going astray before the half-time whistle blew.

Mitchell Aston replaced Nigel Atangana at the break and the hosts kicked off.

Rob Hutchings out-muscled the Hawks attacker two minutes into the second period and then an exchange between Prichard and Vigar led to a brilliant hit from Dunn from some distance for what proved to be the only goal of the game.

Alfy Whittingham might have equalised five minutes later but didn’t have his shooting boots on after Seager set him up and hit one high over the crossbar.

Davidson got away with a blatant foul on the influential Owusu on 51 before the Havant No1 beat Bello to the ball and Whittingham pulled an attempt wide this time after doing Hutchings down the right.

Next, Prichard smacked an effort that took a deflection and Rowlatt also had a go in the same passage of play.

Davidson fired one off-target too and Prichard shot wide of the mark on the turn.

Then Clarke hit the woodwork and Ben Dudzinski, who didn’t know much about it, gathered the loose ball.

Vigar got fouled on 64 minutes by Young who was booked and Da Costa’s decent header from Hutchings’ consequent set-piece was well-held by the Havant shot-stopper.

Prichard then hit one over trying to lob the keeper on 65 and Ethan Giwa-McNeil replaced Owusu; Dunn gave away a ‘strange’ foul; and Pashley cleared once more.

Bello couldn’t convert after Rowlatt played him in on 72 and Whittingham was seemingly caught by Pashley – no pen according to the officials.

Magee then gathered a lovely cross cleanly and Bello was upended by Brendan Wilson for a booking.

Hutchings’ high ball was claimed by Dudzinski and after an offside Pashley was yellow-carded for time wasting.

Theo Bennetts replaced Prichard in the 81st minute and Clarke’s forward header was cleared without any trouble by the Havant custodian before the Hawks won a corner but not a penalty, despite protests.

Next, Magee denied Seager who was offside anyway and the Chi goalie claimed a Pendlebury delivery.

The Havant sub forced Magee into a save which he turned out for a corner that Pendlebury struck too long and Joe Moore came on for Rowlatt with a minute left.

The hosts desperately sought an equaliser and a decent move involving Pendlebury, Wilson, Milner-Smith and Laidlaw led to another corner which Davidson headed away.

The home side were reduced to 10 in time added on as Young picked up a second booking.

So, Chi condemned Havant & Waterlooville to a third defeat in all competitions on the bounce and that’s two clean sheets in a row for Rutherford’s men.

Potters Bar, who did the double over Chichester last campaign, visit Oaklands next Saturday 6th September (Kick Off 3pm) and it’s Jim Yeo’s wedding that day too.

Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Dunn, Da Costa, Pashley, Bello, Clarke, Vigar, Rowlatt, Prichard (Powis, Cahusac, Bennetts, Moore, Horncastle, Rustell, McDonald).