Chichester City win at Whitehawk to set up last-day Dover decider

City went with the same starting XI that beat Cheshunt 4-0 on Good Friday. Kieran Magee again lined up in goal behind skipper Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson at left and right back together with Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley in the centre of defence.

Emmett Dunn partnered Mo Jammeh, Joe Clarke, Isaac Bello and Lloyd Rowlatt in midfield and Rustell, who has now scored three in the last six matches, started up top in place of the injured Jimmy Wild.

Chichester began patiently with Pashley, Dunn and Da Costa spraying the ball around in the first build-up before Jammeh tried to play Rustell in but it was gathered by keeper Joseph Osaghae. Rustell cleared a Stefan Wright long throw.

Jammeh’s speculative effort was off target before Rustell had a free header but couldn’t get any direction on it. Hawks’ captain Charlie Walker got a talking to by referee Will Briers for a challenge on Bello and Harry Bridle was adjudged offside as Jordan Maguire-Drew teed him up.

Youngster Sonny Causton made a mistake and Bello profited to have a shot blocked. There was nothing the Whitehawk keeper could do though on 20 when Davidson whipped a ball over and Rowlatt advanced it to Rustell, who found the net with a cracking hit.

Bello was fouled by Causton, who was yellow carded, and Hutchings took the free-kick which was too deep. Walker tried to find Maguire-Drew but his pass was rather long before the Hawks skipper picked up a first booking – that would come back to haunt him – for a foul on Rowlatt.

Hutchings made a brilliant recovery tackle to deny Charlie Lambert and Clarke might have doubled Chi’s advantage with a shot on the turn.

In the 41st minute Bello and Rowlatt hooked up for a shot which Osaghae smothered and 120 seconds later Davidson and Rowlatt one-twoed for a delivery that Osaghae parried.

Archie Johnson came on at the break for Causton at left back.

It all got a bit scrappy in the opening 10 minutes before Hugo Odogwu-Atkinson struck one over the bar on 57 and then a Magee error almost gifted Lambert an equaliser.

Rustell went down for some treatment and had to be replaced by Charlie Bennett before Davidson conceded a set-piece on the edge of the box in the 65th minute and Maguire-Drew’s shot hit the woodwork.

Rowlatt got dispossessed by Wright down the wing although Magee, one-handed, dealt with his cross and then gathered.

Whitehawk were reduced to ten when Walker took Bello out for what might easily have been a straight red nine minutes from the end.

Clarke shot over again and Pashley got impeded by Wright for a booking.

Clarke, Jammeh and Hutchings linked up and Bello almost got in before Hawks’ pressure led to a Maguire-Drew cross that was somehow smuggled away and a corner hit deep to sub Nathan Anyanwu.

City survived – now it’s all eyes on Saturday at Oaklands.