Chichester City win second trophy - and football season's not started yet!

It took a penalty shoot-out to settle the annual Steve Bernard Trophy with Chchester Cityi keeper Kieran Magee saving Christchurch’s second spot kick and Eric-Georges Dellaud calmly converting his side’s final penalty for a 5-4 shootout win.
By Ian Worden
Published 28th Jul 2022, 16:30 GMT
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

It is Chichester's second trophy of the summer - and the season has not started yet. They also scooped the Dave Kew Memorial Cup for beating Pagham and Selsey.

Against Christchurch, Callum Overton had put the hosts one up on the half hour after Ryan Pennery went over in the box, but Eder Batista’s 65th minute equaliser set up another dramatic finale.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The match is played annually for the Steve Bernard Foundation, in memory of a popular Chichester student who was killed in a road accident.

Most Popular
Tony Barnard presents the Steve Bernard trophy to Chichester City's players / Picture: Neil HolmesTony Barnard presents the Steve Bernard trophy to Chichester City's players / Picture: Neil Holmes
Tony Barnard presents the Steve Bernard trophy to Chichester City's players / Picture: Neil Holmes

Boss Miles Rutherford made four changes to the City XI that started against English Universities mid-week.

Worthing player Conrad Honore, who certainly caught the eye, lined up in midfield; Connor Cody returned at centre back; and Ethan Prichard and Overton also got the nod.

Chichester created a couple of chances in the opening minutes with Lloyd Rowlatt, who pulled the strings in the middle of the park for an hour, almost forcing a defender into an own goal only for his keeper to palm his misplaced header away.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The visitors headed a corner wide before Ryan Pennery earned a second arguably soft penalty of the week for Chi.

Overton stepped up and slotted into the bottom right-hand corner to give the home side a 31st minute lead.

Spurred on by this Chichester won a catalogue of corners in the last five minutes or so of the half but couldn’t capitalise on any of these.

Batista levelled things up, sliding the ball home at the near post following a cross from the right before a teammate crashed an effort into the side-netting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The game went straight to penalties. The visitors scored the first one and a precise spot kick from Dinsmore made it 1-1. Magee saved penalty two before Alex Weinberger put Chi 2-1 up. The next four takers all converted which left Dellaud, cucumber cool, to wrap it up with Chi’s fifth.

Tony Bernard, Steve’s father and founder of the Steve Bernard Foundation which has supported many sporting projects, presented the trophy..

Chi face Newport on the Isle of Wight on Saturday. Their season ‘proper’ begins a week later in the FA Cup.

Related topics:Chichester City