Courtman keeps Selsey on track ... Midhurst’s ‘worst first half’

Lingfield 1 Selsey 1
Midhurst, in blue here, slipped to a big home defeat to Southwick / Picture by Kate ShemiltMidhurst, in blue here, slipped to a big home defeat to Southwick / Picture by Kate Shemilt
Midhurst, in blue here, slipped to a big home defeat to Southwick / Picture by Kate Shemilt

Southern Combination division one

Selsey manager Steve Bailey was frustrated despite his side coming back to draw at Lingfield.

Bailey’s side conceded when Kerren Boylan scored after four minutes after the wind helped a long ball fly over the defence, which Boylan latched on to before finishing smartly.

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The early goal did not stop Selsey from dominating and they had equalised on the half-hour mark.

Good link-up play in midfield led to a cross which Elliot Courtman headed home.

But after drawing level, Selsey had a whole host of chances to win the game, but they just could not capitalise on their dominance.

Bailey was encouraged by his side’s performance but also disappointed after his side had the chances to win the game.

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He said: “We should have won it. Unfortunately that’s the way it has been in recent games - we have worked out we can now defend and attack but we have just missed a series of chances.

“We had a 2-1 defeat (to Little Common) last week and we should have comfortably won.

“I think soon it is going to click and one team will really get blown away. We are missing chances but both our strikers are 19 and they are still learning.

“We could do with a more experienced striker to help them along but we can’t get one in at the minute.

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“I was happy with the response. Conceding early galvanised the players and we created chances and we had three or four really presentable chances but just couldn’t take them.”

SELSEY: Gilbert, Low, Parsons, Kilhams, Turner, Meredith, Morey, Courtman, Lempriere, Mepham, Rough. Subs: Harrington, Chapson, Dimes.

Midhurst 0 Southwick 4

Southern Combination division one

Midhurst had a torrid first half in their defeat by Southwick as Andrew McDowell scored four.

The home side conceded the first two goals inside six minutes, but it didn’t prove to be a wake-up call as McDowell added to his tally in the 22nd minute and again in the 43rd.

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In the second half, Midhurst perked up but Southwick were comfortable and despite Midhurst’s pressing, Southwick were able to keep a clean sheet.

Midhurst manager John Suter said he could not remember seeing the team play so badly in any opening 45 minutes. But he took slight encouragement from their second-half display.

“It was definitely the worst first-half performance I have seen since I have been here – no-one could do anything right,” added Suter.

“We made it difficult for ourselves. We could not pass the ball, control the ball or do anything. At half-time I told the lads there was nothing positive about it.

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“In the second half we came out and played better but some would say they had stopped going for the goals and they were in cruise control.”

MIDHURST: Jeal, Turner, Broughton, Chaplin, Dummer, Casselton, Dormer, L Hamilton, Farquharson, Sheldrick, Wyckens. Subs: M Hamilton, Hill, Viney.

* Sidlesham had to settle for a point at home to Seaford. Tom Bayley gave them an early lead but it was cancelled out 16 minutes from time by David Lambert.

Reports by GEORGE BOULTON

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