East Preston get back to winning ways

TITLE-chasing East Preston Football Club got back to winning ways on Tuesday night with a hard-fought win over Lancing at the Lashmar.
L36270H12 Lancing FC V East Preston. Culver Road, Lancing.L36270H12 Lancing FC V East Preston. Culver Road, Lancing.
L36270H12 Lancing FC V East Preston. Culver Road, Lancing.

Credit has to go to the groundsmen and officials for keeping the game on as one particular area was extremely boggy.

EP looked the most threatening during the early exchanges and the dangerous Matt Axell almost caught Joel Harding in the Lancers goal out with a fierce, swerving shot from 20 yards but the visiting stopper got a strong hand on it to push the effort over the bar after only 11 minutes.

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In the 40th minute, Josh Clack cut inside from the right wing but Harding was quickly off his line to block the lively frontman’s shot.

The 69th minute saw Axell find Joe Shelley’s burst from midfield and the home skipper rifled his shot home from 18 yards.

The hosts doubled their lead nine minutes later as Jamie Atterwell’s corner was only parried to Clack, who slotted home from a narrow angle at the near post.

Lancing pulled a goal back in the third minute of stoppage time when Shaun Skipper broke down the right wing amid cries of offside from the EP defence, but his neat backheel found Adam Hunt, who beat Rose at the near post.

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Lancing almost levelled with the final action of the game but Danny Gainsford could not direct his header from a corner on target on this occasion, much to the hosts’ relief.

EP boss Dominic Di Paola said after the game: “A win’s a win to be honest.

“We have lacked a bit of confidence recently with all the injuries that we’ve had. I thought Liam O’Brien’s introduction, which meant that Matt Axell dropped into midfield was crucial as it gave them a physical presence to think about at the back.

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