EP fight back to beat Rustington

EAST Preston Football Club came back from a goal down to beat local rivals Rustington 4-1 on Tuesday evening.

The defeat was Blues’ first of the season and both sides now have four wins and a loss from their opening five County League Division 2 games.

Rustington started well and took the lead after just nine minutes when Steve Kirkham finished well from Ross Adams’ cross.

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Blues were then left to rue two chances which they failed to take to double their lead.

Adams’ header from six yards, after Kirkham’s cross, was kept out by EP keeper Alex Bryant’s legs and Blues’ Chris Darwin then smashed an effort against the bar.

EP began to come more into the match after the opening 20 minutes and Charlie Oatway missed a great opening, George Gaskin had a one-on-one saved by Blues’ keeper Jack Boneiit and Joe Shelley headed a corner just over.

The equaliser came on 27 minutes when Lee Garnham broke through and slid the ball home from Alex Duncan’s pass.

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East Preston took the lead two minutes into the second half when Shelley netted a screamer into the top corner from 20 yards.

Matt Axell then scored a stunner himself, from 30 yards, to make it 3-1 on 60 minutes, before Oatway wrapped up the win from Gaskin’s pass on 72 minutes.

EP manager Dominic Di Paola said: “They started well and we were a bit sloppy but we gradually got into the game and began to dominate.

“They had started the season really well and we might have caught them on a bad night, but I was really pleased with how we approached the game.”

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Blues boss Brett Torode said: “We knew it would be a tough game but we started really well.

“We played with three up top and tried to get the ball upfield quickly.

“We got the goal but then missed a couple of chances and rued them.

“Goals change games and if we’d gone two or three up, it would have been different but I’m pleased with how we’re doing.

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“If I’d been offered 12 points from five away games at the start of the season, I’d have been well pleased.”

EAST PRESTON: Bryant; Duncan, O’Hagan, Clark, Hibberd; Oatway, Shelley, Barnard, Axell; Gaskin, Garnham. Subs: Gibbs (Hibberd 60), Meehan (Barnard 65), Boutwood (Oatway 75), Moss, McCarthy.

RUSTINGTON: Bonetti; Bennett, Hendrick, Sayers, Windsor; Tucker, Campbell, Swain; Darwin, Kirkham, Adams. Subs: Hudson (Adams 60), Charman, Hamm (Tucker, Bennett 75), Jones, Wimbleton.

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