‘Exceptional’ – Displays delight Chichester City bosses as Plymouth Parkway and Sholing are beaten

City came from a goal down to win 3-1 at home to high-flying Plymouth Parkway last Saturday. Then on Tuesday night they recovered from being 1-0 and 2-1 down at Sholing to pull off a 3-2 victory.

City continue to look perfectly at home in their first season in their new league, having won six of their opening 11 games.

Against Parkway, Chi went one down but goals from Ryan Davidson, Brandon Chebby and Harry Bridle swept them to victory.

In midweek, Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley scored equalisers to make it 1-1 then 2-2 – and Chebby popped up with an injury time winner.

Manager Miles Rutherford said:”Over the two games we couldn’t have asked for more from the players.

"In both, the opposition probably shaded the first halves but we were very good in the second halves – in fact our second half against Parkway was exceptional.

"We’re scoring goals and defending quite well but there are hard games to come.”

Coach Darin Killpartrick maintains a typically low-key outlook, saying they won’t get carried away by recent results nor get excited by their position in the early table.

Killpartrick said: “It’s six more points on the board and that’s testament to the incredible attitude of the whole squad, who are working so hard for success.

"But we will never get carried away and know we just have to carry on grafting and following the process.

"We’ve added more teeth, a bit more aggression, to the way we play and the team have adapted well to a new shape. And we’ve been scoring goals at important times.”

Killpartrick was pleased to see ex-Bognor striker Chebby scoring in successive games, and picked out midfielder Joe Moore for praise after he returned to the line-up with influential displays following a period on the sidelines.

"Both games were entertaining – great adverts for non-league football,” said Killpartrick. “And I’d like to thank the fans who made the trip to Sholing on Tuesday to support us.”

The schedule continues to be non-stop for City’s smallish squad, which they still hope to add to.

On Saturday they visit 18th-placed Bracknell, then next Tuesday brings ninth-placed Berkhamsted to Oaklands Park.

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Here’s Ian Worden’s match report from Sholing:

City won their third game on the bounce in this Southern League South Premier match mid-week courtesy of goals by both centre backs Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley with Brandon Chebby bagging a dramatic injury time winner against Sholing.

They had to make two changes to the starting XI that beat high fliers Plymouth Parkway at Oaklands on Saturday. Without Joe Clarke and Emmett Dunn, who pulled out in the warm-up, and Lucas Pattenden, Lloyd Rowlatt and Chebby began whilst Jake Lawrence, Noah Africa and Olly Munt warmed the bench.

Skipper Rob Hutchings started at left back alongside Ryan Davidson opposite him with Pashley and Da Costa in the heart of the defence in front of keeper Max Evans. Isaac Bello, James Sweet and Joe Moore accompanied top scorer Harry Bridle in the team.

In a very open first half, Sweet passed to Bello in the first minute only for Man of the Match keeper Jack Turner to save. Chebby, working hard all night, then lost out in a tackle for a Boatmen throw and tricky No7 Jake McCarthy beat the Chi offside trap but missed.

Super stuff from Rowlatt won the ball on three minutes before Pashley thumped the ball into touch. Next, Davidson denied Jonas Mukuna down the right flank, and Da Costa did McCarthy in the middle of the park but City got flagged offside.

Davidson and Mukuna duelled once more and a Pashley ping to an advanced Hutchings instigated a move that fizzled out eventually. Sweet blazed a Bridle pass over the bar nine minutes in and a Sholing pass was too firm for Tommy Willard.

Moore then cut out a decent forward pass and Chebby had two bites at the cherry but neither came off, before Bridle stung Turner’s gloves on 12. Neat play from Moore occurred and Rowlatt was penalised for catching a player. McCarthy pulled an effort wide after a footrace between Davidson and the Boatmen’s No15; Bridle was impeded by Jonathon Page; and Sweet had a pass intercepted.

Then Willard was flagged offside by one of the ref’s assistants in the 20th minute and the home side dragged a shot wide at the midpoint. Moments later, Chebby was pulled down which led to a City free kick and Pashley conceded the first corner of the night before nice play from Bello set up a shot but he fluffed his lines and dragged it wide of the post.

Hutchings bailed Davidson out with a lovely tackle on the influential debut-boy Joshua Phillips in the half hour mark, before the Hampshire side just netted the opener through Olly Pendlebury after Evans failed to keep the ball out at close range. Taylor was then booked for a foul on Hutchings and Evans denied Mukuna on 32 minutes before Chebby blasted one narrowly wide at the Pargula end.

Chi keeper Evans was at it again in the 34th minute to prevent the hosts from doubling their lead and Rowlatt, battling away, got away with one 60 seconds later. Hutchings wasted a free kick on 37 minutes and Rowlatt’s corner had to be retaken before Moore made a fine tackle.

The visitors thought they had equalised in the 41st minute but Bridle’s goal was strangely chalked off for offside after lovely play from Davidson. Chebby got conned by the Boatmen’s No4 in the two minutes of additional time as Bello’s cross was safely headed back to Turner and Bridle got flagged offside again before referee Jordan McRitchie blew for half time.

Tommy-Lee Higgs replaced Willard at the break and the Lillywhites made no subs. Rowlatt then somehow missed a glorious chance only one minute into the second period and Hutchings cracked one over the bar.

Mr McRitchie gave a goal kick rather than a corner moments later following good work by Chebby before Moore had a shot blocked on 50. Next, Bridle was impeded for a Chi set piece and Eoin Bolger tried a spectacular overhead after Phillips picked him out.

Chebby’s delivery from the left was spilt by Turner for a City corner which Hutchings whipped over and Da Costa’s header made it all square in the 56th. Bello might have put the away side ahead 60 seconds later but couldn’t lift the ball over Turner, and Davidson prevented any danger from a Sholing break.

The hosts made other substitutions with Jack Saunders, Dan Mason and Joey Jones replacing Jonny Page, Reece Wylie and Mukuna on the hour. A Bello bomb of a throw didn’t cause any problems for the hosts before Chebby’s cross was also fruitless.

Evans saved easily enough on 65 as Chebby won Chi another corner which Rowlatt took and the Boatmen almost conceded an own goal but it came back down off the bar. It was 2-1 in the 68th minute as Phillips capitalised on a poor Hutchings back pass to Evans which cannoned off the Sholing player.

Bello won City a corner kick two minutes later and Pashley’s lovely finish – the defender’s second goal in a week – levelled things up at 2-2 after Davidson knocked down Hutchings’ corner. Chi then earned a couple of free kicks before Sweet had his shirt tugged by Sholing skipper McCarthy.

Chebby wasn’t far off on 78 as things swung this way and that with both teams searching for a winner. Great defending by Sweet denied the hosts with six minutes of normal time to go and Da Costa headed away the subsequent corner.

Next, Chebby blasted an attempt off target and Bello chipped in before Hutchings thumped an effort over the crossbar. The ref added another four and Moore’s lovely strike set Chebby up for the final goal in the 92nd minute to break Sholing hearts.

City remain seventh in the league and are away at Bracknell Town on Saturday (Oct 17, 3pm).

Chichester – Evans, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Pashley, Rowlatt, Sweet, Bello, Chebby, Bridle (Munt, Lawrence, Africa)