Football: Midhurst blow it ... Bosham triumph in goal feast

Midhurst 4 Little Common 4

Sussex League division two

Every now and then you hear of remarkable comebacks – and when they come around you hope you’re not the team to let a huge lead slip.

But on Saturday, Midhurst were guilty of letting a 4-0 lead slip at home to Little Common.

A win would have taken the Stags up to sixth in the table; instead, they had to settle with moving up one place.

From the start, Midhurst looked to take the game to their opposition and give them no time to settle.

Miles Hamilton got his first after great work from the midfield three of Towers, Mason and Glue. Hamilton was set free by Sean Dummer and sent a ferocious shot into the top corner from 18 yards.

The opposition rarely threatened as a back five of Roberts, Stevens, Hyde, Norgate and White did their jobs well.

Number two soon came and with Dunmer whipping in a lovely cross right on the head of Hamilton, who guided it home.

With half-time looming, Glue, in his first game back at the club, intercepted a pass on the halfway line. Neat play between Mason and Towers set Hamilton through and he chipped the keeper for his hat-trick.

Little Common came out for the second half looking to get back into it but didn’t look like getting on the scoresheet.

Against the run of play, on 65 minutes, Hamilton was set free by Liam Dreckman and neatly chipped the keeper with a right-footed shot.

With his previous three goals a header and two left-footed goals, this completed the set for him.

What ensued in the final 25 minutes was remarkable in all fronts.

Sloppy play allowed Little Common to pull a goal back through Alex Carey, and with their tails up they soon got another from Lewis Hole – making it 4-2 ten minutes to play.

Little Common runners were allowed to make unmarked runs into the box and their third came on 85 minutes. Roberts made a fine save but the rebound found Hole, who was unmarked and converted.

Controversy erupted in the 90th minute. A long ball was played by Little Common up to Morris, who was being marked by player-boss Gary Norgate.

The big striker threw an elbow towards the Stags centre-back and sent him tumbling to the floor clutching his face. The striker tumbled over Norgate, who had a bloodied face, and to the shock of everybody inside Rotherfield, the ref pointed to the spot.

Norgate was sent to get cleaned up and was booked for his protests over an extremely harsh penalty, which Common converted to make it 4-4.

With no spare shirts available, Norgate got cleaned up and was eventually allowed back on – in time to prevent the visitors going 5-4 up by clearing off the line.

Then more drama – the ref was made aware there was still blood on Norgate’s shirt and he was shown a second yellow card, strange given that the officials had allowed him back on.

MIDHURST: Roberts, Stevens (Castleton 65), Hyde, Norgate, White, Glue (Dowdell 65), Mason, Towers (Jay Sheldrick 65), Dreckman, Hamilton, Dummer.

DARREN CHIVERTON

Bosham 7 Southwick 3

Sussex League Division 3 Cup

THIS classic encounter had pretty-much everything: ten goals, four penalties, two reds cards and plenty more to engross the crowd at Walton Lane

And it saw the Robins gain revenge for a recent defeat in the league to advance to the semi-finals of the divisional cup.

Fifteen minutes in, Bosham were in front, although slightly against the run of play. Alex Barnes surged down the left and squared the ball into the danger area. Marco Giambelardini tried his luck and when his effort was blocked ,Jake Lafferty hit a fabulous strike into the roof of the net.

Soon the lead was doubled by Giambelardini, whose flair saw the striker dribble the ball around keeper Tony Bartholomew and slot in with ease.

Before long the Yellows were back in it from the spot after Matt Pryor was fouled in the area. Marcus Stevens converted from the spot to make it 2-1.

Just after the half-hour Robins captain James Wilson added a third for the hosts as glaring holes in the Southwick defence were crucially exposed.

Southwick responded a minute later when a tame shot from Pryor somehow got under the grasp of home shot-stopper Kieran Magee and crept over the line.

Giambelardini added a fourth for the Reds before Bosham were reduced to ten men when Ben Blanshard, in his first game back from injury, saw red for a nasty foul.

But the ten men of Bosham kept their momentum and Bradley Miles ended an amazing first 45 by slotting in from the spot after keeper Baloney clumsily upended Barnes in the box.

The second half was quieter but more goals finally came.

Southwick were awarded another penalty but Magee saved superbly from Stevens to maintain Bosham’s three-goal lead. Eventually the visitors did get a third when Lee Denyer powered through and easily beat Magee.

But late on, Barnes to grab a quickfire double. First Barnes exquisitely chipped Baloney after being put through by Miles and then he burst through on goal for a seventh for the hosts to seal the passage to the semi-finals.

Bosham had to play the last five minutes or so with nine men when player-manager Andy Probee picked up a second booking and got his marching orders.

The last act of a pulsating game saw Magee save another spot-kick, this time from Elliot Finney.

BOSHAM: Magee, Probee, Docherty, Blanshard Wilson, Brett, Barnes, Giambelardini, Lafferty, Storey, Miles. Subs: Redman, Carter, Bryant.

ALAN PRICE