Golds too strong for Selsey

The visitors, who booked a place in the third round of the FA Vase at the weekend following a dramatic penalty shoot-out, came into the match unbeaten in the league, whereas Selsey had only won one in four.

Selsey were quick out of the gates when a well-worked move down the left-hand side led to a deflected effort from Brandon Jewell which gave James Binfield something to think about in the Littlehampton goal.

Binfield then produced a smart save down to his left after a drive from Ryan Chittock left the midfielder with hands on his head.

Littlehampton got going in the 11th minute after a mistake from Seals defender Charlie Selby gave Dan Jarvis the first clear cut chance of the game. He picked the ball up on the edge of the box and ran through the Selsey defence with ease but the home side’s shot-stopper Syd Davies got his angles right.

Minutes later Town had the ball in the back of the net through Jarvis only to be denied by an offside flag.

Littlehampton had taken control of the game but in a rare counter-attack Selsey’s Ryan Morey found space down the right wing and whipped in a low cross that was mopped up by Mitchell Hand.

The onslaught from Town’s versatile front three continued with a well-worked move when Benn’s quick feet got him past two Selsey defenders only to have his cut back cleared.

The big No9 was involved again soon after as a header from George Gaskin found him in space on the penalty spot but his effort blazed over the bar.

It looked like Selsey would make it to the break level, however, a delightful pass from Dave Herbert found Gaskin with time in the box to bend a right footed effort into the far corner to give the visitors the lead.

Selsey got off to a good start again after the interval when an intricate move saw Harry Prisk in space. Prisk’s cross field pass found Corey Burns who stung Binfield’s hands with a cross-come-shot.

Next Morey hassled defenders to win a dangerous free kick just outside the area but the set-piece was wasted by Jewell who smashed the ball high and wide.

The game heated up on the hour mark after the referee dismissed a handball shout for Town and waived play on. A furious Scott Parker saw red for his protests at the decision.

Being reduced to ten didn’t faze Littlehampton and another purposeful Gaskin run earned the corner from which the visitors doubled their lead as centre half Lee Garnham rose higher than everyone else thundering a header past Davies before he could move.

The pattern of the first half began to repeat itself with chances coming thick and fast for Littlehampton. Benn had the best of these when he danced past two defenders to force a good save from Davies.

The constant pressure proved too much for the Seals defence as Benn was put through in the 87th minute by Gaskin and the league’s leading scorer made it 3-0. And then an unfortunate slip by Bradley Higgins-Pearce gave Littlehampton substitute Dan Hegarty time to go through and finish at the second time of asking.

Next up for Selsey is a trip to Oakwood on Saturday.