Golds win at Swans to return to the top

LITTLEHAMPTON Football Club returned to the top of County League Division 2 on Tuesday evening with a hard-fought 2-0 win away to Storrington.
George Gaskin scored Littlehampton's second goal against St FrancisGeorge Gaskin scored Littlehampton's second goal against St Francis
George Gaskin scored Littlehampton's second goal against St Francis

Golds were made to work hard for the three points in a scrappy, although entertaining affair, and four more points from their remaining seven games will now seal a top-three finish.

Littlehampton could clinch a promotion place as early as Saturday as they entertain Broadbridge Heath tonight (Thursday) and then travel to fellow promotion-contenders Eastbourne United on Saturday.

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Littlehampton started the game brightly on Tuesday, without really creating any clear-cut chances, especially with Swans fielding an inexperienced goalkeeper in the shape of Matt Chester.

Swans had a decent case for a penalty as Ross McKay clearly handled in the box but the claims were waved away in the 35th minute. The deadlock was broken with four minutes left of the half as the impressive Peter Beadle was allowed to head a Mitchell Hand corner home from under the bar with Chester flailing.

An equaliser almost came with three minutes of the 90 remaining but Jon Hendrick saved brilliantly from Marcus Robertshaw’s shot to keep Golds’ noses in front.

The win was sealed in the third minute of stoppage time as substitute George Gaskin raced down the left to beat Chester at his near post and move the visitors a step closer to promotion with his 26th goal of the season but first since December.

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Golds manager Mark Bennett said: “I’m pleased with the result because they made life hard for us. We did really well on Saturday but lack consistency.

“We want to win the league, so that we guarantee going up as we don’t want to leave anything to chance.”