Ladies' football: Lewes lash Lilywhites

Sussex Challenge Cup

The Lillywhites conceded early on through a well-worked Lewes goal, with Chichester seemingly not turning up on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

It went from bad to worse as Chichester conceded twice more in quick succession in the form of an excellent 35-yard shot which caught McNamara off her line and a header from a corner.

Chichester changed things around and started to play the football they can produce.

Any chance of getting back into the tie were broken five minutes before half-time when a Lewes player was left unmarked in the area and placed ball beyond the outstretched arms of McNamara into the bottom corner. Chichester went into the break 4-0 down.

Emma Alexandre came on for Danni Paul and made an instant impression. However it was a matter of time before Lewes scored again.

Kally Ambler came on for Widdowson with 22 minutes left and made her presence felt.

Challen looked set to bring a bit of joy to the Chichester support but her break was superbly stopped by the Lewes No1.

With nothing going Chichester’s way the final nails in the coffin were hammered in with Chichester conceding two more before the full-time whistle ended a dreadful day.

CITY: McNamara, Hughes-Jones, Paul (Alexandre 45), Richardson, Fowlie, Madden, Willett, Widdowson (Ambler 72), Shrubb (Harnett 79), Challen, Wride.

Dorking 1 Chichester City Res 1

This was Chichester’s first game for a few weeks and they started slowly.

Chichester’s football was wasteful and non-existent for the first 20 minutes.

The back four defended well, but the midfield and attack seemed to be working individually rather than as a team.

Debutant Becky Yeo entered the field to give the attack a bit more life.

Chichester took the lead when a well-delivered cross from Amy Bailey was headed into her own net by the centre-back.

Another debutant Caroline Reid come on in midfield to give Chichester a bit more muscle. Jemma Cottam-Verbruggen and Cassie Whelan worked hard and Chichester looked like they might start to turn up the heat. Yeo was put through by Lauren Ellis only to fire wide.

A long-range effort from Dorking found Bateman out of position for the equaliser.

But for a clearance off the line by substitute Georgia Selby Dorking could have won it - then Bailey and Reid almost snatched it for Chichester, who at least remain unbeaten.

CITY: Bateman, Stanbridge, Steed, Halford, Thorne, Beaven, Bailey, Cottam-Verbruggen, Whelan, Grant, Ellis, Subs: Harnett, Yeo, Reid, Selby.