Lancing show that they can win ugly

Lancers kept their first clean sheet of the season as goals from Alex Howell and substitute from Dominic Shepherd either side of half-time helped them into the second round.

Gurney said: “It was a really good result because it was a really scrappy game where not much football was played – it was a case of going there and grinding it out.

“Rustington were hard working and a battling team. We basically proved we can also win ugly as previously when we’ve won we’ve played good football.

“From our point of view it’s another feather in our cap. We have proved we can win playing good football, now we have proved we can go to teams on bobbly pitches and roll our sleeves up and grind things out.”

In a game that lacked any real quality, Howell netted the opener on 43 minutes.

Good build-up play from Alex Gathern saw him play in the Lancers’ front man who turned and fired a lovely finish into the corner of the net.

Rustington had a great chance to get back into the match on the hour mark as George Fenton was harshly judged to have felled an opponent, but Chris Kirkham’s spot-kick was save by Dan Neale.

Blues then had stronger appeals for a second penalty waved away, again under a Fenton challenge.

Lancers made the game safe with just six minutes remaining and substitute Shepherd finished from close range.