Littlehampton Town boss hails win at Whitehawk as one of best

Devon Fender - pictured in Littlehampton Town action at Lancing - was credited with changing the game at Whitehawk | Picture: Stephen Goodger

The Golds’ win was overshadowed by trouble off the field but Hand feels that should not detract from their win against one of their rivals for a spot in the play-offs.

Goals from Liam Hendy, Lucas Pattenden and George Gaskin earned the points after they’d play with 10 men since the 26th minute sending-off of Scot Packer. Whitehawk responded with a Luke Robinson equaliser in the second half and had Nathan Cooper sent off with 20 minutes to go.

Hand told us: “It was one of the performances of the season. Every single player was outstanding and the togetherness and resilience of the boys was first class.

"We felt slightly disrespected by some of the comments in the build-up to the game but we did what we do best, we were willing to dig in and prove everyone wrong.

"We were with 10 men for over an hour but every time the game was level we were the better side and looked like scoring on the counter and in truth we could have had a couple more.

"Some of the defensive performances were as good as I’ve seen. James Binfield again was unbelievable in goal, Liam Hendy made three or four goal-saving blocks and defended like his life depended on it, Devon Fender came on and changed the game.

"I don’t want the off-the-field nonsense to take anything away from the fact that this group of boys went to one of the best sides in the division and turned them over with 10 men.

"I couldn’t be prouder of my players and considering we were without Dion Jarvis, Joe Benn and Jordan Clark, every single player stepped up and played out their skin.”

Town are eighth in the Isthmian premier – just three points and three places behind fifth-placed Whitehawk.