Littlehampton United triumph as Gillard scores stunning free kick

With seven players unavailable on Saturday United could have made excuses but that wasn’t to be the case against a well organised and Physical Jarvis Brook.

Manager Daniel Lawrence had to change formation and tactics due to the changes and two u18’s, Luke Twyman and Ronald Kardos started.

The pre-match team talk was to make sure the players knew their roles on the pitch, stay organised and matched the physicality of their opponents.

SEE ALSO Littlehampton United name new chairman | Former Sussex footballer plays in Tim Cahill's international farewell | East Preston v Crawley Down Gatwick - picture slideshowLittlehampton United were immediately on the front foot, with some good possession, neat build up play and within three minutes Tom Baker skipped past three or fourchallenges towards the left side of the pitch, pulled the ball back and whipped a ball in to the far post where Tom Foxon was at hand to slot the ball past the keeper.

United could and should’ve been three or four up in the first 25 minutes but chances went begging.

Jarvis Brook wanted to play out from the back but every time they did the front boys Tom Baker and Foxon put them immediately under pressure, with the midfield three of Varza, Rossi and Ronald supporting them to press them back.

Remaining 1-0 at half time, the next goal was critical.

United started in the same vein as the first half, pinning Brook on the edge of their box and suffocating them when they had the ball, all they needed was that all important second goal.

And that came in the 56th minute. United won a freekick 30 yards from goal, Kieron Gillard stepped up and fired the ball into the top right-hand corner leaving the goal keeper no chance.

Jarvis Brook started to come back into the game putting a bit more pressure on United’s back line by putting three up top, seeming to take caution to the wind and have a go at them.

It paid off, with a long ball to the left-hand side Lawrence came across to sweep but upended the Jarvis Brook forward.

From the resulting freekick, which was their only attempt on goal, the ball was played in and somehow managed to trickle past a crowd of players and into the goal. Jarvis Brook continued to get the ball forward at every attempt to equalise however the final blow came in the 70th minute when Dan Lawrence won the ball in midfield and played a through ball to Tom Baker who burst through at an angle and fired the ball into the bottom corner.

That goal seemed to end Jarvis Brook’s hopes of a result as United controlled the rest of the game comfortably and it stayed 3-1 until the final whistle.

Manager Daniel Lawrence said: “All in all it was a very solid performance and we scored some good goals, and every single players left it all on the pitch, the only bad news of the day was the injury to the excellent Tom Baker who broke his ankle and snapped his ligaments 10 minutes from time, were all hoping he recovers quickly.”