Mussels cruise past City to boost title ambitions

Efforts from Rob O’Toole, Kieron Pamment - who signed from Premier Division rivals Pagham just days before - and Tom Burton in the final hour helped Mussels wrap up an emphatic 3-0 success.

Table-toppers Mussels went into the clash at Oaklands Park knowing anything less than a victory could see them slip off the top.

With second-placed Haywards Heath Town and place-below City both just two points behind Bryan O’Toole’s side going into Saturday’s games, Shoreham needed a win.

Heath sealed a home victory over Broadbridge Heath to keep the pressure up on Mussels, while Chichester now trail Shoreham by five points in third place.

Mussels boss Bryan O’Toole felt it was a faultless display from his side and said: “I felt we looked classy as a team and I was really pleased for the players.

“We knew how tough of an ask this would be for us but we passed the test with flying colours.

“Chichester only really had one opportunity on the day, whereas if we’d have scored five or six I don’t think there would have been any complaints.

“Credit to them (Chichester), though, I felt they showed real class in defeat. Both players and management at the club showed quality afterwards.”

Joe Keehan’s header inside two minutes looked to have crept over the line, though, referee David Ellis waved play on.

Rob O’Toole, who was a doubt going into the fixture, started from the outset and broke the deadlock after an hour.

Debutant Joe Shelley whipped a delightful ball across the face, which found O’Toole who slotted home.

Pamment them struck in his first Mussels game to make it two three minutes later. Joe Dryer’s long-throw was flicked on by Shelley, then O’Toole, before Pamment headed home.

Packer was played through ten minutes from time, only to see his one-on-one effort come back out of a post.

Extra gloss was added to the scoreline with substitute Burton wrapping things up seven minutes from time.

City goalkeeper could only clear straight to Burton and he thundered home first time to make it three.

After completing moves from Pagham last week, Bryan O’Toole was pleased with the impact Shelley and Pamment had at Chichester.

He added: “They’ve both settled in really well and text me after saying how much they enjoyed it. Both are so talented, Joe Shelley with gives us that something extra in the midfield, while Kieron is a nightmare for any defender.”

Mussels are back in league action on Saturday as they welcome tenth-placed Crawley Down Gatwick to Middle Road.

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