Ranger roar to cup victory ... Elmer edge towards championship

Our latest Chichester & West Sussex Sunday League round-up features more Invitation Cup success for Pagham Rangers and news of Elmer edging towards the division-three title.

Pagham Rangers 4 Amberley Sunday 1

Chi & West Sussex League Invitation Cup

Pagham Rangers had a comprehensive victory against third-division Amberley in their penultimate group match in the Invitation Cup.

The visitors, able to field only ten players, battled gamely but were 2-0 down within about 20 minutes.

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Benjamin Ring superbly cut in from the right to plant the ball into the corner of the net, then Matthew Robb latched on to Nathan Stock’s pass to slot the ball past the keeper.

Ring rattled the post and Alex Tonks saw an effort acrobatically saved by the keeper. Amberley grew in confidence and a visiting striker fired just wide.

Amberley got a lifeline ten minutes into the second half. A long ball over the top found its way to a striker, who slotted past Mclaren.

The visitors enjoyed their best spell without really threatening and Rangers’ third arrived 20 minutes from time, Christopher Heller bundling in from Stock’s corner.

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The visitors tired and Robb added a fourth. Thomas Dahl-Hansen went close to a fifth before Robb almost completed his hat-trick in the dying minutes, but his effort hit the outside of the post.

RANGERS: Mclaren, Wheeler, Tonks (J Feast), Long, Heller, Dahl-Hansen, Clarke, Dean, Stock (L Doran), Robb, Ring (M Doran).

Elmer 4 Pagham Rangers II 2

Division three

Elmer need a point from their final game to take the third-division title after showing their class to overcome an early two-goal deficit to go joint top.

Two goals in the first 15 minutes from prolific Charlie Squires saw Rangers rush into a shock lead at Mill Road.

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Elmer’s manager made bold changes, drawing Tom Bann back to central defence and pushing youngster Jamie Hambidge forward.

With Bann marshalling the defence magnificently they could mount their attacks from a sounder base.

On 18 minutes Elmer skipper Alex Peach crashed a free-kick past Anthony Richie. After 27 minutes the teams were level when Nathan Sadler set James Ford free to run on and score.

Rangers were conceding a string of free-kicks and from one, Elmer got their noses in front. Sadler, from 35 yards, thrashed a screamer of a free-kick into the top corner.

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The title chasers wrapped up the win when Matt Hope got on the scoresheet after good work from man of the match Sadler.

Rangers were shown six yellow cards and a red.

Elmer kept their heads to grab the three points which mean that if they avoid defeat next Sunday versus Avisford Sports, the title is theirs.