Regis beat Regent - mixed week for Chichester City and Selsey - Midhurst march on - Chi City Women beat Milton

Rocks 2 Brightlingsea 1

Isthmian premier

Bognor notched their third home win in a row with a hard-working performance against Brightlingsea Regent as a wonder goal from Harrison Brook and a header from Dan Gifford gave them all three points.

Jake Flannigan returned from injury as Craig Robson dropped to the bench and Ashton Leigh returned among the subs.

On three minutes Bognor had the first half chance as Flannigan received a pass on the right before cutting inside and shooting over from outside the box. Luke Skinner responded for Regent when he received the ball square and on the rise struck it over the bar from 25 yards.

Harvey Hughes picked out Finlay Lovatt who in turn teed up Brook. He ran on before crossing it low across the face of goal but it was just out of the reach of Nathan Odokonyero on the back post. Odokonyero poked the ball in between the defence and Gifford latched on to it before running on, though he was quickly closed down by Charlie Turner on eight minutes.

Amadou Tangara had to tip over a high hanging cross from the right. Carlos Cachicote da Rocha got the corner in, which fell to Skinner, who could not convert. Odokonyero’s strike got a deflection and earned a corner. Flannigan put the ball in and right on to the boot of Gifford who hit it on the volley with power, but over the bar on 14 minutes.

Da Rocha had two shots denied, first along the deck and straight at Tangara and then turning on to his left foot and curling it wide of the post from outside the area following some Regent pressure. Dominic Locke sprung on the break following Calvin Davies’ poor free-kick. He ran on and teed up Aaron Blair, who got something on it - but goalkeeper Tangara got a crucial left hand to it to deny him and gather the ball.

Joe Cook had to be replaced on 25 minutes by Robson. Cook looked unwell as he ran straight into the dressing room. Flannigan did well winning Dandy’s ball forward. He played it back to the onrushing Harvey Whyte wh crossed the ball into the area. Gifford met the ball in the air and his header only just flew over.

On 34 minutes Lovatt and Brook combined before Lovatt let fly with a curling strike which was caught by Turner. Lovatt teed up Gifford who sped through but his attempt was closed down. Then Connor Barnby played a diagonal ball, allowing Blair in. He was denied by last ditch defending from Bognor.

Davies played a free-kick in and Odokonyero had his boot up to divert it in, but for a brave defender who got the there first on the back post. The resulting corner was guided wide of the post by the head of Robson. Blair dropped the shoulder to beat his man before shooting and forcing Tangara into a low save, pushing it just out of the reach of Locke.

Bognor took the lead on 39 minutes through a wonderful curling strike from Brook into the top corner after a great solo run from the halfway line. HT 1-0

The first chance of the second half saw Odokonyero run across the defence and smash one with his left foot narrowly over the bar. But Bognor did get their second of the afternoon on 52 minutes. Great build-up saw the ball played to Lovatt who hit a fierce strike that was pushed out to Brook - who was also denied by Turner. The ball was played across the area in the air with the goalkeeper stranded and Gifford rose highest to divert it into an empty net.

Wyan Reid was under pressure from Brook on the right before he fired it low into the area but Tangara pushed it out and then Whyte diverted it away. Flannigan had to come off in a new injury concern as James Crane replaced him on 59 minutes. His injury occurred whilst twisting near the corner flag deep in Bognor’s half.

Robson’s free-kick was played long and in the air was neatly flicked on by a rising Gifford who headed it onto Odokonyero, who ran on beyond the defender before shooting. It was a comfortable save for Turner. Odokonyero was unmarked when he fired one over the bar on 72 minutes. Whyte had to be helped off the field with another injury as he slid in and clashed with Reid. He was replaced by Ethan Robb on 77 minutes.

Valter Cachicote da Rocha came on and instantly made an impact, setting himself up to shoot narrowly over the bar. Lovatt’s corner was headed out to Davies. He passed it out wide to Brook but he blasted his attempted cross straight out of play. Gifford received the ball forward from Davies before running in and shooting but Turner was strong and diverted it away for a corner.

Blair smashed the underside of the crossbar as he slid in inside the box on 88 minutes thanks to late pressure from Regent. And Bognor did concede in stoppage time. Reid blocked Tangara’s clearance inside Bognor’s half before it fell to Blair. He ran on through defence before slotting it low into the bottom corner beyond the diving keeper.

Crane went into the book for apparent time-wasting before a late throw-in as the Rocks held possession near the corner flag.

Sittingbourne 0 Chichester City 1

Isthmian south-east

Lloyd Rowlatt scored the only goal of the game as City made it back-to-back league wins in the same week for the first time this season.

The encounter with Sittingbourne was an attritional affair with the visitors getting in front and stubbornly holding on to the advantage without setting the world on fire.

The starting XI was unchanged from the one beat Burgess Hill last week.

It was the hosts who probed early on and Chi keeper Kieran Magee was off his line swiftly to collect a through-ball intended for striker Kane Rowland.

Rowland hooked up with Toby Bancroft only for Ben Pashley to intervene.

His centre back partner Lewis Hyde cleared a threat moments later.

Bancroft, Rowland and Neville Rivelino Nza combined down the right before another move involving Ibrahim Bamba and Johan Caney-Bryan set up Ethan Smith for a shot which Pashley blocked.

Caney-Bryan steered a header from Rivelino Nza’s cross wide, and Chi got going as Rowlatt found Kaleem Haitham who exchanged a one-two with Rob Hutchings to crack one which deflected off a team-mate.

Rowlatt and Ethan Prichard gave Sittingbourne something to think about.

A Hutchings free-kick led to Lex Allan turneing it out for the away side’s first corner. Another followed, only for skipper Jamie Horncastle to mishit an attempt.

Callum Overton swivelled and got away a shot. Harry Brooks couldn’t hold on to it and Rowlatt pounced to give Chi an 18th minute lead. It was the midfielder’s third goal in four games and seventh of the seasons.

Ben Mendoza picked out Rowlatt with a clever pass only for the scorer to be tackled.

Ryan Davidson headed clear another Sittingbourne set-piece.

Dan Taylor was in quickly to deny Hutchings following a smart pass from Pashley.

When the hosts were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box for handball, Taylor Fisher took it and first Horncastle, and then Davidson, headed away.

A chance came and went for the visitors on the stroke of half time when Hutchings crossed for Overton to tee up Mendoza whose effort was saved by Brooks.

Rowland hit a long-ranger high and wide and silky skill from Mendoza helped him bedazzle his marker but the chance went astray.

Emmett Dunn replaced Haitham on 58 minutes – the first in a series of substitutions for both sides.

Tyler Anderson, on for Bancroft, caused the visitors problems with his pace on the right and a classy cut-back was diverted for a corner.

With 20 minutes to go the Brickies spurned their best chance when Fisher played a delicious forward pass but neither Rowland or Caney-Bryan could get a final touch.

Hyde made a couple of impressive tackles to end promising attacks.

Eric Georges-Dellaud, an 88th minute replacement for Prichard, hit a fierce shot over the frame of the goal after Overton squared to him.

Overton became the second Chi player to see red in three games for an incident late on.

Magee was called into action in the three minutes of time added on but protected the clean sheet.

IAN WORDEN

Chichester City 0 Herne Bay 1 - Isthmian south east

Herne Bay skipper Laurence Harvey grabbed the winner deep into stoppage time to settle this lively Isthmian south east encounter at Oaklands Park.

Supporters behind the goal, making a 250-mile mid-week round trip, celebrated wildly as Harvey’s 94th minute strike secured all three points rather than the share of the spoils that seemed on the cards.

Both Chichester and Bay fielded unchanged sides to the ones that beat Sittingbourne and East Grinstead respectively last time out. If the visitors probably edged the first half, it was Chi who had the lion’s share of possession after the break. A nice ping from left back Rob Hutchings towards top scorer Callum Overton earned the hosts an early throw-in and then Ethan Prichard flashed an effort narrowly wide of the post two minutes in.

Lewis Hyde gave the ball away uncharacteristically sixty seconds later but fellow defender Ryan Davidson got it back to keeper Kieran Magee. Herne Bay pressed, as they would on several occasions, down the left flank and Ben Pashley had to have his wits about him to clear. Next, Prichard lifted a pass towards Overton only for Bay defenders to turn the ball out.

Adem Ramadan and Antonio Hamilton combined but the final pass fed through to Zak Ansah found the leading marksman in an offside position. Jack Parter then rattled Magee’s crossbar after a super ball from Ramadan and Pashley hooked it away. The Chi No6 was involved moments later getting in ahead of Ansah following a raking pass.

Kaleem Haitham and Prichard connected in a slick move at the other end that resulted in a Ben Mendoza diving header which was just off target. Mendoza had a cross cut out in the next attack and Prichard did well to break up a counter orchestrated by Hamilton, Dan Carrington and Ramadan.

Ansah, with 15 goals in all competitions this season, was flagged offside for a second time on 21 minutes before Prichard was impeded. Mendoza rolled the free-kick short to Lloyd Rowlatt but a decent string of passes between Jamie Horncastle, Rowlatt, Haitham, Pashley, Hutchings and Overton eventually fizzled out. Ramadan’s attempt was easy enough for Magee and the same Bay player hit a set-piece straight at the Chi keeper on the half hour mark.

Rowlatt then jinked into the area but for all his efforts the midfielder couldn’t get a shot off. Magee gathered another low drive without any trouble and a cross-cum-shot from Prichard deflected off a defender for the home side’s first corner which came to nothing. Lovely skill by Haitham forced Carrington into a foul and a booking before Bay broke once more only for the Chi back four to snuff out the danger.

Lewis Hyde caught Kieron Campbell but Magee dealt comfortably with Ramadan’s resulting free-kick. Nice build-up play got Overton into the visitors’ penalty area but the referee wasn’t interested when the No9 went over. Mendoza then whipped in a cross on the stroke of half time that was steered out for a corner which Hutchings swung in on to the roof of the net.

Emmett Dunn replaced Hyde at the break with Horncastle dropping back to partner Pashley. Like Overton, Campbell went down in the box – nothing doing again according to the ref. A mistake by Horncastle might have got Roberto Ratti in, but the Herne Bay signing from Ashford United, who scored twice in that five-goal-thriller at Oaklands Park in December, was denied this time by Rowlatt.

Chi’s back line held firm as Hamilton and then Carrington sought to get things going. Haitham’s clever backheel sent Prichard away down the left before his cross came off an opponent’s boot and safely into the arms of Jordan Perrin. Prichard tried to trick his marker who wasn’t fooled and the move broke down; Overton’s return pass to Davidson was too firm; and a key moment came and went when Harvey seemingly handled Mendoza’s shot and the ref dismissed vociferous penalty appeals.

City coped with a three-minute-or-so spell of pressure before the hour. Dunn made a lovely tackle on Ramadan but Parter’s one on Haitham was cynical and earned him a yellow card. Hutchings’ fizzed his free-kick inches away from in-coming teammates before a retribution challenge by Haitham on Parter saw his name go into the notepad as well.

Rowlatt, Mendoza and Haitham hooked up as the hosts probed but the final cross was diverted. The referee waved away another claim for a stonewall Chi penalty with 20 to go and Overton was inches away from getting something on Mendoza’s delicious cross. Magee then claimed a delivery from the right; fellow players bravely blocked Campbell’s effort; and Hutchings’ long-ranger rose over the frame of the goal.

A fierce shot from Rowlatt was too hot to handle for Perrin and the Bay custodian got away with one as his save of sorts spun out for a corner. The visitors countered from this but Prichard did well to tidy up. Bay rang the changes and Pashley headed clear a delivery from one of the subs Aaron Millbank.

Davidson then played a super defence splitting pass but Prichard was flagged offside before Haitham spurned a glorious chance firing into Perrin’s gloves. Mendoza and Davidson broke down the right wing only for Davidson’s shot to swerve into the side-netting. Ansah got away with controlling the ball with his hands, fed Bode Anidugebe who moved it on to substitute Rory Smith and Hutchings crunched him.

Horncastle got down low to block the subsequent effort, and how Parter didn’t score from close range in the 86th minute is anybody’s guess – Magee making a super save. Rowlatt, Mendoza and Prichard got Chi going once more but the final ball to Overton was too strong. Smith wasted another opportunity in time added on before Harvey broke Chi hearts with a decisive final touch after a goal-mouth scramble in the 94th minute.

The dramatic win sent Herne Bay up into fourth spot, level on points with third placed Ramsgate who have a better goal difference. Chichester remain ninth. Chi welcome second placed Cray Valley PM to Oaklands Park on Saturday (3pm).

IAN WORDEN

Roffey 2 Selsey 1

SCFL division one

Selsey couldn’t quite build on recent fine results when they lost at Roffey.

They weren’t quite able to hold on for a point, with the hosts scoring the winner in the latter stages.

Leaders Roffey took the lead in the first half but Selsey responded, Owen Worsdel levelling with a cool finish after being put through by Jack North. A few half chances went begging for both sides.

The second half continued with Roffey trying to push Selsey back but with an organised display they were proving hard to break down.

It looked like itwould end 1-1 when Roffey struck the winner, a blow for Selsey after they had created half chances through James Henton and Dale Hayes.

Selsey boss Daren Pearce said: “We headed home beaten on the day but with alot of positives coming out of the game – the result didn’t reflect the effort put in.”

Selsey beat Arundel 2-1 on Tuesday – see a picture special here. On Saturday Selsey welcome Shoreham.

STEVE BONE

Seaford 0 Midhurst 4

SCFL division one

Stags made the long trip to East Sussex and returned with a very important three points.

In a strong wind both sides struggled to keep the ball on the ground for large periods of the first half.

Seaford went close through Reece Edwards but he fired wide.

As the half progressed Stags were looking more dangerous on the break.

In the 30th minute Kieran Carter’s free-kick was superbly met by Harry Tremlett who volleyed home from six yards.

Stags Keeper Josh Bird commanded his area well as Seaford tried to reply.

Seaford had a player sinbinned as the players left the field for the break.

Stags doubled the lead in the 49th minute.

Lewis Hamilton’s corner was flicked on to Robbie Tambling who smashed home from close range.

In the 54th minute Harry Giles picked up a loose ball 18 yards from goal and his neat first touch set up a half-volley which he struck well into

the bottom corner past Mike Platt.

Then Tambling to finish from edge of the area in the 61st minute.

In the 85th minute Tambling was through on goal and was hacked down by Dan Pollard, who was shown a red card.

Stags boss Andy Ewen said: “That’s a great away performance in awful conditions - the lads defended superbly in the first half, we were clinical when the chances came.”

* Midhurst are appealing for local fans to support their bid to win a £10,000 prize in a BuildBase scheme. The money would enable them to renovate parts of the ground and keep pushing the club in the right direction.

To vote go to https://landing.buildbase.co.uk/pitch-in-your-support

STEVE BONE

Milton United 1 Chichester City Women 2

Chichester City scored two goals in three minutes to win at Milton United.

The hosts opened the scoring on 19 minutes but Chichester equalised on 40 minutes through Elinor Williams’ powerful effort and three minutes later, Molly Jones scored the winner.

Chi created the first chance after two minutes when Jones saw her effort saved by the keeper and Katie Long’s shot deflected wide.

Lisbeth Mottashed showed good pace to clear a moment of Milton danger.

On 12 minutes, Gaby Hobday beat a defender and find Williams, who fired over.

Milton took the lead when a shot hit the post then fell to a Milton attacker who was able to tap the ball into the net.

Chichester continued to pile on the pressure and Mia Gardner shot wide of the goal.

On 40 minutes, Chichester levelled thanks to Williams.

Three minutes later, Chi went ahead. The ball was worked well in the area by Chichester, and it came to Jones, who had space to find the net.

Chi came out strong in the second half and Jones saw an effort cleared off the line.

The home side thought they had equalised on 56 minutes, but the flag was raised for offside.

Charlotte Long took the ball past the keeper and found Williams. However, the stopper recovered.

A Milton free-kick didn’t trouble Chloe Simmonds.

Jones almost scored a third goal for Chichester when her shot hit the bar.

Chi City Women return to Oaklands Park this Sunday to face leaders AFC Bournemouth Development (2pm).

MARCUS LEE