Sussex friendlies round-up: Bognor beat Worthing, Lancing defeat Eastbourne Town and Littlehampton win at Pagham

Worthing 0 Rocks 2by Liam GoodleyLucas Pattenden netted his first goal for the Rocks against old rivals Worthing at Woodside Road with Bognor securing a 2-0 win. Craig Robson also clinched the other goal in the second half, which put the game beyond doubt in blustery conditions.Early on both sides were struggling with the windy weather. An early pass forward by Kieran Douglas was too much for Jasper Mather who had strayed offside.Then Josh McCormick dug out a pass forward and found Lucas Pattenden but he was also offside. Isaac Olaniyan did well to run onto the ball on the right touchline before speeding into the box but his strike was shut down and cleared.Calvin Davies did well to find Pattenden again on the right but his cross towards Mather was cut out.Jesse Starkey got Worthing on the attack but after finding Sukjae Lee on the left, his cross whizzed across the area and out of play on 12 minutes.Then Kyle O'Brien miscued his pass straight to Trialist C for Worthing. He squared a pass to Trialist B who struck wide of the right post from 25 yards out.Bognor cut out the possession and a pass was pinged out wide to Pattenden but after using his pace to get the ball into the box it was cleared again after his cross.McCormick did well to win a corner on the right. But the corner by Davies was easily headed away.Then Ryan Hall dashed out of his penalty area ahead of the onrushing Reece Myles-Meekums following a long through ball on 24 minutes.Then on 26 minutes Mather did well to wind his way around the defenders before unleashing a great shot with the goalkeeper pushing it over with one hand.But Bognor took the lead on 29 minutes thanks to Pattenden when he latched onto a blocked chance by McCormick to slot powerfully low and into the net. His first goal for the club.It was very much a midfield battle afte the first goal went in. Ben Anderson did well to cut out Myles-Meekums' run when he looked destined to find space in the box.Another great chance for Bognor to extend their lead came on 38 minutes. A ball was played out to the right for Pattenden again. He did well to pick out Mather along the deck with a pass. However, Mather, on the turn, hit it along the deck and wide of the left post.Bognor gave away a freekick from around 22 yards out. But Starkey curled it over the wall and straight at Hall.In a bizarre moment, the referee pulled up favouring his right leg and appeared to twist his ankle on 42 minutes.Worthing started well in the second half. Greg Luer did well to find Michael Klass. His shot was deflected wide. Then Joel Colbran shot wide following the corner with the ball on the rise.Douglas was replaced by Danny Howick after it looked as though he took a knock on 49 minutes.On 50 minutes Davies spun the ball into the area for McCormick but the ball was literally blown out of touch. Klass put the out for a corner bizarrely with a pass back teeing up Bognor for another goal.Davies fired the cross low into the box and with Craig Robson getting to it in the area. McCormick was on the goal-line to make sure, but the goal was given to Robson who had the inital chance, with the ball already crossing the line.Then down the other end, Robson's forward ball was hit straight at Joe Felix who ran in down the middle before shooting narrowly wide of the left post in a wasted opportunity for Worthing.Joe Briffa came on for McCormick in Bognor's second change on 60 minutes.Ollie Pearce got his first chance on goal under pressure from Briffa but his attempt went straight into the arms of Hall on 62 minutes.Aarran Racine met the corner from the right but again Hall was equal to it on 65 minutes.Then Olaniyan did well to pick out Pattenden who was again using his pace to get into the box and eventually got a low shot at goal. He forced a decent save from Rocco Reece who diverted it away on 68 minutes.On 69 minutes Davies was replaced by Trialist 1 for Bognor.Then Pattenden was also replaced by Tom Holland on 72 minutes. He rightly got a good applause when he came off followinghis contribution to the match.A free-kick, awarded after a shirt pull, was swung in and Mather and De St Croix were both blocked with their attempts in the box.On 82 minutes it was Nicky Wheeler who ran down the left for Worthing but his shot was deflected into the arms of the grateful Hall.Holland did well to win the ball before getting the ball forward to Trialist 1 but his effort from a tight angle was denied by Reece.But the game ended with Bognor securing a 2-0 win at Woodside Road in pre-season. They now look forward to a trip to AFC Totton on Wednesday (19 July) with a 7:45pm kick off, hoping to continue this positive momentum.Rocks: Hall, Anderson, O'Brien, Davies (c) (Trialist 1 69), Douglas (Howick 49), Robson, De St Croix, McCormick (Briffa 60), Mather, Olaniyan, Pattenden (Holland 74). Sub not used: WhyteWorthing 1st Half: 1. Trialist, 18. Barker, 6. Rye, 15. Livesey-Austin, 4. Trialist B, 7. J. Starkey, 21. Trialist C, 17. Myles-Meekums, 19. Jammeh, 22. Lee, 24. Gamblin. Worthing 2nd Half: 1. Rees, 2. Colbran, 5. Racine, 25. Trialist D, 14. Jeans, 8. Klass, 23. Felix, 20. O. Starkey, 11. Wheeler, 12. Luer, 10. Pearce.

Lancing 3 Eastbourne Town 0

by Dave Wilmott

Lancing continued their season build up with a home fixture against SCFL Eastbourne Town. This proved to be Lancing’s toughest challenge so far but some excellent attacking play in the first half gave them a 3-0 lead. Both sides had early efforts on goal which came to naught. Callum Dowdell found Tyrone Madhani with a cross from the left. He laid on a pass for Andrew Briggs but his volley cleared the cross bar. Town’s first attack of any menace produced a shot on goal which flew spectacularly high.

Andrew Briggs was lining up for a shot on goal but play was halted with Lancing being awarded a free kick for a foul in the build-up, when advantage might have been allowed. Briggs’ powerful free kick brought a good save from the visiting keeper, although it was too hot for him to gather in, the ball rebounding from him before being cleared.

Lancing took the lead on 23 minutes. Charlie Bennett showed good control laying the ball on to Lukas Franzen-Jones in the six-yard box. Lukas’s goal attempt resulted in handball and a penalty. Andrew Briggs sent the keeper to his right with the ball being buried in the left corner.

Less than 5 minutes later, George Taggart put his side two up, turning cleverly and planting the ball into the roof of the net.

A corner from Dan Hull from the left came close to dropping under the cross bar but landed on top of the netting. Tyrone Madhani was forging a good partnership with Lukas Franzen-Jones, who, receiving the ball from Tyrone, attempted to turn beyond his marker but was pulled back. George Taggart took the resultant free kick which he curled round the wall forcing the keeper to dive full length to keep the ball out.

Eastbourne Town were gradually making progress producing some promising looking attacks but found the Lancing defence too difficult to break down. Lancing put the game out of reach on 39 minutes. Charlie Bennett struck the upright with a header, the ball rebounding across the box where Lukas Franzen-Jones pounced to volley into an unguarded net.

Callum Dowdell came close to increasing Lancing’s lead, finishing off a mazy run with a shot pushed behind for a corner.

Lancing used all their substitutes at various stages in the second half. Mohammed Zabadne only lasted 10 minutes being forced to leave the field with an injury, to be replaced by Kaiden Hummerston.

Town came out brightly in the second half and threatened to close the gap but their finishing let them down as an early clear opportunity struck the cross bar from a few yards out. Their centre forward then brought a magnificent save from Alieu Secka, arching backwards to tip the ball over the cross bar. Alieu had to show a safe pair of hands to deal with some dangerous crosses into the box but, after their early failed efforts, Town did not come close to getting at least a consolation goal.

Lancing were unable to add to their first half tally, the closest they came was a good strike from Kaiden Hummerston which was turned behind for a corner.

Another satisfying work out, albeit against lower-level opposition. Town upped their game in the second half which kept the Lancing defence on their toes.

Lancing starting XI: Alieu Secka, Charlie Bennett, Dan Hull, Jack Meares, Henry Watson, Alex Laing (Capt.), Andrew Briggs, George Taggart, Callum Dowdell, Lukas Franzen-Jones, Tyrone Madhani. Substitutes: Mohammed Zabadne, James Hull, Alex Plummer, Kyle Sim, William Berry, Ezra Roag, Kaiden Hummerston.

Pagham 1 Littlehampton Town 2

by Paul Davidson

The Lions were beaten 2-1 by old rivals Littlehampton Town despite leading 1-0 at the break. Managed by two ex-Pagham players George Gaskin and Mitchell Hand and now plying their trade a level higher than the Lions in the Istmian League, the away side enjoyed most of the possession in the game, especially in the second half, and were worthy winners in the end.

The game started in very blustery conditions making control of the ball difficult and neither side had any worthwhile shots in the first half until Pagham grabbed a somewhat fortuitous goal in the 30th minute.

A long cross into the box found Jake Bridle on the lefthand side, and his attempted chip back into the middle drifted over the young keepers head and into the net. The Lions then defended exceptionally well to keep the away side at bay, with keeper Conor Kelly once again outstanding.

The second half started much as the first had finished but with even more Littlehampton possession. The lions were proving very difficult to break down and it it was a bit of a surprise when the equaliser came.

Vintage striker Dave Herbert was brought down in the box and gratefully converted the spot kick for 1-1 on 52 minutes. Having hit both bar and post, Littlehampton’s winner came on 67 minutes when journeyman Aaron Hopkinson slammed the ball home from just inside the box.

The visitors then proceeded to squander two good chances to increase the lead but the final word almost went to the Lions when Alfie Davidson saw his fierce drive from around 25 yards fly just over the bar with a few minutes left.

Yet another good and worthwhile performance for the Lions and more valuable minutes in the legs. Pagham now move on to a game against their arch-rivals Chichester City at Nyetimber Lane on Tuesday evening.

Pagham: Kelly, Atkinson, Bridle, Hauxwell, Ford, Wollers, Davidson, Jefkins, Howard, Phillips & Micevicius.