Two games against Eastbourne - 14 goals for Pagham

It doesn’t make good reading if you’re a United fan, but in truth Pagham were unlucky not to score at least ten against a side who seem destined for division-two football next season.

On a pitch resembling a skid pan after the rain, the Lions were rampant from the off.

The early pressure all came from Pagham, with Justin Gregory looking awesome in midfield.

The home side could have gone ahead as early as the sixth minute through Daren Pearce but his shot went into the side netting.

Joe Booker headed over from a corner and James Temple slipped at the crucial moment with the ball at his feet - all within the first 15 minutes.

It was amazing that Pagham took 21 minutes to open the scoring, with a cross from Gregory met by Temple, who slotted home a streaky goal.

Gregory was foiled by Eastbourne keeper Grant Fitzgerald. The Pagham man was clean through only to see his shot go straight to Fitzgerald.

Scott Murfin was forced off after half-an-hour with a recurrence of a groin injury that has been troubling him for some time. On came Alex Kew, with Charlie Marshall taking Murfin’s place alongside Temple.

With ten minutes of the first half left, Joe Booker scored from a Matt Wood cross.

The second half was only three minutes old before Pagham went three up. A low right-sided shot from Gregory completely fooled Fitzgerald, and the game was already beyond the visitors.

More problems for Eastbourne came as a player was stretchered off, to generous applause from both sets of fans. Thankfully it was revealed later he’d suffered a groin injury and not a break, as some had feared.

Another Booker goal followed just after the hour as he found a huge gap in the visitors’ defence and slotted home for his fifth of the season.

Less than two minutes later, Gregory got his second and Pagham’s fifth as Fitzgerald badly misjudged his run from his area, leaving the Pagham man acres of space to score.

In a double substitution for Pagham, James Misslebrook and Scott Hinshelwood were replaced by Jordan Tribe and Neil Murfin, making a welcome return after a lengthy injury lay-off.

Temple set Pagham on their way again, hitting the side netting and then shooting just wide as the Lions looked to add to their tally.

Gregory hit the post before Temple scored a sixth for Pagham deep into injury time.

There was just time for United sub James Strong to miss an open goal before the final whistle.

PAGHAM: Hallett, Misslebrook, R Cox, Pearce, Booker, S Hinshelwood, Marshall, Wood, Temple, S Murfin, J Gregory. Subs: Tribe, Kew, N Murfin, Price.

JON ROSE