Steyning Town beat Lancing in exciting 'Battle of the Bostal'

Report from Steyning Town – Lauren Hawker

The game came just days after Steyning’s 2-1 victory over Hendon in the preliminary stage of the FA Cup, where Harry Heath struck late to seal three points.

With Steyning and Lancing set to meet in the Cup later this month, this encounter offered an early taste of what promises to be a fascinating battle for supremacy this season.

The match started at a frantic pace, with Lancing shown a yellow card inside the opening minute after a scrappy exchange between players gifted Steyning an early free kick just outside the box. The set piece, however, was comfortably cleared by the visitors.

Lancing struck first on 10 minutes when Steyning were penalised for a handball inside the area. The resulting penalty was calmly tucked away to the right-hand side, giving the away side a 0-1 lead. Things got worse for the hosts just four minutes later, as Lancing’s Zackaria Rhioui produced a composed finish into the same corner to double their advantage.

Despite the early setback, Steyning looked determined to respond. In the 17th and 18th minutes they carved out two promising opportunities, only to see both chances go begging. Their persistence eventually paid off in the 26th minute, when Stanley Bridgman fired a powerful strike from just inside the box into the bottom-left corner to make it 1–2 and reignite the home crowd.

The momentum was now with Steyning, and just before the break they almost found an equaliser. A free kick was awarded in the 43rd minute after a heavy Lancing challenge, but the effort was somehow scrambled off the line by a Lancing defender.

The half ended with the visitors narrowly ahead, setting up an intriguing second period.

The second half began with Lancing quickly reasserting themselves, and in the 52nd minute they restored their two-goal cushion. A clean strike driven low into the bottom-left corner made it 1–3, underlining the visitors’ attacking intent. The game remained fiercely physical, with Steyning earning a free kick in the 57th minute, though the delivery was comfortably dealt with by the Lancing goalkeeper Jordan Brown.

Steyning refused to back down, and on the hour mark captain Dion Jarvis pulled his side back into contention with a superb finish to make it 2–3. Jarvis was at the heart of the comeback, and in the 73rd minute he rose highest to meet a free-kick, powering a header into the net to level the scores at 3–3.

With momentum firmly behind the home side, Lancing began to look increasingly unsettled. Their goalkeeper was booked for time wasting, and frustration grew further when Rhioui was shown a red card for kicking the ball away after being flagged offside. Steyning pressed relentlessly whilst Lancing clung on, desperate to preserve a point.

As the match edged into its closing stages, the tension inside the ground was palpable. Then, in the 89th minute from a sharp corner, Stanley Bridgman met the delivery with a decisive header to complete the turnaround and give Steyning a dramatic 4–3 lead. Moments later, the final whistle confirmed a remarkable comeback victory for the hosts, sparking celebrations after an unforgettable contest.

Here’s the report from the Lancing camp – by Jamie Spoor

Big spending Steyning came from 3-1 down to finally pilfer the points through Stan Bridgman in this thrill a minute derby.

Bridgman was inexplicably left unmarked to knock in the easiest goal of his career from Steyning’s umpteenth corner in the dying minutes. Whilst the result was harsh on the Lancers, they unfortunately only have themselves to blame for lax marking and lack of set piece organisation.

Lancing had looked on the verge of a shock win when Dean Cox’s side twice raced into a two goal lead but then proceeded to snatch defeat when victory was within sight.

The two local rivals had been relegated together last season but whilst Cox has taken over a young side in transition, Mike Hamm’s Barrowmen are said to have spent big in a bid to make an instant Isthmian League return.

In one of those quirks only football can throw up, Lancers will make the short trip up the A27 to Steyning once again in the FA Cup.

There was much to admire about Lancing’s efforts, but ultimately they fell short to start their league season with three defeats. Albeit against three sides who must be considered as strong promotion contenders.

Lancing went ahead in the game’s first attack. It was a set piece from the left-hand side and both Ryan Riddles and Zachariah Rhioui had a pop at goal. In the ensuing melee, there was a handball on the line and Frankie Spiteri tucked away the penalty for his second goal in as many games.

Yet it would get better for Lancing. Their supports were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief as Rhioui slid beyond the advancing Mitch Bromage at the culmination of a lightning quick counter attack with 20 minutes played.

That seemed to spark the title favourites into life as Lancing found themselves a side under siege. Ellis Collier cleared off the line whilst Jordan Brown saved from ex Lancer Harry Heath – one of many former Culver Road defectors in the team. Dion Jarvis fired wide and had a shot tipped over the bar whilst Lateef Oladokun should have done better with a header. Harry Docherty had yet another header kept out before Lancers cleared off the line again for the second time in quick succession.

Steyning’s pressure paid off as Bridgman curled in a stunner from the edge of the area with a superbly taken goal. Brown saved well once more from Heath but Lancing survived to preserve their increasingly precarious lead.

A leveller looked inevitable through the sheer pace and power of Steyning’s attacking onslaught. Yet the storm blew itself out and it was Lancing who grabbed the game’s fourth goal. It came through another brilliant breakaway as Collier linked up with Gabe Robinson whom in turn found Dylan Hurst to sweep home under the advancing Bromage. Robinson himself then could, perhaps should, have scored himself but he erred when clean through and could only fire into the legs of Bromage.

But just when Lancing were sensing a famous win, so things began to conspire against them. Dion Jarvis had carried a constant threat all evening and scored the pick of the bunch with a superb 25 yarder to throw open this madcap game once more.

The sides had drawn 3-3 in their last meeting here when both plied their trade in the Isthmian South East league. A repeat looked on the cards when Jarvis capitalised on non existent marking to head in a free-kick and level. But there was to be a further twist in this superbly see-sawing contest.

Rhioui was sent off after kicking the ball away for a second yellow card to leave Lancing a man light in the closing stages.

And then came the final sting in the tail. Lancing’s own self inflicted fate was sealed when no one picked up the run of Bridgman. He ghosted in to ram home a simple header and undo all Lancing’s unstinting efforts.

Lancing travel to Phoenix Sports in the FA Vase and then host Midhurst in league action on Monday.