Up and down afternoon for Three Bridges at Sussex rivals Littlehampton Town

Littlehampton Town 4 Three Bridges 3 (h-t : 2-2)

Bridges went through the highs and lows of the "beautiful game" as they led comfortably for half and hour but then seemed to fold alarmingly. Someone needs to remind them that games last ninety minutes and not just thirty.

Getting over the early loss of Dan Ferreira, Bridges looked positive on the front foot and went ahead after 20 minutes when Kevin Rivera laid the ball into the path of Reece Hallard just inside Littlehampton's half.

He then shrugged off a couple of challenges and surged through to clip the ball past Mac Chisholm for a fine individual goal. Six minutes later the visitors deservedly doubled their lead with Bradley Campbell Francis and Reece Hallard involved before Nordibek Bobomorodov struck the crossbar and debutant Francis Junior Ze headed home the rebound.

But Bridges then took their foot off the pedal with the Marigolds gratefully accepting the opportunity to get back into a game they'd hardly got a touch in. Good work by the evergreen Rob O'Toole created the opening for Joe Benn to net after 39 minutes, and just two minutes later a good run by Dion Jarvis culminated in another simple chance for O'Toole to equalise.

Handball

A mix-up with Bobomorodov and Leo Anderson after 58 minutes then led to O'Toole giving Littlehampton the lead, and Benn should have really added another as he chased a long ball over the top of Bridges' defence.

A handball by Bryan Villavicencio after 72 minutes then led to a penalty comfortably despatched by Jordan Layton, and a number of Bridges players looked crestfallen at the turn of events. Littlehampton seemed content to see the game out, but a foul on Hayden Velvick in the last moments of added time led to a spot kick which Ben Holden lashed home. But it was scant consolation for a dispirited looking Bridges outfit.

Bridges Man of the Match - Reece Hallard.

Littlehampton : M.Chisholm, R.Yoro-Thomas, N.D'Arienzo, J.Layton, M.Ball, D.Duah, R.O'Toole (M.Storm, 78), S.Kirkwood (J.Short, 45), J.Benn (M.Powell, 72), G.Gaskin, D.Jarvis (K.O'Brien, 88). Unused Sub. - T.Butler.Booked - Kirkwood (42).

Bridges : L.Anderson, D.Ferreira (B.Campbell-Francis, 9), H.Woollard, J.Hallard, F.J.Ze, N.Bobomorodov (H.Velvick, 75), R.Hallard (K.Kamhouri, 86), K.Rivera (A.Adam, 72), B.Holden, B.Irving, A.Burnett (B.Villavicencio, 55), Booked - Burnett (48).