Five past Faversham: Chichester City keep superb run going

There were a number of changes to the side that faced a young Brighton & Hove Albion team midweek in the Sussex Senior Cup with Rob Hutchings returning at left back, Connor Cody partnering Ben Pashley in the heart of the defence, Ben Mendoza lining up in midfield, and both Kaleem Haitham and Callum Overton back in the starting XI.

Ethan Prichard got Chi off to flying start tucking away a classy finish in the third minute following nice perseverance by Cody. Haitham might have doubled the lead almost immediately and then at the other end Lewis Chambers fed Onoriode Ogboe who crossed from the left for Kieran Magee to lose it in the sun. Hutchings was on hand though to hook the loose ball clear.

A Chambers long throw-in, and not his last, fell to Bola Dawodu only for his shot on the turn to land on the roof of the net. The hosts got going again and Cody picked out Overton who chested on to Mendoza. Mendoza swivelled past a player or two in the box and Ryan Davidson won the first corner of the game.

Hutchings whipped this in only for defenders to clear before another Hutchings’ delivery was inches away from both Emmett Dunn and Overton. Prichard spurned an opportunity to double his and his side’s tally 10 minutes in and then Hutchings bailed Pashley out with a super recovering tackle. Eddie Allsopp’s in-swinger was headed out for another corner on the other side which Magee claimed comfortably this time.

Chances came and went for Overton who was denied by Faversham keeper Partick Ohman and Dawodu who dribbled into the area and struck one into the side-netting. Dunn and Prichard then combined effectively to set Haitham up for an effort that flashed narrowly wide. Dunn went close himself moments later when he smashed a shot from some distance into Ohman’s gloves.

Chi were made to pay for missed chances and it was all square on 24 when Dawodu glanced a Chambers’ long throw beyond Magee – a similar tactic had been the Sussex team’s undoing in time added on in the reverse fixture when Faversham pulled off a smash and grab win. The visitors might have added a second as a poor Cody header fell to Emmanuel Oluwasemo, one of only three Faversham players who lined up in that 2-1 victory back in August, but the No9 couldn’t capitalise.

Next, Davidson wasn’t far off with a cross-come-shot, and Haitham hit one which nicked off a player and a teammate tidied up. Dawodu wiped out Davidson and Hutchings sent over an inviting free-kick that just needed a telling touch. Davidson then made a mistake but Richardson-Brown and Clark Woodcock’s move fizzled out.

Magee had another long throw to contend with, a Hutchings’ attempt was diverted for a corner which came to nothing, and Lloyd Rowlatt lifted an effort over the bar. Chi regained the lead three minutes ahead of the break. Ohman needlessly conceded a corner, palming out a shot that was going well-wide. Hutchings swung this in and after the ball ricocheted off players Cody stabbed it home from close range for his first goal of the season.

Both teams huffed and puffed in the opening 10 minutes of the second half with chances at a premium and possession regularly lost. Rowlatt teed up man of the match Prichard for a shot that Ohman held on to before Cody, Hutchings and Mendoza played Overton in but he couldn’t get his attempt on target.

Magee was called into action to save a fierce drive from Woodcock and his counterpart claimed Dunn’s cross easily enough. Another delivery by Mendoza was steered away at the back post before in a frenetic six-minute spell Chi bagged three goals unsurprisingly sparking chants of “Can we play you every week?”

Prichard netted the first of these on 70 minutes finishing off a slick move down the left before Dunn struck a firm shot into the bottom right hand corner and Tyrone Madhani came off the bench to wrap things up for Chi with 15 to go. Faversham sub Abdul Saccoh crashed one into the side-netting in the 80th minute and a bit of trickery by Madhani almost set up Overton.

Magee, who had little to do all day to be fair, was out swiftly to beat Saccoh to the ball, Jones, on for Rowlatt, thumped an effort against the bar, and Overton’s shot on the turn in time added on fizzed inches wide of the upright.

The win, Chi’s third on the bounce in a high scoring run in the Isthmian south east where they have scored ten goals in the last three, keeps Miles Rutherford’s side in eighth place. Chi welcome Westfield to Oaklands Park for a Velocity Trophy game on Tuesday (21 December, 7:45pm) and then are back in league action at Lancing on Monday 27 December (3pm).

Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Mendoza, Cody, Pashley, Rowlatt, Dunn, Overton, Prichard, Haitham. Subs: (Heath, Jones, Madhani, Carroll, Oakwell-Boulton)