Golds continue their outstanding start

George Landais (above, right) scored his sixth goal of the season on Sunday when Littlehampton reached the first-qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Golds defeated fellow Sussex County League side Shoreham in the preliminary round to bank £1,925 prize money and set up a tie away to Ryman League Premier Division leaders Maidstone United.

Littlehampton, who are unbeaten, went in front after just eight minutes. George Landais and George Gaskin linked well, with the latter slotting home his fifth goal of the season.

The hosts doubled their lead with a goal of real quailty on 28 minutes. Following a flowing passing move, Gaskin pulled the ball back for Daren Pearce to fire home from the edge of the penalty area.

Within five minutes, it was 3-0 as Michael Hendrick netted from Landais’s pass.

Golds could have then put the game out of sight as Landais was twice denied by the Shoreham keeper when through one-on-one and then Hendrick saw a free header hit a post and roll across the line.

Mussels pulled a goal back two minutes before half-time when Alex Fair netted after a goalmouth scramble.

Shoreham made it 3-2 nine minutes into the second half when Fair struck again.

Just four minutes later, Littlehampton got their fourth when Landais fired home when the visitors failed to clear.

Mussels then enjoyed a spell of pressure, before Golds had opportunities to extend their lead but Landais and Gaskin were unable to find the net.

Dan Simmonds came on for Golds midway through the second period. The striker netted 21 goals for the club last season but had been on trial with Ryman League Worthing.

Littlehampton boss Mark Bennett said: “I never thought that we were going to throw it away. We were 3-0 up and then missed two sitters, which would have killed the game.

“They got back in it but we scored our fourth pretty quickly afterwards and that more or less sealed it.”

On visiting Maidstone, Bennett said: “They are flying at the moment but we’ll go there and look to give them a game.”

LITTLEHAMPTON: J.Hendrick; Wiggans, Bates, McKay, M.Hand; Packer, Humphreys, Pearce, M.Hendrick; Gaskin, Landais. Subs: Kew (Hand 60), Simmonds, Kempson (Landais, Humphreys 65), Gray, O’Callaghan, Swain, Greenfield.