Mile Oak lashed by Littlehampton - Lancing win seven-goal thriller

Mile Oak 1 Littlehampton 5

Mile Oak assistant manager Tommy Kirwan hopes the team can make a serious bid for promotion from division one of the Southern Combination this season - even if their hopes suffered a setback at home to one of their rivals for the prize on Saturday.

Oak had been looking forward to getting back to Chalky Road but they crashed to a 5-1 defeat to Littlehampton Town on Saturday in which they had two men sent off.

Kirwan admitted: “After a great start to the season, including wins against Selsey, Storrington, Roffey and Hailsham, we’ve had a couple of results that haven’t gone our way.

“A disappointing 2-1 defeat to a resolute Midhurst side in a game that felt winnable was followed by a strange first-half display against a clinical Wick side, conceding four goals, leaving us with a huge uphill battle to get back into the game.

On Saturday they a fantastic start to the game against Littlehampton when Thomas Biggs scored a great goal to put them ahead.

Then they were caught cold and lost Sean Culley to the sinbin after a dubious penalty award. Culley was sent off on his return to the pitch for a poor tackle, and against a good side, it was to be a tough afternoon.

Oak worked hard - and even when they went down to nine men when Aaron Stenning saw red for handball, they kept fighting and working for each other.

We even managed to create chances whilst the game was 3-1, most noticeable a Biggs effort which was cleared off the line, before conceeding two late goals.

Joe Benn (2), Jordan Layton, Dion Jarvis and Lucas Pattendon were the Golds’ scorers in a result that left Littlehampton second, three places and seven points ahead of Mile Oak.

Kirwan said: “With regular training sessions now an option, Curtis and I are really happy with the progress of our squad after a summer of changes and uncertainty, and are looking forward to demonstrating our ability and potential over the rest of the season.

“It’s fair to say we haven’t been over-analysing things at this stage, but we’re focused on keeping in touch with the leading pack.

“Of course, there’s no guarantee that the league leaders’ form will dip or their points accumulation slacken, but we need to be in a position to take advantage if and when the times comes.”

Mike Oak visit Oakwood this Saturday.

STEVE BONE

Wick 2 Shoreham 0

WICK left-back Jack Bingham was in the right place at the right time to give the Dragons the right result against Shoreham at blustery Crabtree Park.

The defender popped up to smash in a low drive with his right foot to give the Dragons the lead in the 69th minute of a keenly contested battle played in high winds and driving rain.

Dan Simmonds smashed in his seventh goal of the season late on to follow last week’s hat-trick against Mile Oak but all the talk after the impressive victory was about Bingham.

‘You won’t see a better a better goal than that,’ the Dragons defender said..

‘That’s only the third goal I’ve scored in my career and they have all been right-foot rockets.

‘This one was from 25 yards and the chairman won’t be happy because we had brand new nets in place and my fierce finish has already put a hole in one of them.’

Wick goalkeeper Jordan Matthews saved well early on but the hosts were always the more dangerous side with Simmonds, Kieron Playle-Howard and George Cody all denied by the Shoreham shot-stopper while Harry Williams struck the bar.

New signing Connor Bull linked well with his new teammates on his debut and joint Wick boss Tom Simmonds said: ‘It was an unbelievable win in terrible conditions with wind, rain and even hail.

‘The lads showed real character and we are really happy to have kept a clean sheet.

‘Shoreham only lost 2-1 with nine men against Littlehampton in their previous game and they cause of lot of problems so we are delighted.

‘This continues our recent improvement and we now have to dust ourselves down and build further momentum in our home games against Selsey on Tuesday and Vardeanians on Saturday.’

* Scott Murfin has vowed to return from the terrible knee injury which will sideline him for a year at Wick.

The former Pagham and Chichester City striker damaged ligaments to his anterior cruciate after his 25-yard blast set up Wick for an FA Vase upset against AFC Croydon Athletic last month and specialists have told him he won’t play again this season.

Murfin, 34, was a welcome visitor at Crabtree Park for Saturday’s 2-0 win against Shoreham and said: ‘It’s devastating to be out for such a long time and I’m really going to miss being around the team.

‘I could be out for up to a year but I intend to come back stronger than ever. I’m not going to let this beat me.’

Broadbridge Heath 3 Lancing 4

SCFL premier

This was a cracking game with both sides pushing for a win throughout the pulsating five-goal second half.

Heath supporters were disappointed with the result but spectators were treated to a competitive, entertaining display on damp and windy afternoon

Early on Lancing hit the bar before a long-range shot was safely gathered by Heath keeper Liam Matthews.

Heath’s Jamie Taylor got the ball in the net, but the whistle had blown. Lancing’s Matt Daniels headed over before two home attempts were kept out, andEbbs Jallow shot well wide for the visitors.

After Craig Goodsir had fired just over, Mo Juwara was off target for Lancing, but a goal came just beyond the mid point of the half when Matthews’ long kick was flicked on by Taylor for Lewis Croal to supply Cameron Watts to give Heath the lead. Ben Connolly equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Soon after the restart Heath regained the lead when pinpoint passing enabled Croal to smash home past keeper Will Berry. But Heath’s advantage was short-lived, with Jallow levelling for Lancing from a breakaway, and suddenly the lead changed hands when Connoly put Lancing 3-2 up.

Heath thought they had restored parity, but play had already stopped – but soon, with the Lancing midfield opened up, Croal ran through to score.

Well into added time, Heath’s hearts were broken when Lancing’s Brad Campbell-Francis scored the cruel last ditch decider.

Heath are home again on Saturday to Langney Wanderers.

MARTIN READ