United progress with hard-fought victory

West Sussex League Championship South strugglers Stedham took the lead with a well-worked free kick early on but United dominated possession thro-ughout and equalised seven minutes before half-time.

Brad Hunt was fouled in the penalty area and Grant Thetford scored from the spot. United went 2-1 ahead ten minutes into the second half when Hunt spun and volleyed home but Stedham quickly hit back when a free kick was headed home at the back post.

Guy Church fired into the far corner from a ball over the top on 75 minutes to put United back ahead and Mike Bailey nearly added a fourth but his long-range effort flew just wide.

United boss James Baker said: “It’s good to get through and that’s all that matters in a cup game. It’s a cup a lot of teams want to win and there’s a lot of good sides in it but we want to progress as far as we can.

“We probably had about 75 per cent of the possession and we should have won more comfortably but they were a better team than their league position suggests and they should pick up.”

Lancing United host unbeaten Roffey on Saturday.

UNITED: Allfrey; Church, Franks, Tuppen, Sims; Gunn, Cockerton, Hunt, Page, Thetford; Stakim. Subs: Measom (Stakim 65), Bailey, Dixon (Gunn, Sims 70).

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