INJURY TIME WINNER SENDS CITY TOP OF THE TABLE

          Chichester players congratulate James Ford after his injury time winner against Hailsham: Picture courtesy of Pete Cotterill

An injury time goal from James Ford ensured maximum points for Chichester against Hailsham Town on Saturday and sent the Lillywhites to the top of Sussex County league for the first time since August.

Chichester are now one point clear of Whitehawk and although the Hawks have two games in hand, they still have numerous cup games to complete including their 3^rd round FA Vase match at Larkhall which was postponed at the weekend.

Chichester manager Adie Girdler is hoping that Whitehawk’s backlog of fixtures is going to play into his teams hands. “Look out Whitehawk, we’re coming to get you,” he commented after the game.

It looked for long periods as though Chichester were going to squander their opportunity to return to the top as lowly Hailsham Town, under the leadership of their new manager Ken McCreadie, put up a very strong resistance.

Playing conditions were extremely difficult for both teams as a first half torrential downpour left the Oaklands Park surface looking more like a mud bath than a football pitch.

Chichester certainly had the better of the opening exchanges and took the lead on 28 minutes when Shawn Benjamin converted a Jack James cross to record his sixth goal of the season.

Lee Mullen came close to doubling Chichester’s lead just before half time but his long range effort rattled the crossbar.

Hailsham made two changes at half-time and came out firing on all cylinders for the second period with Ender being tested in the Chichester goal on several occasions before the break through finally came.

On 65 minutes, Ender tipped a Del Gaudio long range effort around the post but Hailsham equalised from the resulting corner with Mark Reeve applying the final touch.

Chichester regained the lead on 74 minutes when James Temple ran to the by-line and pulled the ball back for Callum Cutler who rounded the keeper and coolly slotted the ball home, before celebrating exuberantly in front of the City faithful.

The celebrations didn’t last long though as the visitors drew level again two minutes later with Reeve glancing home a Del Gaudio free-kick to set up a tense finale.

Chichester had a strong penalty claim turned down on 83 minutes when James Archer was scythed down in the box, with the officials somehow awarding a goal kick when at the very least Chi deserved a corner.

Tempers flared in the final minutes of the game when a Hailsham player went down under a strong challenge in the centre circle but the referee soon took control of the situation and dished out three yellow cards to the main perpetrators.

Deep into injury time, Cutler unleashed a stinging shot from 25 yards which the Hailsham keeper fumbled into the path of James Ford and he made no mistake in sending Chichester to the top of the table.

Report written by Martin Smith