MULLEN SEES RED AS CITY'S TITLE HOPES FADE AWAY

Chichester City’s County League Title hopes faltered at Hassocks on Saturday with a 2-1 defeat that means City have taken just one point from their last three games.

Greg Forster replaced Anthony Ender in goal for City in an otherwise unchanged side from the one narrowly beaten in their midweek clash with League Leaders, Whitehawk.  Ender was instead on duty for Bognor in their Ryman League encounter with Tonbridge.

Things started promisingly enough with Ben Vassallo giving City a second minute lead from a Joe Briggs cross as his shot squirmed under Joel Harding in the home goal.

There might have been further goals as Vassallo pushed another shot past the post and Harding stuck out a foot to deny Briggs, but these misses were ultimately to prove costly.

Hassocks equalised on the half hour as Phil Gault was allowed enough time to pull the ball down and thread a shot through the City rearguard.

Lee Mullen vollied wide for City before the interval but immediately after the break Dan Jacques wasted a glorious chance for Hassocks with a close range header.

Callum Cutler then clipped a decent chance over the bar for City and Daley Clark sidefooted wide at the other end.

Another teasing cross from Briggs narrowly evaded James Temple and shaved the outside of the post but City were undone in the 75^th minute as Tom Broadbent missed his header and Clark ran round behind him to drill a shot past Forster.

Mullen was sent off soon afterwards for a second bookable offence after getting involved in an incident that had nothing to do with him and Hassocks defended well enough in the final minutes to secure their victory.

Report written by Trevor Wallis

Chichester Team: Ender, Bryan, Ford, Broadbent, Benjamin, Mullen, Briggs, Cutler, Temple, Vassallo, Brockway
Subs Used: Archer & Long
Not Used: Lempriere, Maddison & Minton
Scorers: Brockway (2)

Booked: Cutler, Archer
Sent Off: Mullen
Man of Match: ?
Attendance: -