JAMES TEMPLE DOUBLE SINKS THREE BRIDGES

Two headed goals by James Temple helped maintain Chichester City’s challenge at the top of the County League with a 2-0 victory over Three Bridges at a wet Oaklands Park on Saturday.

City brought in Anthony Ender, on temporary loan from Bognor, to be their sixth goalkeeper of the season after previously starting his senior career with City in 2006. It was to prove a very comfortable afternoon for Ender with the central defensive pairing of Shawn Benjamin and Aiden Bryan ensuring not much threatened the City goal.

Bridges’ were probably the better side before the interval but their lack of a reliable goalscorer cost them dearly as James Grant and George Hillier squandered the little opportunity that came their way.

City didn’t create much either in the first period and Mark Fox in the visitors goal may also have thought that there was a good chance of keeping a clean sheet. The match seemed to have goalless draw written into the script. But as the heavy rain set in so City started to impose themselves on the game and took the lead around the hour mark. James Archer started the move with a diagonal run that eventually set up Joe Briggs to provide the cross for Temple to glance a header into the top corner beyond Fox.

Fox then got down bravely at Temple’s feet to prevent a second goal and Michael Long seemed en route to goal before bundled off the ball as he set himself for his shot.

Ender at last got his knees dirty to deny a quick Three Bridges counter attack but City were still pressing and Adrian Brockway first fired a low cross straight across the goal area and then had a curling free kick deflected for a corner. It was only a brief disappointment for City though as Brockway’s corner picked out Temple to stoop low and guide his second goal through a packed goal area. It was the last action of a rainy afternoon and may slightly have flattered City but they remain third in a congested title race.

Report written by Trevor Wallis