Chichester City United extended their lead at the top of the Sussex County League with a 3-1 win against third placed Eastbourne Town at the well appointed Saffrons ground on Saturday. The ground has received a major overhaul since Chi last played there and provided an excellent playing surface for the more skillful players on both sides.

Chi were without Matt Smith, Leigh Cole and Steve Leigh and then lost Paul Jones through injury early in the first half but were still too strong for their newly promoted hosts who had briefly led the table a fortnight earlier.

Eastbourne's best chance came virtually straight from the kick off but a timely defensive header denied Gary Brockwell and Chi were soon up the other end putting pressure on the home goal. Paul Thomas missed the target with a 40 yarder after Mark Oldroyd in the Eastbourne goal got himself stranded and then Russell Hardwell squared across the face of the goal before the visitors took a 16th minute lead. Chi started the move down the right when Neil Murfin outpaced Carl Harris to provide a cross to the near post where Jamie Laidlaw headed past Oldroyd from six yards.

Chi lost influential defender Paul Jones shortly afterwards with a neck injury and Roger Moore came on to partner Laidlaw up front while Dan Stimpson moved into the back line from an unaccustomed midfield position and Murfin took over the midfield role.

Worries that such a major reshuffle might disrupt Chi's progress were quickly dispelled as Laidlaw surged through to rattle the side netting and Moore went close with a free kick after a foul on Mark Jackson on the edge of the penalty area.

On 35 minutes Chi extended their lead with Tony Stephens first goal of the season and a fitting reward for a typically hardworking performance in the middle of the park. The midfielder probably shouldn't have been allowed to turn on the edge of the penalty area but once he had the final shot curled beyond Oldroyd's dive into the far corner.

Oldroyd produced a first class reaction save to deny a Laidlaw header at the start of the second half but conceded the corner that led to Chi's third goal. Untidy defending allowed the ball to hang around in the area long enough for Moore to have one shot cleared off the line before Laidlaw thundered his shot through a ruck of players to make it 3-0.

The threat of being overwhelmed now seemed to stir Eastbourne into life and Lee Preston in the Chi goal made his only real save of the afternoon before finally being beaten from the penalty spot. Belal Miah was the player penalised after another steady performance as the Chi sweeper and Brockwell tucked away the penalty in the 7oth minute.

The home side made it a lively last twenty minutes but it was still Chi that created most of the chances with Moore being denied several times by Oldroyd and then Leon Cumming headed another effort off the line before the referee finally brought matters to an end.

This week Chi face another of the newly promoted sides when they travel to East Grinstead. Kick off 3pm.

Report written by Trevor Wallis

Chichester Team: Preston, Hardwell, Jackson, Hitchman, Jones (Moore), Miah (Cerezo), Stephens, Thomas, N. Murfin, Laidlaw (S. Murfin), Stimpson
Subs: Moore, Cerezo, S. Murfin (All used)
Scorers: Laidlaw (2), Stevens

Attendance: 281