A last kick penalty miss by Paul Thomas cost Chichester City dearly at Hailsham on Saturday and means City remain perilously close to the relegation zone.

With just three games left to play City must pick up points to avoid being overhauled by fellow strugglers, Sidley United, East Grinstead and Pagham as the legacy of too many drawn games starts to pinch.

A home game with Champions, Horsham YMCA is a tough prospect this weekend and then there is just a visit to improving Redhill and a last day encounter with Three Bridges to eke out the points they need.

Defeat at Hailsham was a cruel blow on an afternoon when little seemed to go right for the visitors. The opening goal after just eight minutes was the equivalent in boxing terms of a first round knockdown as Leon Legge swung at a right wing cross from Peter Cooper and the ball just flew into the far top corner of the net. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether this was skill or luck but either way it was a super start for the host side.

A second goal on 23 minutes was quite different but equally spectacular. This time Legge belted the ball upfield to where Paul Richardson was lurking 40 yards out. Under pressure the Hailsham midfielder let fly from long range to dip the shot over Barry Squires and just under the crossbar.

Not going at all well for City at this stage and the loss of Scott Tipper with a gashed head after aerial clash with Legge didn’t help either. Tipper briefly returned with a stylish bandage swathing the wound but only lasted until half time before being replaced by Alex Brockway.

Four minutes after the interval a reshuffled City gave themselves hope as Neil Murfin burst down the right to set up Roger Moore with a near post header past Nathan Gamester in the home goal.

Gamester also claimed shots from Murfin, Ward and Thomas but too often City’s efforts were off target as the workrate of the groundstaff to retrieve misshit shots from the tennis courts, conifer trees and neighbouring gardens interrupted the flow of the game.

Then the drama in the last minute. Hailsham had already survived a furious goal mouth scramble from Brockways’ cross before substitute Scott Murfin was tripped as he shaped to shoot from fifteen yards. Thomas is usually the man for the occasion but this time he dragged his kick wide and the chance of a point was gone. It was the last kick of the match.

The Brighton Charity Cup Final between Chichester City United and Horsham Town will be played at Horsham on Tuesday 26 April. Kick off 7:30.

Report written by Trevor Wallis

Chichester Team: Squires, Murfin N., Jackson, Wright, Price, Hitchman, Ward, Thomas, Tipper, Moore, Wozniak.
Subs: Brockway, Hickman & Murfin S. (all used) Itagaki (not used).

Chichester Scorers: Moore

Attendance: 80