Ringmer players celebrate their winning goal

Full report will appear here when available.

Match played at Lancing FC

Chichester’s last chance of silverware in what has been a largely disappointing season was snatched away by Ringmer on Tuesday night in the RUR Cup final at Lancing.

Although it would be harsh to single out any one player to shoulder responsibility, there was a massive breakdown in communication after 24 minutes between David Wright and his keeper Barry Squires after a hoof downfield from Ringmer keeper Ross Satnden.

Squires should have been better positioned, but Wright’s nod back lacked conviction and Ringmer’s top scorer Dominic Shepherd took advantage in the most telling way. That was Ringmer’s only chance of the night, and City had a good half-dozen, none of which they managed to get on target.

Before Shepherd had made his contribution, City had missed a couple of chances to score themselves. First on 17 minutes, Scott Tipper – who had one of those nights where everything he touched turned to dust – laid the ball into Scott Murfin, but Murfin’s chipped shot went just past the post.

Then two minutes later, Neil Murfin forced his way down the right and crossed low. Alex Ward got a little flick on the ball at the near post, but Tipper - a few feet out – failed to make any noticeable contact.

In first half stoppage-time, Darren Hickman found himself through but his whipped left-foot shot found the grateful hands of the giant Standen.

The less said about the non-event of a second half, the better. It contained only two moments of real interest – Roger Moore’s shot and Tipper’s follow up which was pushed clear, and Tipper’s drive from the edge of the area which bounced off a post and was put behind for a corner.

City’s assistant manager Gary Brockway was philosophical, “Finals can be like that,” he said. “We played the majority of football, but sometimes you get the feeling that it just isn’t going to be your day. On another day, the effort near the end would have hit the post and spun in. All three meetings between the sides have been close this year, with never more than a goal in it. But our work rate was excellent and I really think we deserved something from the game.”

Report written by Ben Steppel for the Chichester Observer

Chichester Team: Squires, N. Murfin, Jackson, Wright, Price, Osborne, Ward, Thomas, Tipper, S.Murfin, Hickman
Subs: Moore and Wozniak (both used), Hitchman, Itagaki and Roberston (not used)

Chichester Scorers:

Attendance: 143