Chichester City's Championship hangover continued at Three Bridges on Saturday as they slumped to a 5-1 defeat.

The game was never as one sided as the scoreline suggested but the County League title holders failed to turn their possession into anything more tangible and the home side seemed to have found the Midas touch in front of goal.

City went into the game without the injured Steve Leigh, after a knock at Arundel in midweek, and manager Adie Girdler must be looking forward to the day when he can send out a settled side. Matt Wain returned in goal but lasted only 45 minutes before giving in to illness and Ben Hitchman was also replaced at half time with a shoulder injury.

And yet it had all started so promisingly with Neil Murfin testing Alan Mansfield in the home goal with a header and then seeing Mark Jackson's left wing cross narrowly elude him in the six yard area.

Bridges' best chance was created when the referee accidently knocked Mark Wozniak off the ball to set up Gavin Jones but Matt Wain saved at the forwards feet to save the official any embarrassment.

Then midway through the half two goals in two minutes put the home side in the driving seat. Pat Massaro got the first when he delicately chipped his shot over the stranded Wain and then Jones headed in a cross from Ahearne when the City defence failed to clear.

Matt Osborne took over in goal at the interval and David Graham made his first appearance for City in defence having previously played for Havant & Waterlooville before taking a spell out of senior football.

City continued to enjoy plenty of possession and when Russ Hardwell made it 2-1 from a free kick on the hour it briefly seemed the visitors might yet get some reward. But those thoughts were soon dispelled as Bridges added a third. Darren Freeman, had been guilty of some poor first touches earlier in the game but this time caught his volley absolutely perfectly to send his angled shot ripping into the roof of the net. It will be poor consolation for City that this may well be a contender for the Bridges' goal of the season.

Paul Thomas was then agonisingly close to pulling another one back for City before the visitors suffered another double whammy. On 69 minutes substitute, Belal Miah, was caught in possession and Jones had the ball in the back of the net in a flash. Then straight from the restart Massaro dashed through to make it 5-1 and City's resistance was over.

Report written by Trevor Wallis for the Chichester Observer

Chichester Team: Wain, Hardwell, Jackson, Hitchman, Price, Osborne, Wozniak, Thomas, N. Murfin, Stephens, Cole
Subs: Miah, Graham and Tipper (all used)

Chichester Scorers: Hardwell

Attendance: 158