Chichester City United were brought back to earth with a bump as visitors Eastbourne Town inflicted their heaviest defeat of the season on them at Church Road on Saturday.

Just seven days earlier City had beaten League leaders, Ringmer, but now found themselves outplayed all over the park by a team two places below them in the table.

City were struggling before a ball was kicked with central defenders, Paul Guarnaccio and Rob Chamberlain joining the injured list and the re-styled defence never coped with the lively Town strikers.

It took Eastbourne just three minutes to take the lead as Danny Andrews played the ball upfield to Steve Dalloway wide on the right and the visiting forward lifted his lob comfortably over the advancing Gary Smart. It was the first of four goals all created on City’s left flank and exposing the lack of cover in that position.

Dalloway nearly repeated the medicine with the next attack but this time Smart arched backwards to turn the lob over the bar.

But with the bitter north easterly wind at their backs Town weren’t to be denied for long and on twenty minutes they added a second. This time it was a cross from Peter Featherstone that glanced off the diving head of Gary Brockwell and the visitors were in total control.

City’s defensive worries got worse when Mike Vongas limped off to join the sick parade and another reshuffle brought on Adrian Brockway with James Smith dropping back into defence.

Smart now blocked out a thunderbolt from Brockwell and Dalloway shot straight at the beleaguered keeper before the interval gave some respite.

With the advantage of the wind behind them City could press forward and had a lot more of the play in the second period. However this tactic this seemed to suit Town equally well with City vulnerable to the counter-attack.

On 56 minutes Brockwell got away down the right to beat Smart to the ball and squared for Dalloway to sweep in the third, and barely four minutes later Dalloway turned provider from the same channel  with Mark Goodwin the grateful recipient at the far post.

Jamie Angell replaced Scott Tipper and Shane Corbin came on for Matt Duffy as City tried another set up but the damage was done by now. Corbin at least went close after outpacing Ben Putland but Greg Nessling in the Town goal spoiled City’s best chance of the afternoon. 

It was an unhappy ending to City’s six match unbeaten run but give credit to Town who looked more effective than either the Ringmer or Horsham YMCA outfits that City have faced in recent weeks. Town now leapfrog up to fifth, City slip to eighth.

Report written by Trevor Wallis

Chichester Team: Smart, Vongas, Hickman, Duffy, Miah, Ward, Hardwell, Smith M., Tipper, Cutler & Smith J.
Subs: Adrian Brockway, Angell and Corbin (all used)
Scorers: -

Attendance: 46