Chichester City recorded one of their best wins of the season at Church Road on Saturday with a 2-0 win over a well regarded Hailsham side. The East Sussex team had only previously been beaten twice in the League but made little impression on a City side trying to pull away from the bottom end of the table.

City were ahead in just six minutes when Russ Hardwell, back from injury, sent a corner skidding into the Hailsham penalty area where Paul Jones sweetly clipped a right foot shot past Russell Tanner, the current goalkeeper for the Sussex F.A. representative side. It was the second week running the City defender had opened the scoring and brought his tally to the season to four.

With several regular defenders missing, Hailsham were struggling to contain the City forwards and Scott Murfin made space but shot too close to Tanner and then Steve Boston headed another good chance straight at the keeper from Craig Leworthy’s cross.

Hailsham were forced to re-organise their defence when Martin Richardson was carried off with a leg injury and then City lost Scott Murfin with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Jake Lafferty as the first half was punctuated by lengthy stoppages.

Boston set up Leworthy straight after the break but once again his shot picked out Tanner while Lafferty dragged another chance into the side netting.

However it was Lafferty that set up City’s second on 68 minutes chasing down Hailsham defender Turner, only to be tripped and bundled over as he appeared to be getting the better of his opponent. A clear penalty neatly tucked away by Boston for his seventh goal in seven outings.

Hailsham’s form this season has relied heavily on the goalscoring of former Brighton Reserve team striker, Daniel Leach, but the County League’s leading scorer hardly got a look in against Jones, Ben Buckland and Daniel Turner until the closing minutes when Anthony Ender in the City goal made two important saves to make sure there were no late slip ups.

Manager, Mick Catlin’s new look City side have now won five out of their last six games since the draw with Selsey on Boxing Day but face a string of away games in the closing weeks of the season.  So far City have only won once in the League away from Church Road but must improve on that form if they are going to continue their climb up the table.

City will play Eastbourne United in the semi-final of the Sussex RUR Cup at Shoreham on Tuesday 20 February.

Report written by Trevor Wallis

Chichester Team: Ender, Buckland, Turvey, Murfin N., Jones, Turner, Hardwell, Ward, Boston, Leworthy, Murfin S.
Subs: Lafferty, Briggs & Smith.
Scorers: Jones, Boston (pen)

Attendance: 60