It was two points dropped as Chichester City stuttered to a 1-1 draw at Littlehampton on Saturday.

After a good midweek Cup win over Horsham YMCA a trip to struggling Littlehampton should have delivered a full set of three points but instead City failed to build on an early lead and eventually conceded a late equalizer.

City assistant manager, Ian Saunders admitted ‘It was a poor game, I didn’t enjoy it at all. Both sides lacked skill and craft and gave the ball away far too often. Littlehampton had a decent shout for a penalty turned down and deserved their point.’

Russ Hardwell headed City into a third minute lead from a corner on the left and a string of chances followed but Jon Hendrick in the Littlehampton goal pulled off several good saves to keep his side in the game. Jake Lafferty had one effort pushed over the crossbar and Michael Turvey thundered a shot into the side netting before Hendrick saved another shot from Turvey at full stretch. City were without top scorer, Steve Boston, but the chances were coming thick and fast for his team mates in the first twenty minutes. There should have been at least two or three goals to show for their supremacy at this stage.

Littlehampton with two recent victories to encourage them then tested Steve May in the City goal with a Simon Cossins free kick and there was some untidy defending in and around the edge of the City penalty area as Town at last gathered momentum.

New signing Jason Clements replaced Scott Murfin for City just after half time and Littlehampton had a let off when Hardwell headed across the face as the goal.

However Littlehampton continued to threaten and a free kick nearly squeezed past May while there were also a couple of potential penalty incidents as the ball pinged around the City goal.

Lafferty might have made the game safe for City with a breakaway near the end and Hendrick was nearly caught out by a long clearance from his opposite number in the City goal before Littlehampton punished City with their equalizer two minutes from the end. Neil Alexander swiveled smartly in the box and then drilled his shot past May’s left hand.

Report written by Trevor Wallis

Chichester Team: May, Buckland, Brockway, Mullen, Jones, Murfin N., Hardwell, Ward, Turvey, Lafferty, Murfin S.
Subs: Clements and Saunders (used), Ender, Hickman & Kinsey (not used)
Scorers: Hardwell

Attendance: 34