LOCAL bragging rights went to Chichester in Tuesday’s derby match against Selsey in front of a healthy-sized crowd at the High Street Ground.  The Blues dominated the opening half-hour but failed to make their superiority count, and then City took control with goals in the 33^rd and 69^th minutes.

In a passionately-fought encounter, Chichester boss Mick Catlin reintroduced captain Alex Ward to the side in the unusual role of striker as a straight stand-in for Steve Boston.

But it was Selsey’s 24-goal forward Tom Ridley who stole the limelight in the early stages, menacing the City defence with a series of dangerous moves that could have easily put his side in a commanding position.

It was therefore against the run of play that Chichester went ahead approaching the interval.  The build-up started with an Ian Saunders free-kick deep inside his own half, and Michael Turvey laid the ball off just inside the penalty area for Adrian Brockway to release a real flyer that sailed well out of the reach of ex-City keeper Gary Smart.

Chichester continued to hold the upper hand in the second-half and a strike by Saunders was finger-tipped by Smart onto the crossbar in the 61^st minute.  The Selsey goal came under further pressure with 68 minutes gone when Turvey forced a great save out of Smart, and moments later Paul Jones headed in his fifth of the season to extend the lead.

As the game wore on, Selsey’s fitness was increasingly second-best, but despite this they managed to a claim a consolation goal during added time in what was virtually their only real attempt of the period.  The ball was floated in to Mark Lee who struck home a first-timer through a wide-open gap before anyone had a chance to close him down.

Blues’ boss Danny Hinshelwood commented afterwards: “We had seven or eight chances in the first-half but we couldn’t get the ball in the net – whereas Chichester went and scored with their first decent effort.  If we had been able to convert a couple of our early chances then it would have been a different story – but we are lacking someone that can score goals.

“We did OK in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half, but then through tiredness we started to weaken,” he added, “but it would have made things very interesting if we’d scored our goal a little earlier, because I think anything might have happened had there been a bit longer to play.”

Church Road plays host to what could be a gripping game on Saturday, when Chichester entertain Eastbourne Town.  The East Sussex side are currently locked in a battle with Whitehawk for what is one of the closest-run County League title races for many seasons.

Report written by Chester Browton

Selsey Team: Smart, S Hinshelwood, Robinson, Pearce, Davis, M Lee, A Brown, A Morey, Rishman, Ridley, R Brown. 
Subs: P Lee, Miles (used), Price, Rayner (not used)
Scorers: M. Lee

Chichester Team: Milne, N Murfin, Brockway, Mullen, Saunders, Jones, Hardwell, Ward, Clements, Turvey, S Murfin.
Subs: Lafferty, Wright, Briggs (all used), Buckland, Kinsey (not used)
Scorers: Brockway, Jones

Attendance: 167