RAINING GOALS AT SHOREHAM AS CHI BEAT ADUR

There were goals galore in Shoreham as Chichester overwhelmed an off-colour Adur outfit.

Girl-of-the-game Lauren Ellis grabbed 5 in a game the visitors never looked like losing.  They were gifted an early lead when a powerful Harnett corner caused confusion in the Adur defence and ended up in the back of the net.  However, the home side never got to grips with Hilton’s outstanding long throws nor could they live with the pace and power of Ansell and Ellis upfront.

Ellis opened her account with a stinging shot from distance while her second followed a great run and through ball from Ansell.  Adur rarely threatened in the first half, although a rare half-chance was closed down by a super saving tackle from Leeming, and a follow up shot was kept out by keeper Carter.  An error by the Shoreham stopper let in Ellis once more and it was 4-0 at half time.

Athletic upped their work-rate after the interval and were unlucky to concede a 5^th.  Their efforts were eventually rewarded with a consolation goal before Chichester added 2 more, one of which was a breathtaking individual effort by Ansell.  It was a thoroughly satisfactory morning for the visitors.

TEAM: Carter, Callen, Campbell, Leeming, Howard, Reddin, Hilton, Sabin, Harnett, Ellis, Ansell
SCORERS: Ellis (5), Ansell, Harnett
REPORTER: Matthew Leeming
 

WORTHING BEAT CHI IN GAMES OF TWO HALVES

A goal from Ansell after 2 minutes settled Chichester’s pre-match nerves and the team held onto the initiative for much of the first half despite conceding a number of penalties. Campbell’s pace and Carter’s absolute reliability proved very effective.

Ellis scored next with a high curving shot from 30 yards. Chichester were unlucky to concede after 25 minutes but responded well. Howard and Callen took on all comers and Hilton and Howes made some telling tackles. It was, however, a game of two halves and, despite Sabin’s excellent goal on the rebound which left the keeper stranded, Worthing dominated the second half.

An unintentional handball gave them a penalty which their goalie dispatched efficiently. Lambourne has made a welcome return after a long spell of injury and has re-asserted her tenacity in the midfield. There is no disputing the quality of Worthing’s third and fourth goals and, as the shadows lengthened in the October light, Chichester’s efforts were not quite enough to find the equaliser.

TEAM: ?
SCORERS: Ansell, Ellis, Sabin
REPORTER: Su Leeming
 

STRONG NORTHFIELD TOO MUCH FOR CHICHESTER

A strong Northfield side were too much for Chichester City Utd on a wet morning in Rustington.

The visitors started brightly, with captain Claire Lambourne (back after a lengthy lay-off) in feisty form from the start.  Sabin put Ellis through on goal but her shot ended up in the side-netting.  A few moments later a lovely through ball from Howes found Ellis in space again.  The visitors’ striker made no mistake this time and Chi took a deserved lead.

The goal stung Northfield into action, however, and they capitalised on a defensive error to equalise a few minutes later. The pressure on the United goal grew steadily, with keeper Carter relieved to see a vicious shot sail over the bar. Chi eventually conceded a second just before half-time.

The second period saw the visitors struggling to get out of their own half.  Defenders Howard and Leeming were always busy while Northfield forced a succession of fine saves from in-form stopper Carter.  The relentless pressure told eventually, however, and Northfield added a third.  The defensive heroics continued, with Campbell and Callen quite fearless in the challenge.  Northfield’s fourth (an own-goal from a set-piece) was hard to bear and, while a home win was a fair result, the final scoreline was harsh.  Chi will play worse and win this term.

TEAM: Carter, Lambourne (sub: Reddin), Callen, Campbell, Leeming, Howard, Howes, Hilton, Sabin, Harnett, Ellis.
SCORERS: Ellis
REPORTER: Matthew Leeming
 

CHI PUT TEN PAST DEPLETED STORRINGTON

Chichester had it all their way against a 10-strong Storrington side. Early pressure led to a first goal on the rebound from Ellis, whose second shortly after was a toe-poke which struck gold. There followed several missed opportunities with the ball skimming the front of the net.

A scorcher from Ansell was well-deserved and Ellis then found the corner of the net to make it a hat-trick within the first half. Harnett scored from the left wing from an impossible angle that left the keeper stranded. The first half had seen all the action at the Storrington end and their side further depleted with an injury.

Chichester took their foot of the pedal at the outset of the second half and Storrington showed some pace and commitment. Fortune did not favour them however as Howes made a wonderful cross which crept in. Moments later Ellis, whose timing was superb throughout,  knocked the ball in off her knee. Sabin was unlucky to hit the cross bar which was left reverberating.

Chichester’s defence had to do some work with Howard and Callen meeting every ball. Ansell’s second was a beautiful curving high shot from the wing and her pace invigorated the side. Campbell showed her usual determination and ran the length of the pitch to score Chichester’s 9^th. It was pinball football as both sides tired and Ansell did well to make it a hat-trick and double figures when the keeper fumbled within the closing minutes.

TEAM: Carter, Reddin, Callen, Howard, Leeming, Hilton, Howes, Campbell, Sabin, Ansell, Harnett, Ellis.
SCORERS: Ansell 3, Ellis 4, Harnett, Howes, Campbell
REPORTER: Su Leeming
 

SPARROWS PUT TO FLIGHT

An exciting and hard-fought encounter between two well-matched sides saw Chichester edge past a much-improved Sparrows outfit.

Things did not start smoothly for Chi - a spell of early pressure from the home-team led to a brilliant clearing header from under her own bar by Coral Campbell and the visitors’ back four were kept busy in the opening spell.

However, some great work by nippy Chi striker Sacha Ansell found Isola Hilton in space and the midfielder unleashed a terrific strike from 25 yards out.  The hapless Horsham keeper had no hope as the ball looped into the top corner of her goal.

Both sides created chances in the period before half time, with Jess Harnett going close for the visitors.  However, it was Horsham who netted next, with a carbon copy of Chi’s first – a screaming shot from well outside the box that left Chi keeper Amy Carter stranded. 

After the interval, there were further chances for both teams, with Horsham forcing a series of corners and Lauren Ellis and Sacha Ansell both going close for the visitors.  In the end it was Jess Harnett who put Chi back in front, a fantastic lobbed effort from wide on the left creeping in between the angle of post and bar.  Either side might have scored in a frantic finale, with City seeing a goal disallowed for offside and then hesitating in front of their own goal and nearly letting Horsham in for the equaliser.

TEAM: Carter, Callen, Campbell, Leeming, Howard, Howes, Hilton, Sabin, Harnett, Ellis, Ansell
SCORERS: Hilton, Harnett
GIRL OF THE GAME: Jess Harnett
REPORTER: Matthew Leeming
 

INJURY HIT GIRLS LOSE TO LINDFIELD

An injury-hit Chichester side fought valiantly against the talented and pacy home team. The game was evenly-matched at the start with some end-to-end play.

Lindfield were first on the score-sheet with a superb goal from 30 yards. Howes put the ball through beautifully to set up the equaliser for Ellis.

A period of sustained pressure from Lindfield followed and their second goal was well-deserved. Howard worked hard throughout and made some telling challenges. Campbell’s speed and persistence also helped Chichester regain the initiative.

The second half was no easier. Carter made a brilliant save but had no chance against the Lindfield number 3 who scored the third for the home side. Reddin, playing out of position, consistently broke up the play and Ansell kept the right side under control.

A defensive error cost the fourth but Harnett, tenacious as ever, got Chichester back in the game with the second for Chichester.

The pressure was relentless but Chichester kept their heads up. A fifth goal for Lindfield curved high over the head of the keeper and really emphasized their class.

Ellis did well to score Chichester’s third and final goal but it was not enough as a last minute sixth goal for the home side ensured their victory.

TEAM: Carter, Campbell, Reddin, Howard, Leeming, Howes, Ansell, Sabin, Ellis, Harnett
SCORERS: Ellis (2), Harnett
REPORTER: Su Leeming
 

LAST GASP GRIEF FOR TEN GIRL CHICHESTER

A hard-fought encounter between 2 determined sides ended in cruel defeat for the under-strength visitors. 

Chi edged the early exchanges and their pressure soon paid off, when long-throw specialist Isola Hilton found Lauren inside the box.  Lauren held off the Felpham defence long enough to turn and shoot, finding the far corner of the net.

Chi continued to press after their opener, with Bronwyn Callen, Amy Howes and Jess Harnett linking up effectively down the left.  They nearly doubled their account on the half-hour when a free kick from Howes nearly released Lauren Ellis; in the event, Chi’s second was a carbon copy of their first, with Ellis netting from a Hilton throw.

Feisty Felpham were eager to make amends in the second half and came out strongly – a defensive mix-up gifted them a goal a few minutes after the re-start.  Chi were put under increasing pressure as the half wore on and, in spite of determined and effective resistance by Coral Campbell, Olivia Howard and the rest of the defence, the equaliser was no surprise when it came.  It looked as though Chi might hang on for a point, thanks to a string of superb saves from stopper Luisa Reddin, but Chi hearts were broken right at the death, when Felpham were awarded a penalty.  Goalkeeping heroine Reddin kept out the first shot but was unable to field the follow up and Felpham finished with all 3 points.

TEAM: Reddin, Callen, Campbell, Leeming, Howard, Howes, Hilton, Sabin, Harnett, Ellis
SCORERS: Ellis (2)
REPORTER: Matthew Leeming