Selsey put behind them their disappointment at losing to local rivals Chichester City when they overcame Lingfield 2-1 in division one of the Sussex League on a High Street Ground pitch passed fit after heavy overnight rain,
A comfortable win was achieved against very robust and somewhat crude visitors as Selsey’s superior footballing qualities came out the winner.
Lingfield were quickly on the back foot and did not look capable of getting anything from the game.
Tom Broadbent and then Omar Bugiel tested the defence and either could have put Selsey in front.
Ross Woolf opened the scoring midway through the half when Broadbent found space behind the defence and excellently picked him out at the far post to sidefoot home.
Lingfield’s Rob O’Hara was far the busier of the keepers and Broadbent got his name on the scoresheet two minutes before half-time. He found space at the far post and his shot carried too much power for O’Hara to stop it.
No doubt Lingfield’s manager read the riot act to his side - they came out with a different attitude in the second half. Unfortunately their desire to get about the home team was taken too literally and within minutes of the restart Bugiel was being carried off after a very heavy challenge by a defender.
He was later taken to hospital for emergency surgery on a broken fibular and ruptured ligaments. The resultant free-kick led to nothing and Lingfield were lucky to still have 11 men on the pitch.
Subs Barney Covill and Rob Wimble came on Lingfield’s tactics seemed designed to unsettle the Blues.
They stuck to their task well but Covill’s reaction to Mooney’s blatant foul could have been dealt with more severely by the referee.
Tensions were high with a number of cautions administered to the visitors. Some of these could have been red had the referee been a little less tolerant.
Selsey continued to play football and Wimble caused problems for the home defence, seeing two fine efforts saved by O’Hara.
Jack Macfarlane had a goal disallowed for offside and Jack Williamson saw an effort go the wrong side of the post.
Somehow Lingfield got back into the game with ten minutes left when Davies reacted first to a great save from Sam Joyce and forced the ball over the line.
But the game was played out in the visitors’ half with O’Hara again making saves from Covill and Matt Wood.
Manager Adam Hinshelwood was not impressed with the away side’s tactics and is upset one of his players had to go to hospital for emergency surgery.
He said: “I’m pleased with the result and the way we looked to move the ball about. We thoroughly deserved the win against a side that seemed intent on stopping us from playing football in any way they could.
“I thought the referee could have dealt with a couple of the incidents a little more severely. We wish Omar a speedy
recovery and all at the club are feeling for him at the moment.”
SELSEY: Joyce, Macfarlane, Bingham, Williamson, Cody, Hegarty, Woolf, Killner (Lee), Bugiel (Wimble), Wood, Broadbent (Covill) Subs not Used: M Hinshelwood, Haggar.
Comments