FOOTBALL: County League round-up (March 4)

Hazell, who had not scored all season for Golds, netted two in the first half, much to the delight of joint manager John Suter.

He said: "Chris was excellent and we were all delighted to see him getting them.

"He is our gentle giant on the field, at around 6ft 5in. He towers over people and is a really nice bloke, but lacks a bit of aggression at times.

"The second was an absolute stonking header from a Gary Young free kick.

"The first half was the best we've played and it's nice to come back from Saturday. I'm pleased with the result and three points, it's terrific. They had the better of the second half but were fairly wasteful."

The returning Niall O'Hagan and Matt Windsor boosted Golds as them dominated early on, with Jamie Buckett, Joel Sayers and Idriz Adedoja all having efforts saved.

They took the lead on 28 minutes when Hazell headed Steve Tabor's free kick against the bar, before it was headed back across goalby Adedoja for Hazell to drill home.

Chances kept falling their way before Hazell doubled the lead on 36 minutes.

Golds' 17-year-old keeper, Kieron Gillard made a couple of excellent stops before Loxwood got a goal back through Istvan Gulyas from the penalty spot after a Windsor foul on 71 minutes.

LITTLEHAMPTON: Gillard; Young, Windsor, McKay, Hazell; Buckett, O'Hagan, Tabor, Sayers; Russell, Adedoja. Subs: Lawson (Tabor 70), Peacock (Buckett 80), Boutwood (Adedoja 85), Charman, Mannings.

Clymping extended their unbeaten league run to eight games on Tuesday after a 2-0 win at lacklustre Storrington in County League Division 2.

Delighted Clymping captain Seb Di Paola said: "It was a good win and it keeps our winning run going. We've kept the squad together and added real quality in Billy Rayner and Richard Ghent. We're surprised at how well it's gone and since Christmas we've really hit form."

Swans keeper Gary Elliott kept his side in the game early on with saves from Rayner, twice, and Tony Castro, while Joe Shelley and Ghent also went close.

Storrington's Kristian Harding had an effort ruled out for offside before Clymping took a 40th-minute lead when Seb Di Paola headed home his third goal in as many games from Richy Moss' inswinging corner.

The second half continued in a similar manner with Clymping creating the chances. Moss' cross just evaded Ghent at the far post and Paul Young fired just over.

Harding blazed over an equalising chance before Clymping sealed their win in the last minute when Shelley clinically finished from 10 yards after David Gasking's pass.

Clymping picked up a 3-1 win at Midhurst on Saturday despite going a goal behind.

Lawrence Hyde gave the hosts the lead from a free kick within the first couple of minutes as Clymping started slowly.

Gaskin nodded Clymping level on 20 minutes from a Rayner corner before Seb Di Paola put them in front five minutes later after a goalkeeping error.

After the break, Danny Hand wrapped things up by finishing a well-worked goal. Ghent showed good skill down the wing and Hand slotted home from the edge of the area.

CLYMPING v Storrington: Paice; Stokes, S. Di Paola, Biggs, D. Di Paola; Shelley, Rayner, Young, Castro; Ghent, Moss. Subs: Hand (Moss 55), Gaskin (Castro 65), Miller, Brown, Browne.

v Midhurst: Paice; Stokes, S.Di Paola, Young, D.Di Paola; Biggs, Shelley, Meehan, Rayner; Gaskin, Ghent. Subs: Hand (Stokes 50), Miller (Gaskin 55).

Nine-man Arundel crashed to a 4-0 defeat at Redhill in Division 1 on Tuesday night.

After being 1-0 down at half-time to a 42nd-minute goal from Tyron Sealey, despite playingsome good stuff, two red cards ultimately cost Mullets after the break.

Steve Sneller received a straight red for a tackle before Redhill doubled their lead on 55 minutes.

Dave Walker then picked up a second yellow card and Redhill added another two goals.

ARUNDEL: O'Connor; Sneller, Axell, Walker, Grantham; Grove, Hardwell, Biggs, Neighbour: Norgate, Tipper. Subs: Pickford (Tipper), Towers (Neighbour), Griffiths.

Those who attended Littlehampton's 6-2 defeat against Rye at the Sportsfield in Division 2 on Saturday could be forgiven for thinking that they had stumbled upon a re-enactment of the Somme, with a boggy pitch ending up like a World War One battlefield and four Littlehampton players requiring treatment for bloody noses, reports Andy Lutwyche.

Rye have a reputation for being physical and they played true to form in this fixture, simply bullying Golds out of the game.

Littlehampton were 2-0 down within 10 minutes. The first a thunderbolt from Rye's Danny Ellis that Craig Stoner could only watch sail into the top corner on four minutes.

Rye's second was the first of four goalkeeping blunders, a back pass to Stoner who air shot his clearance, allowing Dominic Clarke to tap home.

After this inauspicious start, Littlehampton came back into it but Rye went further ahead on 29 minutes through a tremendous Duncan McArthur free-kick.

Rye's Jon Gardnerthen decided to emulate Stoner's mishap with a air shot of his own, presenting Jamie Buckett with an open goal on 32 minutes.

After the break, Rye moved 6-1 ahead. Another scuffed Stoner clearance fell to Clarke on 51 minutes, who could not miss. Shaun Loft tapped home the fifth and Dan Leach made it 6-1 on 63 minutes.

Referee David Bull sent Rye's Luke Woodley off for an elbow in the 75th minute, although it looked accidental.

Buckett lobbed Gardner in the final minute of the game and although the scoreline flattered Rye a little, the three points rightly went eastwards.

Golds joint manager John Suter said: "It was a disappointing result but they are a strong and aggressive side and they bullied us out of it."

LITTLEHAMPTON: Stoner, Young, Hazell, McKay, Sayers; Manning, Kavallierou, Charman, Russell, Buckett, Adedoja. Subs: Peacock (Charman, 74), Tabor (Kavallierou, 63), Wollers (Manning 69), White.

East Preston boss Paul Curtis saw Saturday's 1-1 at draw at Little Common as a match they should have won after their dominant performance.

He said: "Before the game I would have taken that result, but we played really well and just pulled them apart.

"It was a defensive lapse that let us down. I was pleased after the game but also disappointed not to have won it.

"We just need to keep pushing and a top eight finish would be great."

Asa Nicholson's long-range effort, Jay Huet's one on one and Kevin Budge's overhead effort were the best of many early EP chances.

But a ball over the top was finished by Common's Jared Lusted on 30 minutes when EP's defence were all over the place.

After the break, EP had another two one-on-ones saved before Huet netted a penalty after Clayton was brought down on the hour mark.

Huet had another couple of chances, although a slip by Colin Moss in the final moments gifted Common a chance, but the post saved EP a point.

EAST PRESTON: Kason; Sutcliffe, Moss, Waller, Beaney; Da Costa, Clayton, Burgess, Huet; Nicholson, Budge. Subs: Curtis, Barizdiniz.

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