FA Cup blow for Chichester, but league win cheers them

Here are the reports from a busy bank holiday weekend for City.

Chichester City 0 Chatham 4

FA Cup preliminary round

CHICHESTER gave Chatham a run for their money in the FA Cup before four second-half goals settled the issue.

There was an anxious moment for the home side on 13 minutes when Chatham striker Andrew Dalhouse chased a long punt and the ball had to be cleared off the line after onrushing keeper Austin Holden slipped.

The follow-up header hit the post and Dalhouse netted the rebound but was ruled offside.

City gradually worked their way into the contest and the much-improved Joe Manners had two opportunities in quick succession while Jimmy Wild also caused problems for Chatham keeper Ryan Nicholls.

Seven minutes after the break, the Ryman premier side took the lead when Charlie Ofusu-Hene’s 20-yard ground shot deceived Holden.

Kieran Hartley responded for City with a decent effort, but straight from the clearance Chatham broke away and Dalhouse crossed for George Humber on 61 minutes to touch the ball in with the keeper caught out of place.

Chatham were in a comfortable position and in the 82nd minute Dalhouse was able to hold off a defender, turn and shoot to make it 3-0.

And five minutes later a backheel put Austin Edwards through, forcing a foul that led to a penalty, with Jack Jeffery’s spot-kick sending Holden the wrong way.

It could have got worse, but another Chatham effort was disallowed just before the finish.

Chichester City 2 Wick/Barnham 1

Southern Combination premier

CHICHESTER gained three points at the expense of Wick & Barnham on Monday in a game of changing fortunes where some enterprise from the referee played a part in the winning goal.

The Wickers arrived at Oaklands having made a terrible start to the season, but help was to hand in the form of one-time City coach Richard Towers, appointed as their new manager just days after he’d left Midhurst.

During the early stages Chichester were rampant, with the frail Wickers’ defence seeming likely to cave in at any moment. They were punished on seven minutes when Kieran Hartley made no mistake for the opener, making it an ominous start for the visitors.

But with their confidence growing, Wick began to compete and had their first chance on 19 minutes when Ben Anderton’s effort was scrambled off the line following Jacob Ebling’s corner.

Seven minutes later City needlessly conceded another corner and this time the dangerous Anderton flicked the ball into the net to level the scores.

City striker Jimmy Wild, who had been thumping powerful shots all over the place, was forced to come off and suddenly the game had a totally different complexion with Chichester no longer in cruise control.

There was however a flurry of activity around the Wickers’ goal at the start of the second half, including a shot from Josh Clack that appeared almost certain to beat the keeper, but the purple patch was short-lived and the two sides cancelled each other out for most of the half.

A draw was on the cards, but the deciding moment arrived unexpectedly in the 83rd minute. A quickly-taken City free-kick was hindered by a foul, but referee Wells signalled an advantage which Clack seized upon. While the Wick defenders momentarily hesitated, the ball was blasted into the net to give City a hard-earned victory.

CITY: Holden, Buckland, Bingham, Pearce, Hibbert, Williams, Clack, Kilner, Wild, Manners, Hartley. Subs: Richardson, Atkinson.

CHESTER BROWTON

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