Franzen-Jones the game-changer for Chichester students

It was a week of league and cup fixtures for University of Chichester teams.
The University of Chichester's men's football first team on the attack / Picture by Jordan ColborneThe University of Chichester's men's football first team on the attack / Picture by Jordan Colborne
The University of Chichester's men's football first team on the attack / Picture by Jordan Colborne

The men’s football first team maintained their 100 per cent home record in the league thanks to a second-half comeback in a feisty encounter with University of East London.

Alfie Lis went close for the hosts with a free-kick the keeper managed to palm away. At the other end Chi’s No1 saved well with his feet. The visitors took the lead on 26 minutes through an own goal after a corner was whipped in.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Game changer Lucas Franzen-Jones came on for Chichester at the break and levelled things with a tidy finish in the 67th minute after Rafael Santos crossed from the left.

The University of Chichester's men's football first team on the attack / Picture by Jordan ColborneThe University of Chichester's men's football first team on the attack / Picture by Jordan Colborne
The University of Chichester's men's football first team on the attack / Picture by Jordan Colborne

Franzen-Jones gave the home side the lead, latching on to a knock-down by David Mendes-Borges. With eight minutes to go Lis made it 3-1 lashing the ball in from close range following a nice piece of skill from Franzen-Jones.

Coach Danny Potter said: “I’m proud of the boys. We turned it on in the second half to beat a very good East London side. Our home form has been good this season. We do need to get things right on the road though.”

There were cup wins for other men’s football teams. The twos beat Hertfordshire ones 2-0, the fives beat Westminster’s first team 4-0 and the sixes edged a dramatic penalty shootout 9-8 with Imperial College London (Medics) after the game finished 3-3.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Elsewhere in the cup, Chi’s women’s basketball team are through to the next round after a 53-42 victory at home to Westminster. The women’s volleyballers also advanced after beating East London 3-0 but men’s volleyball ones were knocked out by Portsmouth despite taking the first two sets.

The Chi women's football firsts / Pixture by Jordan ColborneThe Chi women's football firsts / Pixture by Jordan Colborne
The Chi women's football firsts / Pixture by Jordan Colborne

All three hockey teams had cup victories. The men’s first team beat UCL 2-0, the twos won 4-2 at home to Queen Mary and the women defeated London School of Economics 4-1 at the Lee Valley Centre.

In the league, Chi’s men’s lacrosse beat King’s 11-4 while the women’s rugby team lost 27-21 to rivals Canterbury Christ Church.

There were cup losses for netball twos, fours and fives but the ones beat Royal Veterinary College 47-39.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Both men’s futsal teams remain undefeated in the league. At home to Imperial, Chichester won a thriller 5-4.

The ones had drawn their previous two matches 6-6 but dominated the second half of a 5-2 victory over Brunel threes that sent them top of the league.

A fierce effort from Emmett Dunn stung the Brunel keeper’s gloves and Matty Roberts had one saved on the line. Brunel went ahead from a corner before Hamido Jalo equalised early in the second half before Roberts gave Chi the lead and Ken Lupata added a third.

Marcus Ball was first to react after the Brunel keeper got something on a fierce drive to make it 4-1 and then tucked away his second after good work from Sam Scholl. There was a late consolation for the visitors.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Futsal president James Callnon said: “They were two very big games for us. Both teams turned up for us.

“The second team were in a really hard fought game. Respect to Imperial, they battled well and gave us a really good game. It was a massive game for the ones after playing Brunel twos last week. The boys came out second half and played some of the best futsal we’ve played all season.”

- IAN WORDEN

The University of Bath football women’s first team struck a late winner to condemn Chichester’s firsts to a 2-1 home defeat on a soaking afternoon.

Bath arrived in second place in the BUCS Football premier south division having beaten Chichester 2-1 in their home fixture earlier in the season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They looked the stronger outfit from the first whistle, applying pressure for the first ten minutes.

As the rain began, Chichester grew into the game and began to carve paths through a resolute Bath midfield.

Bath took the lead on 32 minutes when Chi stopper Poppy Shine failed to hold a fierce shot from long distance.

Through worsening conditions, Chi ended the half strongly but couldn’t find a goal before the break.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chi started the second half in dominant fashion, keeping Bath to counter-attacking football, but couldn’t find a route to goal.

As the rain eased, Chichester equalised in the 76th minute. A superb right-wing cross was diverted on to the post before being tapped home by a Chi striker at the near post by Terri Foster.

Chichester pressed for the winner but Bath struck the decisive goal in the 85th minute when their striker collected a loose ball and powered a shot across goal into the corner. Chi hearts were broken.

For the last few minutes, Chi continued to press but the Bath back-line stood firm to complete a league double.

- JAY ROWLAND