Lancing FC beating the odds to soar in Isthmian south east – Littlehampton Town can’t find consistency

Their lofty position is all the more remarkable given that they lost their chairman, manager and many of their players in the summer.

Dave Altendorff’s side are just two points behind fifth-placed Sheppey – and with games in hand – after victories over Merstham and Horndean to end 2023 and begin 2024 on the right note.

At Merstham on Saturday, the Lancers trailed 1-0 with 16 minutes to go but two goals in six minutes – scored by Andrew Briggs and Alex Laing – earned them the points.

Forty-eight hours later, on New Year’s Day, they conceded early but ended up 4-1 winners thanks to goals by Knory Scott, Briggs, Harry Heath and Eliot Jenks.

On Saturday Lancing put their credentials to the test when they welcome leaders Ramsgate to Culver Road.

Elsewhere in the division, Littlehampton Town had a superb 6-1 win at Beckenham on Saturday. Ollie Starkey got a hat-trick with Josh Short, Nodirbek Bobomurodov and Brad Dolaghan also on target. They lost 3-0 at home to Chichester City on New Year’s Day.

In the SCFL premier, Shoreham lost 3-1 at home to Hassocks while Steyning drew 1-1 at Haywards Heath.

SCFL Division 1

Montpelier Villa 0 Worthing United 2

A Dan Hills strike just before half time was enough to take the Mavericks into a half time time 0-1 lead. This was then doubled after 70 minutes thanks to a Brad Hunt goal. Whilst both sides had other chances and both goalkeepers pulling off fine saves, the scoreline was probably a fair reflection of the game.

Worthing United 2 Chessington & Hook 0

Two first half goals were the difference in this one, again one apiece for Hills and Hunt. Although the Visitors did throw the proverbial 'kitchen sink' at the Mavericks defence in the second half they remained firm to record a second clean sheet in four days. This was thanks in no little measure to a superb Man of the Match performance from Centre Back Andrew Younger.

These results see the Lyons Way outfit finish the year in fourth place with games in hand over two of the Clubs above.

Wick 2 Oakwood 1

Josh Irish pounced twice to boost Wick’s playoff charge with a fourth straight Southern Combination Division One victory.

The Dragons' leading scorer has now struck nine times in their last five matches in all competitions and his double blast followed a hat-trick in the 6-0 win against Mile Oak before Christmas.

Irish had struggled to score on home soil at Crabtree Park with 16 of his first 17 goals this season being tucked away on the road.

But he has now taken his tally to 25 for the campaign with his last eight goals at home and he could have celebrated another treble but crashed one late effort wide and another just over the bar.

Bottom club Oakwood scored a late consolation through Jake Gadd but were always second best.

The match was rearranged after the original fixture in October was abandoned when torrential downpours made the pitch unplayable with the visitors leading 3-2.

Wick manager Lee Baldwin hopes Irish continues his fine form when the Dragons play Oakwood at Tinsley Green on Saturday before Arundel visit Coomes Way on Tuesday (7.30pm).

Here is the full Lancing v Horndean report from Dave Wilmott…

Ring out the old and ring in the new, so the saying goes but, for Lancing, it was more a case of let’s keep going with the old. Lancing have welcomed the new year sporting a rich vein of form. Before 2024 dawned, since the end of October, they had achieved six victories, one draw and one very narrow defeat and had made steady progress upwards.

Horndean were an unknown quantity, having joined the Isthmian League as champions of the Wessex Premier. They occupied 15th place in the table but had only played 15 games

David Altendorff, wisely, chose not to change a winning team, which meant that Alex Laing continued to line up at right-back.

Lancing suffered a setback as early as the fourth minute. Operating on the right wing, Zackary Willett was quick out of the blocks and was met with a solid (but, most of us thought, a fair tackle, but referee Anthony Cross (who went to have a very good afternoon with the whistle) took a different view.

Willett drove the ball low and hard beyond the wall. Louis Rogers would only have seen it late but, nevertheless, got down low with his body behind the ball. The force of the shot was sufficient to cause the ball to rebound from him to Tommy Scutt, who was quickest to react to put his side in front.

Don’t panic Captain Mainwaring! Lancing responded well. Andrew Briggs sent Knory Scott forward on the right. His shot was deflected for a corner but only cleared to the edge of the box to Laing who responded with a first-time volley, which flew well clear of the bar.

Lancing kept up the pressure and on nine minutes Knory Scott worked himself into a good position at the edge of the box and picked his spot hitting the ball into the bottom corner to cancel out the visitors’ short-lived lead.

Horndean had two attacking wide men, Willett on the left and Daniel Sibley on the right (they were later to change sides) and a strong centre forward in Connor Duffin who kept the Lancing back four on their toes. But it was Lancing who looked the most likely to score. Scott was enjoying good spells of possession and using the ball constructively, putting Charlie Bennett in the clear, but his break towards goal was frustrated by the offside flag.

Some clever footwork by Scott gave him space to lay the ball into Lukas Franzen-Jones, with his back to the goal but able to execute a superb shot on the turn which flew a foot or so too high. Scott continued to be the provider for Franzen-Jones getting forward on the right finding Lancing’s No9 in behind with a good pass but the finish was well clear.

Lancing’s approach work was to be admired. Franzen-Jones was doing sterling work with his back to goal, resisting challenge from centre backs. But some of the fine attacking play was being spoiled by some misplaced passes and loss of control around the penalty area.

Franzen-Jones was creating scoring opportunities for others. A clever back heel reached Briggs who flashed a shot across the face of the goal. Pitcher received a couple of nice lay-offs from his team-mates, but his first effort curled just wide of the upright and, when a clearance from a corner, dropped to him he controlled the ball with his chest, following it up with a volley which flew over. Rogers had been enjoying a quiet afternoon but did have to deal with a fierce drive which he had to palm downwards.

Another clever back heel from Franzen -Jones found Scott who reached the by-line earning a corner when his cross was intercepted. Late in the half Scott and Pitcher switched wings. Pitcher found some joy on the other side, outpacing his marker and winning a corner when his cross was put behind. Pitcher was, again, in the right place to send the clearance header back to towards the goal,but narrowly wide of the upright.

With the second half a little over five minutes old Franzen-Jones was again the focal point of some good build up play, bringing Scott into the action, and his lay-off to Briggs was met with a stunning drive through a massed penalty area into the top corner.

Horndean had struggled to make much of an impact as the second half progressed and made their first substitution immediately after the goal, bringing on Daniel Neild for Chad Field, who had received an injury. Horndean wasted a good chance to draw level when Willett had a free run on goal – to Lancing’s relief he scuffed his shot. Horndean made their second substitution on 61 minutes with Aston Mitchell replacing Jordan Pile.

Pitcher showed a good turn of speed taking on the Horndean left back but, just as he was about to go clear, a foul brought his run to an end.

With Lancing having played three energy-sapping games in six days, it was time to bring on some fresh legs. Alex Plummer replaced George Taggart on 66 minutes, closely followed by Harry Heath on for Pitcher.

An extremely rare misplaced pass from Rogers found Connor Duffin 25 yards out. He instantly hammered the ball towards the goal but Rogers redeemed himself with an excellent save palming the ball away to safety.

With only one goal to the good Lancing needed to put the game out of Horndean’s reach and Heath was the man to do just that on 72 minutes, latching on to a pass from Laing, to finish with a low drive. With 15 minutes left to play, Lancing brought on Eliot Jenks for Bennett and after some clever interplay along the right flank, Jenks was on the end of a cross into the six yard box to celebrate his first goal for Lancing on the 82nd minute.

Rogers had one more save to make, getting down low to his right and, at the other end Charlie Gibson created a good opportunity for Scott who shot on the turn only to see it way off target.

In the end it was a comfortable win for Lancing who raised their game in the second half, becoming more clinical in the final third. It was pleasing to see that substitutions did not weaken Lancing and that two of them helped to secure three points with their goals. Horndean did attempt to play some decent football and, certainly, their three main attackers could cause some problems with a greater degree of composure when well positioned.

The festive period produced maximum points and the New Year saw Lancing move another rung up the ladder into 6th place with 31 points from 17 games. Above them sit Sheppey in 5th place with 33 points from 20 games, Sittingbourne 4th, also on 33 points from 18 games, and Three Bridges 3rd. with 34 points from 18 games.

The top two, Ramsgate and Cray Valley, are Lancing’s next opponents.

Matchball sponsor Tony Wheels was asked to select his Player of the Match and he went for Briggs. Two superb strikes in successive games came at the right time to give Lancing the lead ln both games, but his overall play, covering so much ground and working hard to win the ball back, allied with his consistent good performances, made him an excellent choice.

Lancing: Louis Rogers, Alex Laing, Jack Meeres, Sam Bull, Charlie Gibson, Andrew Briggs, George Taggart (Alex Plummer 66), Charlie Bennett (Eliot Jenks 75), Charlie Pitcher (Harry Heath 67), Lukas Franzen-Jones, Knory Scott. Unused subs: William Berry, Tyrone Madhani.