Stalemate for Sids and Selsey - but will FA Vase ties bring goals?

Sidlesham 0 Southwick 0

SCFL division one

An afternoon of frustration is the only way to describe this game.

Starting brightly, Sids pushed forward, going close through Ben Mepham and Morgan Forry, both of whom have been in good goalscoring form recently.

Early injuries led to two substitutions – Toby Lynch replacing Alfie Bunker and new signing Dan Martin coming on for Ciaran McGreal.

The changes allowed Southwick into the game and they had their best chance, a well-struck effort superbly saved by the returning Warren Boyt in the Sids goal.

The best chances of the second half fell to Sids and Cam Corell denied by a fine save from the Southwick keeper tipping the ball on to the bar.

Martin was pulling the strings in midfield, playing in Mepham and Forry on several occasions, but both were unable to capitalise.

Late on Mepham was denied the winner when his well-struck free kick was tipped round the post.

Sidlesham find themselves in mid-table – when their performances have deserved more. They go to Colliers Wood in the Vase this Saturday.

Sids: Boyt, Low, Dines, Madden, Bunker (Lynch), Corell, Chittock, Kilhams, Mcgreal (Martin), Mepham, Forry.

Selsey manager Daren Pearce is relishing the challenge of this weekend’s FA Vase.

They will face Bearsted at home in the second qualifying round of the competition after beating Mile Oak in the previous round via a home 3-0 replay win.

The fixture comes after an unbeaten run which stretched to six games last weekend with a 0-0 draw at home to Seaford Town in the league.

Get all your local football in one placeFA Cup hopes are endedSelsey are sixth after six games in the SCFL division one.

After the 0-0 draw, Pearce said: “They came with a game plan to try to stop us playing. We created a couple of chances in the first half, but we didn’t quite take them, and then we defended well, but we couldn’t quite get the breakthrough, which was what we deserved.”

Selsey’s opponents on Saturday play in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, a tier higher than the Blues. Bearsted beat Chichester City 2-1 in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup and Pearce admits it will be a tricky game but is looking forward to the home tie.

He added: “They beat Chi in the FA Cup, and Chi are sitting top of the table in the league above us, which shows how strong they’re going to be.

“I’ll expect them, coming from Kent, to be a strong, physical outfit. We’ll have a look during the week to get as much information as we can and approach the game correctly, and it will be a nice day for the club. It’s always nice to play teams who are outside your area.”

Midhurst slipped to a 3-0 home defeat to Wick in SCFL division one.

David Crouch (2) and Jack Cole struck to condemn Shane Brayson’s team to defeat.

This Saturday the Stags host Arundel in the second round of the RUR Cup.