Holders Littlehampton exit Division 2 Cup

Golds boss John Suter was left to rue defensive errors, which saw them go two goals down early on, although he did admit it was a match that could have gone either way.

He said: “It’s disappointing to get knocked out, especially as holders, but we knocked them out last year, so they got their revenge. They were the better side, really, but it was a typical cup game and could have gone either way as it was end to end.

“In a funny way, the game hinged on an event in the second minute. Barney Boutwood hit the woodwork and we all know goals change games. We would have been one up, but soon we were two down after a couple of silly goals.”

Ryan Alexander put the visitors ahead on nine minutes from a needlessly-conceded free kick, while Golds’ Jason Jarvis, Niall O’Hagan and Boutwood all went close to levelling things.

Golds goalkeeper Dean Fuller then saved Lewis Hole’s penalty on 34 minutes after a foul by Chris Hazell. But the following corner was touched home at the back post by Hole after a Littlehampton man left the post.

Jarvis headed onto the bar, before Ross McKay touched home a cross on 44 minutes to pull it back to 2-1.

Common then extended their lead on the break. A fine cross-field pass found Casey Ham and he finished over Fuller on 52 minutes.

Jarvis then went close again, before he pulled one back on 76 minutes. But another Common goal involving Ham and Hole, saw the latter net with 10 minutes to go to make it 4-2.

Golds’ Peter Beadle headed home from a corner with six minutes plus injury-time to go, and both sides then went close in the closing stages.

Suter said: “We were always playing catch up, without ever catching up. It’s frustrating as it is a cup everyone has a chance of winning. And it would have been nice to have defended it better in the first outing after the final.”

LITTLEHAMPTON: Fuller; Goff, McKay, Hazell, Wollers; Beadle, Hellen, O’Hagan, Gaskin; Boutwood, Jarvis. Subs: Peacock (Goff 19), Taylor (Jarvis 79), Russell.