Lancing lose to Sevenoaks – Chi City beaten by Bridges – Bears claim Bay point but lose to Wasps

The last time these two sides met at Culver Road, Fumnaya Shomotun caught the eye – and he did so again here.

Dan Hull had his work cut out to contain him, but with Lukas Franzen-Jones dropping back in support, they were able to nullify the threat he posed, at least for most of the first half.

Lancing v Sevenoaks in pictures by Stephen Goodger.

Lancing were in control for the early part and deservedly went in front on 6 minutes. Alex Laing and Dan Hull exchanged passes enabling Dan to get forward and hit a cross into the six-yard box but he was fouled in the process.

George Taggart hit a curling cross from the free -kick, which was not cleared, and Lukas Franzen-Jones reacted quickly to fire a left shot into the net. Lancing looked full of threat down their left with Dan Hull and Franzen-Jones winning the ball deep in their half and launching counter attacks.

Sevenoaks’ first attack of any menace came just after 10 minutes with a penetrating pass driving the ball through the middle of the Lancing defence. It looked as if the Sevenoaks number 9, Daniel Carr, was offside but this was of no consequence as Alieu Secka had anticipated the danger and was off his line to clear.

Shomotun reminded Lancing of his threat, with a pacey run down his right and, from close to the bye-line, bringing a good save from Alieu Secka. A throw in followed from which a header fell nicely for Alieu to gather. Franzen-Jones was holding the ball up well for Lancing, drawing a foul. Andrew Briggs picked out James Hull from his free-kick but James could only direct his header straight at Sevenoaks giant of a keeper, Amadou Tangara.

Good build up play between Franzen-Jones and George Taggart continued to make life difficult for the visitors and they worked an opening for George Taggart to hit a deep cross from the left, which reached Alex Laing wide on the right. He returned the ball back towards the far post. George Taggart had continued his run and got his head to the ball but could not direct it into the goal.

Sevenoaks thought they had equalised on 20 minutes with the ball being deflected in from close range from a free-kick but it was disallowed for offside.

Sevenoaks were starting to enjoy a good spell. A cross in from the right was met at the far post but Alieu Secka was able to get his body in the way, conceding a corner. Lancing then failed to deal with a cross from the left. The ball fell invitingly to Carr, a couple of yards out but his shot on the turn was well clear of the cross bar.

Sevenoaks tried to manoeuvre themselves into a shooting position on the edge of the box with some short interpassing but Lancing were quick to shut them out. Sevenoaks were resorting to high balls to allow their speedy front men to get in behind. Alieu Secka showed safe handling to deal with anything which came his way. Jack Meeres was unable to reach a lofted pass and this allowed Shomotun to get in behind. Jack was able to recover to prevent the winger from threatening the goal but conceding a corner.Shomotun was fed the ball from a short corner but Lukas Franzen-Jones showed his tackling prowess stopping Shomotun from breaking in to the box.

A change was made to the Lancing defence for the second half with Sam Bull, recovered from injury, replacing Kyle Sim.

Sevenoaks were immediately on the offensive with Shomotun evading a couple of tackles and hitting a ball low towards the goal. Alieu Secka had to stretch to keep the ball out with his feet. Lancing were then under pressure from a free kick and had to get bodies in the way to block efforts on goal. Sam Bull made a vital interception and Lancing were living dangerously having to defend more balls into their box.

Kieran Cadogan was coming more into the game on Sevenoaks left and a dangerous run on goal was halted by Charlie Bennett, for which he received a caution. Cadogan’s free-kick came close to dropping in under the cross bar but landed on the top of the net.

Cadogan then earned a corner on the left which was played short leading to a shot which Alieu Secka did well to keep out. Sevenoaks were rewarded for their second half play with an equaliser on 60 minutes. Secka was drawn from his line but unable to reach the ball and Carr was able to plant the ball into an unguarded net. Lancing then brought on Jaevon Dyer for Tyrone Madhani

Lancing managed to restore some control and make some inroads into the final third. Alex Laing had the ball laid back to him but his long-range strike on goal was well clear of the cross bar. A promising move on the right between Lukas Franzen-Jones and Andrew Briggs came to an end with a foul on Briggs. George Taggart’s free kick was cleared to Shomotun who raced from deep in his half towards the Lancing goal. His finish on goal was a let -off for Lancing as the ball flew clear of the far upright.

A penetrating run from George Taggart ended disappointingly with a final shot which cleared the bar. Dan Hull then missed a tackle as Shomotun ran at him at speed, but the number 7’s final pass went astray.Shomotun then completed another good run ,cutting in with the ball on his left foot ,hitting for goal but the ball was deflected behind for a corner. Alex Laing was attempting to hit some searching passes in behind the Sevenoaks defence but was guilty of over hitting them.

He was then put in difficulties with a ball played out to him from Alieu Secka.This was to prove a decisive moment as Laing was dispossessed, allowing Matthew Attenborough -Warren to bust through and fire home. This came on 79 minutes, with 7 minutes of added time as well, still time for Lancing to hit back. On 86 minutes Charlie Gibson came on for James Hull. Lancing came close with a header from a free-kick which flew wide and Jaevon Dyer did well to reach the bye-line but his cross flew across the face of the goal beyond everyone.

The final minutes belonged to Shomotun who continued to torment the Lancing defence, forcing another good save from Alieu Secka.

A disappointing second half from the Lancers. Not a single effort on goal to trouble keeper Tangara. Too many passes failed to reach their target and it was a self-inflicted wound which led to the winning goal. Despite their attacking threat, principally from Shomotun but also from Cadogan on the left, Sevenoaks did not show a great level of competence in the finishing department.

Lancing drop to 13th place but still only one point behind Cray Valley in 6th.Next opponents are Herne Bay, lying fourth.

MoM - Franzen-Jones.

Lancing: Alieu Secka, Charlie Bennett, Kyle Sim, Jack Meeres, Dan Hull, Andrew Briggs, Alex Laing (Capt.), George Taggart, Lukas Franzen-Jones, James Hull, Tyrone Madhani. Substitutes: Will Berrry, Jaevon Dyer, Sam Bull, Charlie Gibson, Alex Plummer.

Chichester City 0 Three Bridges 1

Isthmian south east

by Ian Worden

Noel Leighton struck in the 56th minute to condemn Chichester to their first league loss of the season.

It was a night of other firsts – a first ‘home’ game under the lights at Bognor’s MKM Arena; a first league goal conceded by Chi this campaign; and first placed Three Bridges against Chichester in second spot. There’s plenty of history between these two sides, who were former rivals in the County League before promotion to Step 4 of the non-league football pyramid and they’ve had some right old ding-dongs over the years. Chi won the corresponding fixture 2-1 in 2022-23 at Oaklands Park and grabbed a share of the spoils away thanks to a Steve Hutchings’ header late on.

Both came into the match unbeaten in the league this term with Bridges defeating Phoenix Sports 6-2 at the weekend and the prolific Leighton netting his tenth and eleventh goals in that game. Miles Rutherford & Co named the same starting XI which won at Beckenham last time out. Jamie Horncastle returned to the squad joining Joe Moore, Isaac Bello, Olly Munt and Ahmed Mohamed on the bench.

The visitors started brightly causing Chi some problems with their high press. Keeper Kieran Magee had a cross from the left to deal with after barely two minutes. Steve Hutchings then almost played Emmett Dunn in but Jasper Sheik was off his line quickly to clear. Three Bridges had appeals for a third minute penalty turned down by referee Jacob Wright after Ryan Davidson clipped Ibrahim Jalloh.

And then centre back Curtis Da Costa hit a lovely ball to a marauding Rob Hutchings whose delivery across the area at the other end was gathered low down by Sheik. Next, fine play by Dunn set Chi joint-top-scorer Ethan Prichard up for a speculative effort that Sheik saved. Steve Hutchings combined with Ben Pashley for an ambitious reverse pass towards Lee Seok-jae before Rob Hutchings brushed off Ethon Archer and Three Bridges’ Kevin Rivera, who also bagged a brace against Phoenix, whipped a dangerous cross over that was steered away.

The visitors won the first corner of the match on 10 which skipper Brannon O’Neill took and Leighton forced Magee into a fine stop after the ball cannoned back to him. A determined run by Joe Clarke following a Bridges’ mistake opened things up; Da Costa similarly slipped and Jalloh might have got in but for Magee’s sharpness; and Conrad Honore had a chance which was deflected for a corner. Dunn’s long-ranger nicked off a teammate and nearly crept under Sheik in the 18th minute before Prichard fired an effort narrowly wide.

Pashley took a knock for his trouble making a super tackle to deny the lively Leighton moments before Ridwan Euba picked up the first yellow card of the night for an incident spotted by Mr Wright’s assistant. The away side won a corner with 15 or so of the first half to go. Steve Hutchings swung and missed attempting to clear his lines and Jalloh got a shot off before he outmuscled Clarke and squared to Leighton who couldn’t find a decent connection.

Indecision from Magee and defenders meant a corner wasn’t cleared properly and Bridges earned another one on the other side. Following a bit of pinball in the box subsequently Magee made an excellent stop on the goal line. Taylor Curran was booked for scything Prichard down and then Honore trickery, as he jinked this way and that, forced Euba to foul him and concede a 38th minute penalty. Steve Hutchings stepped up but his spot kick was at a comfortable height for Sheik who got a strong wrist on it and the ball went out for a corner.

Dunn couldn’t direct his header from this goal-bound either. Then Davidson got away with one before Pashley found Rob Hutchings who passed it on to his namesake, although he slipped at the crucial moment. Honore almost caught Sheik out seven minutes after the restart following a neat exchange between Pashley, Dunn and Lee. And Magee got to the ball ahead of Jalloh as the visitors probed once more.

Chi lost Lee to an injury on 54 with Bello replacing him. A couple of minutes later Archer spun Pashley weaving into the box and then, almost in slow-motion, the ball finally looped into the back of the Chi net off Leighton and that sequence of five league clean sheets was over. Honore’s clever backheel sent Bello away only for the move to break down.

Next, Prichard drove forwards on the hour mark but the ball wouldn’t sit up for him as he looked to pull the trigger. The away team felt Pashley had got a hand on Jalloh’s cross – nothing doing according to the ref. Davidson then fouled Jalloh and O’Neill’s inviting free-kick was headed out for a corner by Da Costa which Magee punched to safety.

A Chi set-piece after Honore was impeded came to nothing as did Pashley’s attempt from some distance. Slick work from Honore led to a Steve Hutchings’ pass that O’Neill intercepted before Bridges exchanged Archer for Camron Lawson. Sheik got to the ball ahead of Bello on 72 minutes and Rivera then had a shot blocked. Leighton, scoring goals for fun this season, missed a golden opportunity to double his and his side’s tally when Bryan Villavicencio delivered one to him on a plate.

Prichard was adjudged offside, rightly or wrongly, by an assistant’s flag with 14 of normal time to go and Lawson spurned a glorious chance blazing a measured cross well-off target. There was too much juice on Magee’s pass towards Rob Hutchings and Dunn joined Euba and Curran in the notebook on 77.

Joe Clarke came off for Joe Moore as the hosts rejigged and Lawson fired wildly once again. Corners came and went as both teams pressed and Bello saw his long throw-in cleared. The Chi sub then had a fierce effort saved on the goal line for a corner which was hacked away. In the first of six additional minutes Honore’s shot seemed to be heading over Sheik and under the bar. However, the Three Bridges custodian made an amazing fingertip save and then punched away Rob Hutchings’ follow up. Prichard cracked one, although it was always rising; no one attacked Rob Hutchings’ delivery; and Moore’s pass with practically the last kick of the game to Prichard was too strong and straight.

So, Chi’s unbeaten league run through August and September came to an end. Next up is an away trip to East Grinstead in the league on Saturday.

Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Rob Hutchings, Clarke, Da Costa, Pashley, Lee, Dunn, Steve Hutchings, Honore, Prichard. Subs – (Moore, Horncastle, Bello, Munt, Mohamed).

Broadbridge Heath 1 Herne Bay 1

Isthmian south east

On Saturday the Bears welcomed Herne Bay to the BodyMould Community Stadium for another tough match in the Pitching In Isthmian League South East division. Manager Chris Simmons made five changes with Jack Frankland, Ryan Brackpool, Liam Matthews, Mason Doughty and Ashley Mutongerwa all coming into the starting line-up.

Heath made a good start with Sam Lemon having a shot blocked and Ashley Mutongerwa just falling to get on the end of a Jack Frankland through ball. On 11 minutes Heath were rewarded for their good start when Lemon received the ball deep in his own half, he played it forward to Mutongerwa on the halfway line and as Mutongerwa advanced down the left, Lemon sprinted forward to receive it back from his strike partner on the edge of the box, dribbled past a couple of defenders and coolly slotted over the advancing keeper who spread himself in attempt to block, a great finish from the Bears striker.

Heath continued to create chances winning a series of corners and free-kicks played into the opponent’s penalty area but the final ball was lacking. While the visitors had a fairly quiet half and failed to have a single shot on goal until deep into time added on. With supporters heading off for their half time beverage, Herne Bay’s Danny Walder received the ball in centre-midfield position some 35 yards from goal and he struck an absolute beauty with his right foot that flew into the top left corner of the net giving Liam Matthews no chance of stopping.

The second half continued in a similar fashion to the first with Heath creating more chances but unable to convert, 3 minutes into the restart a corner from the left was played to the far post to Mutongerwa who struck it first time with the in-step of his right foot but it sailed high and wide of target, 2 minutes later and another great chance for Mutongerwa when he chipped the ball over a defender, ran through only to be denied by the keeper doing the splits and saving with the toe of his right boot.

On 70 minutes another good Heath move down the left ended with Mason Doughty playing a low ball across the goal to Mario Quiassaca but he just failed to convert with his outstretched leg, when the slightest of touches would have been a goal. 2 minutes later another Heath corner this time the ball found Brackpool who glanced a header inches over the crossbar.

With 10 minutes remaining Mason Doughty rifled a left foot shot from 20 yards that was brilliantly saved by the Herne Bay keeper and you knew by then it just wasn’t going to be Heath’s day.

In the closing minutes a free kick for Herne Bay was played to Archie Burnett in acres of space some 30 yards from goal and he tried his luck with a long range shot which flew narrowly wide of Matthews goal and then deep into injury with Heath still pressing for the winner, a move broke down, a quick counter attack from the visitors saw the ball played up quickly to Gil Carvalho who struck a low right foot shot from the edge of the Heath penalty area which Matthews saved brilliantly with his right foot to deny what would unquestionably have been the winning goal.

So it ended a goal a-piece another good performance from the Bears and surely it can’t be much longer before that elusive first home win.

MOM: Jack Frankland

Special mention to Liam Matthews who passed 100 appearances for the Club on Saturday

Boss Simmons said afterwards: “Another game where I think we played well enough to take the 3 points but a quality long range strike means we have to accept a point from a good side that came down last season and have been in good form. I can’t fault our work rate or effort but we need to be more clinical and also have a bit of luck.”

BBH: Matthews, Frankland, Chesworth, Penfold, Bromage, Brackpool, Parmiter (Weller 90), Evans, Mutongerwa (Quiassaca 69), Lemon (Campbell 81), Doughty.

Broadbridge Heath 0 East Grinstead Town 1

Isthmian south east

Heath welcomed East Grinstead Town to the BodyMould Community Stadium for a Pitching In Isthmian League South East division fixture, our first midweek league fixture of the season but things didn’t go as hoped for the Bears with the visitors leaving with all 3 points.

The visitors started brightly but it was the Bears who thought they’d taken the lead on 14 minutes when Ashley Mutongerwa converted from close range but the Heath striker judged to have strayed into an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

Minutes later the visitors were awarded a free kick wide on the left that was floated into the far post and headed clear by Tad Bromage, the ball was played straight back into the danger area where Roshan Greensall under pressure cleared it as far as Max Walsh whose left foot shot was charged down by Jamie Chesworth, again the ball fell kindly to the visitors with Tom Cadman eventually blasting his shot over the crossbar.

Both sides continued to create chances; for Heath Mutongerwa struck the ball wide of the post when well placed and for the visitors Connor Tighe had a great chance to score on 35 minutes when a long ball forward split the Heath defence but a poor first touch saw the ball go wide of the goal.

The Wasps should have taken the lead in the closing minutes of the half when a corner from the right was met by a powerful Ryan Green header but he failed to hit the target and it remained 0-0 at the break.

Greensall was forced to make a save within the first minute of the restart when Michael Wilson skipped a couple of challenges and struck low shot from distance that the Heath stopper pushed out for a corner.

The only goal of the game was scored on 58 minutes, a corner from the left was played into the Heath 6 yard box, it pinged around off several players before falling perfectly for Ryan Green to net from 3 yards.

In the final 20 minutes Heath put together some good attacks down both flanks, played some good crosses into the danger area and created several clear chances, Jamie Chesworth's free-kick from distance was tipped over the bar; Sam Lemon’s drive rattled the crossbar but the Grinstead defence stood firm as they held to win the points.

MOM: Jamie Chesworth

Heath boss Chris Simmons said afterwards: “A really disappointing loss for us because we just didn’t get going, there was no real tempo and again we reduced EG to minimal chances and created enough to win most games but were just not clinical enough in the final third. A draw was probably a fair result but if you don’t take your chances at this level that’s what happens.”

BBH: Greensall, Frankland, Chesworth, Waddingham (Weller 62), Bromage, Brackpool, Penfold, Evans, Mutongerwa (Quiassaca 81), Lemon, Doughty (Lindsey 73)

This Saturday’s Isthmian south east fixtures

Burgess Hill Town v Sittingbourne

East Grinstead Town v Chichester City

Erith & Belvedere v Broadbridge Heath

Herne Bay v Lancing

Littlehampton Town v Phoenix Sports