Lancing still sweating after losing to Chatham – Wick slip up against Godalming

Some changes were forced on boss Dean Cox as a result of injuries and unavailability and into the starting line-up came Tyrone Madhani, Darius Goldsmith and Marcel Powell.

Chatham were lying second in the table, but anyone watching would have been surprised to find that 12 places separated the two teams.

Chatham looked to unsettle Lancing from the kick off with their high tempo play, particularly along their right with the pacy Ike Orji getting in behind and hammering a cross into the six-yard box. Lancing cleared but it came back in shortly afterwards with Alieu Secka quickly off his line to gather.

Goldsmith, Finn Daniels-Yeoman and Mo Jammeh were beavering away in midfield. Goldsmith delivered his side’s first shot on target which had keeper Ben Bridle Card at full stretch. Soon Powell put an effort over the bar.

With 20 minutes gone, Chatham came close to taking the lead. Emmanuel Oleyede let fly with a thunderbolt which was just wide. Lancing’s front three , Madhani, Tommy Blennerhasset and Powell were not giving defenders much time to settle on the ball but the Chatham back line showed all their experience.

Powell created Lancing’s best chance of the first half getting beyond his man and floating a cross into the six-yard box. Madhani outjumped his marker and got his head to the ball but it was off-target.

The home side’s back four of Mthunzi, Allen, Butler and Berry were solid, winning balls in the air and disrupting a series of dangerous attacks.

On the stroke of half-time, Orji, who had been kept fairly quiet by Berry since his burst forward in the opening minute, suddenly burst into life again with a cross that the Lancers dealt with.

Play was end to end as the second half got under way. Powell showed some clever footwork, making progress into the box, earning a corner, and at the other end Allen showed coolness under pressure putting the ball over his own bar to cut out a threatening ball.

On 54 minutes Jack Evans got the breakthrough from the spot, which was to prove the only goal of the game. It came in controversial circumstances. Referee Sean Phillips stunned the Lancing players by identifying an infringement in the penalty area, which he considered justified a penalty. Protests by Lancing players cut no ice. In the process, Madhani got himself a caution as did Secka.

This stung Lancing into a determined response. They appeared to have a legitimate penalty claim, which failed to impress the ref. A powerful run from Will Berry took him from deep in the Lancing half towards the Chatham area but his effort was deflected wide for a corner.

For Chatham Ashley Nzala wasted a good chance to increase his side’s lead. Lancing were penning Chatham back in their own half. Allen sent some well flighted crosses into the heart of the Chatham defence and tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards which was deflected for a corner. Butler outjumped defenders at the far post, but his glancing header landed wide.

Mark Goldson replaced Madhani.Chatham brought on Callum Peck for Ashley Nzala.

Lancing replaced Powell with Charlie Towning. Blennerhasset continued to harass the Chatham defenders and sent a good strike just wide of the upright.

Callum Peck drew a good save from Secka. Butler distinguished himself with superb defending as Chatham attacked.

Lancing’s last throw of the dice was to bring on Kane Louis for Goldsmith. Thry continued to press for an equaliser without being able to fashion a clear-cut opening.

Jammeh was named MoM.

The defeat left Lancing 15th in the table on 39 points, two points behind East Grinstead, level on points with Three Bridges, but with VCD on 37 and Haywards Heath on 36 breathing down their necks.

Lancing were at Littlehampton today (Easter Monday) weather permitting and away to Sheppey on Saturday.

Wick O Godalming 1

SCFL Division 1

Wick conceded their first goal in 576 minutes of Division One football as Godalming substitute Tom White made it a black day for the playoff-chasing Dragons at Crabtree Park.

White left the G’s bench to smack a superb volley past Keelan Belcher with 13 minutes remaining in a closely fought contest which always looked as if it would be decided by a solitary strike.

Wick were furious the set-piece had been awarded in the first place and their claims the ball went behind off a visiting player looked justified.

Defest left them in danger of failing to claim home advantage in the playoffs and even dropping out of the picture altogether.

They fell to sixth in the table after Selsey climbed above them on goal difference following a 1-1 draw at home to leaders Shoreham while looking over their shoulders after Arundel closed the gap with a 4-3 victory against Worthing United at Mill Road.

It left little margin for error in their last four matches.

Wick were without leading goalscorers Dave Crouch and Zac Harris through suspension and injury respectively in a match of relatively few clear chances for either side.

It was reminiscent of the previous outing - a goalless draw with another high-flying club, Dorking Wanderers B.

But Wick will take solace from a performance which suggests they will not fear the G’s, who they beat 1-0 in November’s reverse fixture, if they meet again in the playoffs.