Attendance 229

Manager Sam Morgan continued his recruitment to try and strengthen the squad and lift Lancing up the table. The squad for the return fixture against Broadbridge Heath included former South Park forward Blake Loyza and former Lancing favourite Harry Heath, recently an Alford player, in the starting line-up. Other recent signings Emmanuel Abudiore, ex Hertford Town and Haywards Heath, Etienne Frimpong, formerly a Whitehawk defender and Joe Thomas, of Phoenix, were on the bench.

With Harrison Parker serving a one match suspension, Harry Docherty dropped back from midfield to partner Sam Bull as Lancing’s centre back pairing.

The gale force wind ,courtesy of Storm Bert, soon showed itself in the first couple of minutes, as the ball deviated away from Alex Laing as he tried to clear it , causing him to miss his connection ,the ball falling invitingly for a Bears player but his snatched effort on goal was well wide.

Lancing were making promising inroads along their right flank with Ta’shae Andall-Gibbons linking up well with Noel Fisher and Shay Matthews. Andall-Gibbons sent Noel Fisher clear and he drove the ball low and hard into the six-yard box and ,somehow, neither a Lancing forward nor Bears defender could apply a touch as the ball fizzed away to safety.

Blake Loyza gave early signs that he had the strength to trouble defenders, showing pace, energy and physical strength as he out fought the powerful ex Lancer Kyle Sim to win possession.

Lancing were awarded a free-kick when Shay Matthews was brought down as he was making rapid progress into the Bears half. But , as was to be a familiar pattern, Lancing failed to make the most of a number of free-kicks and corners.

Shots on target from Lancing were few and far between. Ta’shae hit a low drive from distance which was well held by keeper William Eastwood and after some good hold up play by Blake Loyza, he was able to lay the ball off to Noel Fisher who forced a good save from Eastwood, pushing the ball round the post for a corner. Ex-Lancers Mark Goldson and Callum Dowdell were keeping the home defence on their toes and making Alieu Secka work. Dowdell had Alieu Secka getting down low to keep out his effort at the near upright. Lancing launched a quick counter attack with Noel Fisher but he was brought down by Kyle Sim, which earned him a caution. Lancing continued to threaten the visitor’s defence with Harry Heath opening up the Bears right flank with an exquisite pass to Charlie Gibson. His fine cross was turned beyond the far post for a corner. Gibson delivered his trademark left foot in-swinging corner from the right which came extremely close to entering the goal just under the cross bar.

With 38 minutes gone ,The Bears took the lead in bizarre fashion. The ball appeared to be dropping from high into the normally safe hands of keeper Alieu Secka ,who had coped well with the conditions, but on this occasion the ball squirmed from his grasp, falling into the path of Callum Dowdell, who will not have had an easier goal as he tapped the ball into the deserted net.

Lancing hit back immediately causing some mayhem in the opposing box without being able to get a clear shot on goal as The Bears crowded them out.

Alieu Secka redeemed himself somewhat to push a well struck effort from Callum Dowdell wide of the upright as half time approached.

The second half began much as the first half ended with Alieu Secka forced into parrying a fierce shot. The ball ran free in the six-yard box until the alert Shay Matthews was able to hoof it clear. Secka was again forced from his line to get down and reach a loose ball with a Bears attacker closing down on him.

With 30 minutes to go, Emmanuel Abudiore came on for Harry Heath , followed 5 minutes later by Joe Thomas replacing Ta’shae Andall-Gibbons. Alieu Secka continued to be the busier of the two keepers as he had to dive at the feet of Bears forward to rob the ball as he bore down on the goal.

Lancing thought they had won a penalty when a determined run on goal by Noel Fisher ended with him being brought down. But the offence was deemed to have been committed just outside the box, much to the disgust of Charlie Gibson who received a caution for his protestation. Another Lancing free-kick was wasted as the ball struck the defensive wall.

Alieu Secka then produced a stunning one handed save to keep out a curling effort from Charlie Parmiter which was heading into the keeper’s top left corner. If he had not already redeemed himself by a string of saves, he had undoubtedly done so now.

Blake Loyza who had played with energy and determination kept this up until the end working hard to rescue the ball from going behind the bye-line, cutting in towards the goal before aiming a fierce drive towards the far corner only to see it fly wide.

Lancing’s hope of drawing level was extinguished on 89 minutes when Bradley Peters received the ball a few yards from goal with time to tuck into the bottom corner.

Two successive league defeats leaves Lancing third from bottom sharing 7 points with Phoenix and Steyning but with a game in hand and a superior goal difference. Hythe Town occupy safe ground in 18th place on 13 points. By no means out of reach. The recent additions to the squad look promising and should make Lancing more capable of achieving better results.

Lancing Starting XI.

Alieu Secka, Shay Matthews, Harry Docherty, Sam Bull, Charlie Gibson, Leon Moore, Alex Laing (Capt.), Ta’shae Andall-Gibbons(Joe Thomas 65 mins),Noel Fisher, Harry Heath (Emmanuel Abudiore 60 mins), Blake Loyza

Unused subs; Ryan Riddles, Leon Fisher, Etienne Frimpong.