Pitching In Isthmian League

South East Division. Saturday 30.03.2024

Lancing 0 v Chichester City 4

Attendance 578

Lancing succumbed to their second successive defeat, slipping to 7th place on goal difference. Chichester came to Culver Road on the back of a run of 6 successive wins without conceding a goal and buoyed by the knowledge of two victories over Lancing earlier in the season. A 3-0 League win at Bognor Regis’ ground and a 5-1 Velocity Cup win.

Chichester were quicker to the ball, closing down Lancing and not letting them establish any sort of rhythm. This paid off on 25 minutes when ex-Lancer, and still popular at Culver Road, Mo Jammeh dispossessed Sam Bull on the edge of the Lancing box and fired a fierce effort on goal, which Louis Rogers did well to keep out. But the ball rebounded to Jammeh who steered the ball into the net with Rogers desperately scrambling towards the goal line but unable to reach the ball.

4 minutes later Lancing fell further behind when an attempt to clear the ball from crossing the line struck another Lancing defender and landed in the goal.

Lancing were struggling to make any inroads towards the Chichester goal and had failed to test keeper Magee.

Lancing came close to at least having an effort on goal early in the second half when Ben Pope was inches away from getting his head to a good cross from Lukas Franzen-Jones. But within minutes of this, on 59 minutes, Chichester put the game beyond Lancing with a goal from Isaac Bello, which looked suspiciously off-side.

Lancing brought on Destiny Ojo, Alex Laing and Noel Fisher for Charlie Gibson, George Taggart and Jack Meeres in the hope of salvaging some respectability in the closing stages but Magee continued to be untroubled and Chichester inflicted more misery on Lancing with the best goal of the game from Emmett Dunn curling the ball into the far corner from wide on the right. This win saw CIty move 4 points clear of Lancing, occupying 4th place and looking a good bet for a promotion play-off spot.

Not a day to remember and a big disappointment that a terrific number of supporters were let down by a Lancing team which were far beneath the level which we know they are capable of reaching.

Lancing Starting XI:

Louis Rogers, Jack Meeres (Alex Laing 63), Charlie Gibson (Noel Fisher63), Nic D’Arienzo, Sam Bull, Andrew Briggs, Knory Scott, Charlie Bennett, Ben Pope, George Taggart (Destiny Ojo 63), Lukas Franzen Jones.

Unused subs:

Alex Plummer, Dan Howick.

Horndean (The Deans)1 v Lancing 1 Monday 1.04.2024