Bosham flounder at Ferring – Pagham notch cup win at Shoreham – Midhurst out of FA Cup

Ferring have regularly proved to be tough opposition for the Robins but hopes were high and with new faces including Ashley Harris, Billy Roach and Jack Barker, the Reds were confident they could hit the ground running.

Things started brightly with Harris able to find room for pinpoint passes to the flanks to enable crosses into the danger area that had the blues floundering at times. Marco Giambelardini was also looking sharp, with skills to match but a lack of finishing quality in the final third would eventually prove costly.

The pace of the wingmen for the Blues started to bring benefit and with just over ten minutes on the clock Rhys Jones finished off a swift move to put the hosts in front.

Bosham were shaken but quickly stirred back into life. Joe Boschi hassled and harried in search of creation but the Ferring defence was defiant and kept the reds at bay. Bosham were thankful of no further blemishes before the break and would look to regroup for the second half.

The Robins got off to the worst possible start after the interval, when, with only a minute on the clock, a swift move from the blues was finished off with a rasping effort by Harry Gardner.

Bosham tried as they might to find a cutting edge to spring a comeback, but hopes were dashed by three more goals from the, now, rampant blues in the next period of the game. Sean Kennard, Matthew Searle and Robert Matthews were the beneficiaries to heap more misery on the increasingly beleaguered reds but to their credit they battled on and finally found a bright spark when Boschi finished off a lovely move when put in on goal by substitute, Hewitt, and finished superbly to get himself off the mark for the season.

Bosham now make plans for a long away trip to newly relegated Hailsham Town this weekend and will certainly hope for better things before returning home for their first tie of the season at Walton Lane on bank holiday Monday against rivals Rustington.

Bosham: Derek Harding, Joe Boschi, Marco Giambelardini, , Harry Spicer, Pat Bulbeck, Ilya Donets, Jack Barker, Jack Briant, Ash Harris, Billy Roach and Oliver Hawkins. Subs: Conor Crab, Toby Hewitt, Lennon Ayling, Ben Sharp.

ROUND-UP

Midhurst slipped out of the FA Cup in a 3-0 defeat at Sheppey. But it was no disgrace as Andy Ewen’s team were taking on an Isthmian south east side.

Pagham did have cup success – winning 2-0 at Shoreham in the first round of the Peter Bentley Cup.

In the SCFL Division 1, Selsey lost 2-0 at Montpelier Villa.