Midhurst are comeback kings ... Bosham through in cup

Midhurst and Bosham enjoyed wins in the league and cup respectively.
Midhurst find the net against Rustington   Picture by Darren ChivertonMidhurst find the net against Rustington   Picture by Darren Chiverton
Midhurst find the net against Rustington Picture by Darren Chiverton

Midhurst 2 Rustington 1

Sussex League division two

The Stags kept up their recent run of form against a rejuvenated Rustington side who had also been in good shape.

After just 25 seconds, a 40-yard strike from Rustington’s Ross Fraser caught the wind and caught keeper Roberts off-guard and nestled into the top corner. But Midhurst have shown in recent weeks a will to fight and get back into games.

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The Stags launched constant attacks and the first chance fell to Luke Sheldrick, whose effort went wide.

Good play from White, Broughton and Mason carved open a great chance for Sheehan, whose shot was neatly saved.

Midhurst remained patient and on 15 minutes the equaliser came.

Newton’s sprayed pass to Dreckman found White on the left. The full-back beat three players and crossed for Sean Dummer to slot home from two yards out.

Rustington rarely threatened Roberts in Midhurst’s goal.

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On 35 minutes the second goal came for the hosts. Great play down the right flank from Sheehan and Mason enabled Dreckman to run free.

The tricky winger was taken out on the edge of the box. The quick thinking of Hyde and Dreckman caught Rustington off-guard and the ball in found Broughton, whose goalbound header was put away by player-boss Gary Norgate.

The second half was a largely scrappy affair with neither side creating any meaningful chances. The new-look Stags back three looked largely untroubled and Roberts didn’t make a save.

Going forward the Stags showed lots of endeavour but lacked the quality to fully unlock the Rustington back four.

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This was another victory the Stags fully deserved. They will need to step their game up a gear and be more clinical in front of goal.

Norgate said “The lads showed yet again they are willing to fight and grind out a victory. We have some of the best technical players in the league and in coming weeks we will be looking to also utilise them more and more.”

MIDHURST: Roberts, Dummer, White, Hyde, Newton, Broughton, Mason (Sheldrick), Towers (Sheehan), Norgate, L Sheldrick (Stevens), Dreckman. Subs: Sheehan, J Sheldrick, Stevens.

Cowfold 3 Bosham 5 (aet)

Sussex Intermediate Cup

Bosham gave themselves a tough task and needed two goals in extra time to finally see off a rugged well-drilled Cowfold side in the third round of the Intermediate Cup.

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In testing conditions, Bosham had the wind in the first half and settled well. The returning Bradley Miles looked sharp and full of running in midfield and was the creative heart of everything the Reds produced, with Marco Giambelardini ably supporting him.

It took a while for the Robins to get in on goal and when they did, the quality to finish wasn’t there. But on the half-hour the reds took a giant step towards the next round with a quick double with both Giambelardini and Neil Redman getting on the scoresheet.

Giambelardini engaged in some lovely interplay with Dave Storey and the latter laid the ball on a plate for his team-mate to slot home with ease.

Bosham surged forward and Redman was on hand to round off another attack with Miles providing a sumptuous cross into the box, from which keeper Matt Beck could only parry a point-blank header from Storey right into the path of Redman, who slotted home.

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After the interval, Bosham were slow off the blocks and a rejuvenated Cowfold came at them and within minutes were level thanks to Nigel Smith twice taking advantage of defensive mix-ups.

Bosham were shellshocked but held off the Blues’ charge and began to adjust better to the wind in their faces.

With a quarter of the game left, another defensive faux pas, this time from Nick Edgington, opened the door and Chris Bellison fired low past Simon Hasted to give Cowfold the lead.

Bosham changed formation to go at the Blues with three up front and it worked as the Reds found a sharper cutting edge to their play and, with time running low, Dave Storey got a deserved equaliser to send the game into extra time.

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The first period was just over halfway through when Bosham got their noses in front. Jake Lafferty poked home as the Cowfold rearguard failed to deal with a Graeme Dowden free-kick.

In the second period, a searching cross from Andy Probee was flapped at by Beck only to arrive at the feet of Ryan Lancaster, who smashed the ball in.

With the gloom increasing, Bosham held firm.

A tough test away to Three Bridges’ development team awaits in the next round.

BOSHAM: Hasted, Probee, Dowden, Edgington, Docherty, Miles, Brett, Redman, Storey, Lancaster, Giambelardini. Subs: Lafferty, Don, Hawes.

ALAN PRICE

* Sidlesham strolled ot a 4-0 division-three win at home to Clymping.

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