Pagham can't demolish Bricks in FA Vase

Hadley could have taken the lead in only the second minute, missing a golden chance to score, and might have suffered for that as Jack Barnes crashed a 25-yard effort inches wide.

It was to and fro in the first half, Conor Kelly in the Lions net being forced into one good and one great save to keep the home side out.

Ollie Hambleton was forced into a brilliant clearance off the goal-line as Hadley started to take command of the game. Pagham, playing without Joe Clarke and Ben Clark-Eden, were still dangerous on the break and on 40 minutes were awarded a penalty for handball just inside the area.

Jared Rance struck it low and hard, but Luke Ward in the Hadley net manged to push the ball up and then smother the rebound as Sam Connolly attempted to lash it home.

The second half started with Pagham, now under bright blue skies, well on top and Joe Bennett put the Lions one up sliding home from very close range after the Bricks keeper dropped the ball and failed to gather it.

Unfortunately, Pagham gave a goal back to their hosts, giving the ball away in midfield and allowing Shaz Anwar to score from just inside the penalty box.

Disaster befell the Lions as they gave the ball away on halfway, allowing speedster Soloman Ofore to streak free of the defence and score off the inside of the far post.

The Lions' last real chance of the game fell to Tom Atkinson, whose 30-yard blast ten minutes from time was just grabbed by the keeper as it was flying into the net. The final action was at the other end however as Kelly saved a very dubious penalty given for a foul in the second minute of added time.

Lions manager Kerry Hardwell praised his team's efforts. He said: "The boys put in a spirited performance against a well drilled and experienced Hadley side and deserved something from the game.

"We started brightly and pretty much controlled the football first half without really creating too much Connor Kelly was excellent and made a couple of fine saves and on 43 minutes we got what looked like a harsh penalty decision, however Jared Rance was unable to slot home.

"We started the second half again on the front foot and got the deserved goal through joe Bennett. We then gave away two silly goals from our own mistakes - maybe with this young side we lacked a bit of game management, but after going behind we then pretty much played the rest of the game in Hadley's penalty box, with them only trying to counter us.

"We maybe lacked that ruthlessness I’ve talked about in the box this season but we will play worse this season and win games. The boys' effort and some of the football they played was excellent."

Pagham: Conor Kelly, Tom Atkinson, Ryan Hallett (Jake Heryet), Jack Barnes, Conor Geoghegan, Jack Williamson, Ash Hawkes (Grant Radmore), Jared Rance, Ollie Hambleton, Sam Connolly (George Bingham) & Joe Bennett. Subs not used: Dylan Jelley, Morgan Mockford-Allott, Owen Andrews & Liam Connolly.

* Pagham entertain Hailsham at Nyetimber Lane on Tuesday night.