Howard Neighbour bought the Crows of Crowborough crashing to earth with his 14th goal of the season as Pagham won 3-2 to strengthen their mid-table position in division one of the Sussex League.
John Price’s side started without the injured Paul Jones and the absent Ashley Harper, but Scott Murfin was able to begin alongside Neighbour in attack.
James Binfield and Harry Williams were away playing for the Sussex FA so Wes Hallett took over in goal.
Pagham attacked from the off, two corners in the first minutes setting out their stall.
Josh Biddlecombe returned the compliment for the visitors, an attacking run seeing both Pearson and Taylor in on Wes Hallett’s goal.
Neighbour shot wide and then just over, while Murfin was unlucky on the quarter-hour as an offside decision robbed him of a clear shot on goal.
Ben Head was looking good in the Crows goal and his save on 18 minutes to deny Neighbour kept the Lions at bay. Murfin shot wide, James Temple saw a strike tipped over by Head, while Josh Biddlecombe’s strike on 33 minutes was headed behind by Lee Bradshaw.
A superb clearance by Alex McEwan saw Temple again denied.
Joe Briggs was in on goal but Head got the ball to safety.
Hallett pulled off the save of the match to deny Pearson and the Lions’ opener came within seconds of the break, Briggs’ cross being turned in by a jubilant James Temple.
After the break, a corner spilled by Head should have given the Lions a second, but it was the visitors who scored next.
A left-sided cross was guided home by Biddlecombe on 51 minutes, and no sooner had the game restarted than Crowborough were 2-1 up. With more than a sniff of offside, Ross Campbell ran through and scored.
The lead lasted four minutes as Pagham fought back - again the Briggs-Temple partnership combined to allow Temple to hit his second of the game.
Max Thoms was unable to take advantage of an open goal. Briggs hit the post, Ben Buckland shot over, and for the Crows, Ross Campbell hit a ball well over the bar while Ryan Cox ran and struck a sweet strike straight at Head.
Thoms was booked, somewhat harshly, for what seemed a fair tackle on Biddlecombe.
Briggs could have killed the game off with an 82 minute cross-shot that forced a great save from Head.
The winner came with minutes left. Neighbour was brought down in the area, the referee pointed to the spot and after a lengthy spell of treatment for a Crowborough player, Neighbour scored.
Ryan Cox was booked before the game ended with a win for the Lions.
PAGHAM: Hallett, Buckland (Hawker76), Cox, Pearce, Booker (Ford 64), Bradshaw, Briggs, Thoms, Neighbour, S Murfin. Subs: N Murfin, Kilner, Martin.
JON ROSE
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