Chichester bopped by Brighton - but ladies go goal-crazy again

There was a narrow defeat for Chichester's men - but further wins for the club's top two ladies' sides.
Chi Ladies 2017-18 squad / Picture by Kate ShemiltChi Ladies 2017-18 squad / Picture by Kate Shemilt
Chi Ladies 2017-18 squad / Picture by Kate Shemilt

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Conference East

Chichester returned to action eager to bounce back against Brighton and Hove – but were on the wrong end of a five-goal affair.

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After encouraging phases and early attacks Chichester were beginning to build into the game, but they fell behind on ten minutes with Brighton immediately capitalising on a green card.

Chichester found it hard to make any headway, Brighton defending with ten players inside their own half and looking to play on the counter-attack.

Chichester won their first penalty corner with two minutes left in the first half. A scramble nearly saw Alex Pendle convert from a Chris Hardy pass in the D.

Early in the second half Chichester were unlucky not to add to their tally of penalty corners, but Brighton made it 2-0 on 40 minutes from a penalty corner after their first meaningful circle entry of the half.

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Matcej Pacanowski pulled off a fantastic penalty-stroke save, followed later by a penalty-corner save to keep Chichester in the contest.

On 57 minutes Chichester felt hard done after the awarding of a penalty corner for an act Tom Daley would have been proud of. Brighton dispatched the penalty corner to make it 3-0.

This seemed to stir Chichester into action with better links between all departments on the pitch starting to be found.

Chichester clawed themselves back into the game with five minutes to go after winning a turnover on halfway and a flowing move being finished off by Alex Pendle.

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With two minutes to go Chichester won their second penalty corner, which was put in by Ollie Baxter.

Even with less than a minute left Chichester were able to enter the Brighton D but were unable to come away with anything. MoM was Jack Lerwill.

This weekend they travel to Cambridge for a 12.30pm start.

Chichester Ladies 11 Lewes 1

Chichester Ladies continued their epic start to the season as they sent Lewes packing.

They may have conceded their first goal of the Sussex Premier season but they took their own tally to 35 in three games.

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Demelza Peake was back from injury and warranted her place with two fantastic deflections. Verena Sambel was on fire with a hat-trick.

Charlotte Cox also netted a treble.

Patti Hyla held the left side together, supported by Meg Goring and Olivia Frances. The right side also showed fantastic skill with Lottie Greenlees and Cita Haines showing their speed.

Sally Bradley and Claire Goodger-Greenway had slightly more to do but with Emily Lerwill, the defence were a force. Other goals came from the young legs of the team, Jess Gleeson showing what she’s made of.

After a fantastic performance, Chi Ladies face their toughest opponents so far on Saturday away to Brighton twos. Chichester are top of the league.

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Chichester: Goring, Bradley, Lerwill, Goodger-Greenway, Haines, Frances, Greenlees, Peake, Hyla, Gleeson, Sambel, Cox.

Honeybees 0 Chichester Ladies 2nds 5

Chichester seconds had a profitable trip to Falmer to play Honeybees.

This would usually be a tricky fixture for Chichester but from start to finish, Chi had the upper hand.

Chances took a while to emerge, but slick passing and persistence from Chi ladies put the hosts under pressure and it wasn’t long before Sarah Jessop got her first.

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There was some great distribution from the back through midfield that gave Honeybees a tricky job.

Skipper Cheryl Parrott worked hard, marking the home side’s midfield and disrupting play. Harriet Gray on the left marshalled the right-sided forwards.

Rachel Trent worked hard down the left, dribbled round to the baseline and slipped the ball in at the near post past the keeper.

In the second half Chichester continued their positive play, Alex Hurd dominating in right-midfield.

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Chichester were awarded a penalty corner from which Jessop sweetly struck home.

Jessop then finished clinically to claim her hat-trick.

Chichester kept pressing, knowing goal average could be key come the end of the season. Trent finished things off with her second after great build-up play from Hurd and Tracy Austin.

Chi ladies 2s: Young, Parrott, Baxter, Austin, Jessop, Trent, Hurd, Greenway, Oliver-Catt, Gray, Hauxwell.

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