In-form Chichester City beat Beckenham – Blues win at Chessington

Chichester City 2-1 Beckenham Town

Isthmian south east

Goals either side of the break from Ryan Davidson and top scorer Ethan Prichard helped Chichester stretch their unbeaten sequence to eight games against third-place Beckenham.

There was just the one change to the starting XI that lined up at Three Bridges in a 2-2 draw last time out, with Callum Overton returning up top after a lengthy lay-off in place of Steve Hutchings, the scorer of four goals in Chi’s previous three matches.

The hosts started with some intensity – Prichard hooking up with Kaleem Haitham down the left to find an overlapping Rob Hutchings whose cross was cleared. Ben Pashley then opened up the centre of the park and picked out Overton only for the striker to get clattered – no foul, thought referee Oscar Whiting.

Davidson did well at the other end moments later to snuff out a Becks’ attack before Stefan Cox strayed offside for the visitors.

Steve Townsend broke and played a pass to teammate Louie Theophanous. The Beckenham striker, on 18 goals this season in all competitions for the high-flyers, beat Emmett Dunn but dragged an effort wide.

Keeper Nick Blue was called into action seven minutes in denying Prichard with an outstanding save. And sixty seconds later Blue was at it again tipping a Lloyd Rowlatt shot that seemed destined for the top corner over the crossbar for another corner. Blue then got something on an Overton drive and the subsequent corner was headed away at the near post.

The away side pressed only for Jamarie Brissett to waste a wayward forward ball before Connor Cody was dispossessed by Townsend but recovered effectively and conceded a corner which Chi dealt with. A poor Dunn header led to another one which Archie Johnson whipped over to Danny Waldren, but Kieran Magee claimed the Becks No8’s free-header.

Harvey Brand wiped out Haitham in an advanced position on 25 minutes. Rowlatt stepped up and picked out Davidson with a delightful free-kick which the Chi right back headed powerfully beyond Blue to break the deadlock.

The lead lasted barely five minutes as a through ball carved the hosts open far too easily. However, take nothing away from Theophanous’ sublime first touch and neat finish to Magee’s left.

Chichester lost Pashley to a hamstring injury straight after the equaliser. Isaac Bello came on at right back and Davidson switched inside to partner Cody.

Mr Whiting brandished his first yellow card on 35 minutes, one that would come back to haunt Rob Carter. Blue pulled off another decent stop and Rowlatt’s cut back with five to go was cut out.

Becks defended proficiently as Haitham probed down the left and Davidson picked Overton but the Chi No9 couldn’t quite get his pass under control a minute after the break.

Freddie Cray’s crude challenge on Joe Clarke, who worked tirelessly in midfield all game, led to a Rowlatt set-piece which Cray headed clear on 51 before Brissett got on the end of a Thephanous delivery and pulled one off target.

Bello’s bomb of a throw gave Blue something to think about and a slick exchange of passes resulted in Magee gathering as Theophanous and Townsend threatened once more.

A delightful one-two between Prichard and Overton just after the hour mark set the Chi leading marksman up for what proved to be the winner and his 12th goal in all competitions this campaign.

Beckenham were reduced to ten men after a nasty tackle by Carter, already on a booking, upended Dunn. The neat set-piece subsequently set Haitham up for an opportunity which he spurned.

Cray was cautioned in the 68th minute for catching Bello not far outside the penalty area. Rowlatt laid the ball off to Hutchings whose shot skewed past the right-hand stick.

Blue got off his line smartly to deny Overton with 15 to go and Man of the Match Davidson won a duel, not for the first or last time, to head the ball safely back to his keeper.

Both sides rang the changes – Olly Munt replacing Haitham. And his fierce hit forced Blue into another fine save after Rowaltt squared a ball to him.

Magee claimed under pressure in the final minute of normal time and Overton drew a foul off Waldren at the other end as the hosts looked to manage the game and run the clock down.

Clarke took one for the team, unfairly halting sub Freddie Nyhus’ run in time added on, and Magee pounced on a loose ball in the box at the death.

The win, arguably their best scalp of the season, sends Chichester, the Isthmian south east form side, up to ninth having picked up 20 points from a possible 24 in their last eight matches.

Whitehawk travel to Oaklands Park on Tuesday (7:45pm).

Chichester: Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Clarke, Cody, Pashley, Haitham, Dunn, Overton, Rowlatt, Prichard (Weinberger, Bello, Moore, Munt, Lumsden).

Chessington & Hook 0-1 Selsey

SCFL Division 1

A Roccon Gamblin goal earned victory for the Blues and meant they stayed in sixth spot.

Blues boss Daren Pearce said: “We started well and kicking into a strong wind, we managed ro get the ball down on the floor amd give our hosts some nervous moments – but good solid goalkeeping from the home keeper kept the scores level.

"We had to be strong in defence with the strong wind playing a part and with the hosts proving a threat but we stood strong.

"Going in level at the break after a good first half performance gave us a good platform for the second half and we moved the ball well and.got ourselves into good positions to keep the hands of the host keeper warm.

"After a few fine saves from the keeper we finally made our pressure pay as Rocco Gamblin fired in after a good passage of play – he was sent away down the left and finished with a shot across the keeper and into the far corner of the net.

"This led us to a good win and we now we face table-toppers Shoreham at their place, 7.30pm Tuesday night.

“If we can maintain the levels we showed, Tuesday night could be a very good game, it was great to see the things we have asked the lads to do in training came out in the gane – and If you stick with your beliefs as a group, we will get the results we deserve on more than one occasion.”