Lancing not quite safe in yet in Isthmian League.. Worthing Women keep up chase.. Worthing United end on a home high

Sheppey 2 Lancing 0

Isthmian south east

Lancing may still need a result on Saturday’s final day of the season to make sure they don’t end up in the relegation play-offs for the second year running – after failing to get over the safety line when they lost 2-0 at Sheppey.

When these two sides met in December, Lancing were robbed of a share of the points with a winner, a header from a corner, so late in the game that there was barely time for the referee to restart the game. They say lightning does not strike twice. But does it? Read on!

There was a great atmosphere at The Total Power Stadium, Holm Park, as the teams ran out to a large crowd. Although the Lancing supporters were considerably outnumbered, they were visible wearing Lancing colours.

Worthing United v Mile Oak in pictures.

Mo Juwara had shaken off his injury and was back in the side with Reece Hallard, who had been unavailable for the previous two games.

Lancing began, looking confident as they played the ball out from the back, Marcus Allen and Tom Butler distributing the ball accurately keeping it on the deck. Juwara and Marcel Powell were Lancing’s main line of attack with the pair linking up well on the left. But it was from Lancing’s left that the first real threat on the Lancing goal came, 13 minutes in, when Juwara lost possession opening up a route towards the Lancing goal, which smart defending closed off.

Powell was enjoying plenty of forward momentum and able to create space for some good crosses into the six-yard box.

Lancing had a scare around the 20-minute mark, when Juwara had to clear a dangerous cross from the left which came close to the goal line. There was a follow up effort which was wide. Shortly afterwards, Allen stuck out a leg to clear a shot heading towards goal.

Lancing’s first serious effort on goal came from Powell, receiving a fine pass from Finn Daniels-Yeoman, beating his marker and cutting in from the left to curl a right foot shot just wide.

The Ites came close with a header from a corner followed by Alieu Secka going down to save at his near post, and some careless play by Lancing was almost punished by Josh Wisson letting fly from outside of the box with his shot fizzing just wide. At the other end, Powell put his effort over the bar.

Danny Leonard was the Ites danger man, testing Juwara to the full down the right flank, putting balls into the box which had Secka at full stretch to reach.

There were some awkward moments for Lancing as the balls came in. Allen ended up on the ground as he scrambled the ball clear, but was fouled in the process, and Tommy Blennerhasset was quick to spot danger clearing the ball from the six-yard box.

Lancing’s best first half move came in stoppage time. Darius Goldsmith and Blennerhasset worked a clever move, the ball being switched to Hallard on the right who brought Goldsmith back into the move. He laid on a fine pass for Modou Jammeh who took careful aim but the effort was just wide.

In the first half, home keeper Aidan Prall was far less busy than Secka.

Powell began the second half where he left off. Allen picked him out with a fine long pass and he set off towards goal, cutting in again from the left and curling another right foot shot which missed the target.

Secka had to be quick off his line to seize a ball played over the top. Lancing had to survive some early pressure but the back four, Berry, Allen, Butler and Juwara held firm.

Lancing brought on Kane Louis for Jammeh.

The Ites continued to get crosses into the box but Secka was able to deal with them, although, on a couple of occasions needed two attempts to hold on to the ball.

Lancing, driven on by Finn Daniels-Yeoman seeking out Powell, were still able to create some good attacking moves down the left.

Charlie Towning came on for Goldsmith and Mo Zabadne for Juwara. Louis laid off a pass for Powell who continued to deliver good crosses but found Prall again able to deal with it comfortably.

Just when it looked that Lancing might earn them a share of the spoils, Danny Leonard succeeded in getting the better of Berry, who had switched to left back with Zabadne on the right, and managed to get a deep cross beyond Secka into a crowd of players at the far post. Sub Bradley Schafer rose above everyone to head in. It came two minutes from the end of normal time.

With four minutes of added time to play, Lancing made a last- ditch effort to get an equaliser but were caught out with a couple of minutes left with a quick counter-attack down the Ites left.

Warren Mfula and Zabadne were neck and neck at full pelt.Zabadne received a barge sufficient to leave him off balance and send him sprawling. It was not spotted by referee Jake Woodman, and Mfula had time to pick his spot low beyond the Lancing keeper.

It left Lancing in 15th place. VCD Athletic occupy 17th place with a game in hand and are three points behind Lancing. VCD are away to Cray Valley midweek and East Grinstead on the final day. Haywards Heath are in 18th and cannot catch Lancing.

If VCD lose midweek their vastly inferior goal difference mean it will be highly unlikely they can overtake Lancing, whose final game is home to Sittingbourne.

Daniels-Yeoman was named MoM at Sheppey.

DAVE WILMOTT

Fulham Women 0 Worthing Women 2

London & SE Regional premier

Worthing made it three wins out of three against Fulham this season – and Sammy Quayle made it three goals in three games, while there was a third successive clean sheet for Lauren Dolbear.

The win left Worthing still three points behind Ebbsfleet at the top of the division, with a game in hand and five to play.

Sophie Humphrey returned from injury and Hayley Bridge retained her starting berth, meaning Katie Young joined the subs’ bench.

Quayle and Humphrey had long-range attempts comfortably held while Dolbear had to be quick off her line to reach a Summer Roberts through ball ahead of intended recipient Georgia Heasman.

The best move saw Roberts break free on the left and work the ball inside to Heasman, who teed up Lois Konan to fire a deflected effort wide.

Nearly half-an-hour in Humphrey surged past Cottagers captain Mary Southgate and drove a low delivery towards the back stick, which Chloe Winchester put just wide.

Winch came close again moments later, thanks to Quayle providing Rachel Palmer with an opening to pick out the visitors’ top scorer; missing the striker's head by a matter of inches.

A long Humphrey pass down the centre was latched on to by skipper Gemma Worsfold who could only lob narrowly the wrong side of the post, before the same player saw her own dangerous-looking delivery diverted clear of danger by the outstretched leg of netminder Libby Stratton.

Worsfold exchanged a neat one-two with Bridge along the right flank, prior to turning Foreman and firing just a tad off target.

The home team escaped another close call courtesy of Stratton going full Superwoman to punch a Tibble teaser marginally off the radar of the incoming Winchester.

Six minutes after the break, Quayle ensured the deadlock was broken. Palmer finding her in space in the D where she proceeded to sidestep Becky Stormer and drill into the bottom corner.

Tibble and Humphrey linked up, with the former allowing the latter to drift inside off the left though flash her attempt inches wide.

Immediately a rapid counter attack, ignited by Alex Hayman sending Megalie Mendes charging through the middle of the park, was ended by the intervention of Bridge.

Becs Bell, introduced a minute or two earlier, set up Quayle who came within a hair’s breadth of nodding home her cross at the far stick.

Full-time loomed large on the horizon but not before Winchester had sealed three more precious points, spinning around, moving Stormer out of her way and calmly slotting in a killer second strike.

GARETH NICHOLAS

Worthing United 2 Mile Oak 0

SCFL Division 1

The Mavericks put right a poor run of form with a well deserved victory and a clean sheet.

Two early goals from Brad Hunt and Dan Hills did the damage in a dominant first half display while stopper Mac Scott was the star of the show with some fine saves after the break as the visitors improved.

And despite Kliment Tanev seeing red for a second yellow card offence, the home side held on to take the points.

Manager Bill Clifford said: “With one league game still to go and others around us with games in hand it's still anyone's guess as to where we will finish come the end of the season.

"Whilst we are mathematically assured of finishing higher than last season whatever the outcome of these games, it's been a season of inconsistency that has frustrated efforts of any promotion challenge.

"Fantastic results and performances against those above us, including two wins against Premier Division opposition in the County RUR Cup, have unfortunately been offset with defeats to teams further down the table.

“As a thank-you to the players and supporters alike for all their efforts over the course of the season we are putting on a coach for Saturday's trip to Godalming Town. And after that we still have an RUR Cup quarter-final to look forward to at Midhurst and Easebourne (dateTBC).”