For this match Ross Adams was sidelined due to an injury sustained in training. Rob Clark returned to the side having missed last week's trip to East Preston and returning on the bench were Tom Pickford (from injury) and Matt Dodd (from suspension). Rob Hare and Ash Elms still long term injured.

Throughout much of Saturday's match our visitors were the more dominant side and if it hadn't been for some excellent goalkeeping by Ben Rose we may well have ended up on the wrong end of a much bigger margin score line.

For us, we played football, taking the game to them, hitting them on the break with Charlie Romain and Craig Knowles both going close. But we lacked our usual incisiveness, missing the contribution of injured front man Ross Adams.

The big talking point and turning point of the game was after front man Milner was dismissed on 20 minutes for a crazy and reckless two footed lunge as he went in for a tackle leaving the referee little option under todays laws but to dismiss the player. Steyning regrouped positively after this setback but were hanging on somewhat during the remainder of the half.

Half time 0-0

Early on in the second half we had a promising spell where with a little more luck in front of goal we may have got something, but Lingfield still remained generally the more dominant side.

Our fortunes deteriorated as rapidly as the weather, with most of the half played in horrendous driving rain as Storm Angus moved in, and in the 55th minute we fell behind. Lingers full-back Matt Gates hit a free-kick low from just outside our box finding the bottom right corner for 0-1.

Two goals for substitute Nathan Hull followed in the 79th and 83rd minutes, banking all three points for the Lingers and wrapping up what for us was a pretty dreadful afternoon.

A disappointing day for us but full credit to Lingfield who were excellent on the day, moving the ball really well against both 11 and 10 men, and could have won by a wider margin on the day. On this evidence they will be right in the mix come the end of the season.

(Next up - next Saurday home to Oakwood - ko 3pm)
Final score - Steyning Town 0 Lingfield 3

Town line up - Rose, Greer, Wadey, Faber, Finch (c), Levoi, Clark, Romain (Webb), Milner, Hartley, Knowles Unused subs - Dodd, Pickford

Ref - Nicholas Baker Assts - Mark Lidbetter & Ken Brook