Arundel In Trouble With The Fuzz

Arundel 0-6 Chichester

Hat-trick hero Fuzz in pre-season action against AFC Totton (Picture: Tommy McMillan)

Dave Herbert's cracker and Josh Clack's free-kick before the break together with a second half Lorenzo Dolcetti header and a hat-trick from Tafadzwa Kanjanda, affectionately known as 'Fuzz' by his teammates, gave Chichester an emphatic victory over local rivals.

City were 5-2 winners in the league fixture 10 miles down the A27 earlier mid-week and condemned the Mullets to another mauling at Mill Road in the SCFA RUR Charity Cup this time for a league and cup double.

There aren't many clubs that can boast a magnificent eleventh century castle as a backdrop and this was offset with the buzz of festivities in the town. As the teams kicked off a tribute band in nearby Jubilee Gardens was belting out the 'Glory, glory hallelujah…' line from Elvis' An America Trilogy. There would be little glory though for the home side in this match.

Miles Rutherford's side started on fire. Jack Lee, back from suspension, returned to the heart of the defence alongside Harry Williams, Ben Pashley and Drew Smith in a new look back four. Ex-Arundel player Max Thoms got a start with George Way and Dolcetti in midfield. And Kanjanda joined Herbert and Clack in a potent attack as the City management staff, conscious that games come thick and fast for the rest of August, looked to make the most of a strong squad.

Herbert was handed the captain's armband for his return to his old hunting ground and had the game's first opportunity when a searching ball from Lee got him in behind the last man only to pull his shot.

Next Kanjanda had two efforts but the first was too wide and the second too high.

At the other end Lee had to use his upper body strength to shepherd the ball out for a goal-kick in a contest with Dion Jarvis.

A couple of Chi free-kicks came to nothing and a delivery from Eli Amoo, who was Arundel's stand-out player on Tuesday night at Oaklands Park, following a nice cross-field ball wasn't capitalised on by the hosts.

Then Williams picked out Herbert but a defender just managed to nick the ball away as the Chi No10 prepared to shoot.

The opener came on 25 minutes. Rutherford's team has dead-ball specialists in Williams and Ellis Martin but this was a Clack special. After a bit of trickery drew a foul the City winger picked himself up and beat Stuart McDonald with ease.

McDonald's opposite number Ant Ender had less to do but had to make a sharp save from Lee Mottershead five minutes later.

Way then went close before Herbert, who had also scored against his former club four days ago, latched on to a Williams cross and walloped the ball into the back of the net.

It wasn't all Chichester by any means. Jarvis had a shot deflected for a corner and then should have teed up Harry Russell for a simple tap in but he played the ball behind him and a chance to get back into the game went begging.

On 36 minutes a neat exchange between Herbert and Way created another opportunity for the visitors before Amoo turned the ball onto the bar after an Arundel raid.

Dan Towers and Jarvis were booked in a scrappy period and then Herbert went down under a heavy challenge on the stroke of half-time.

HT 0-2

Hegarty came on for Herbert after the break and City were three up within sixty seconds. A great cross from Thoms set up Dolcetti for a header he couldn't miss.

Kanjanda made it 4-0 in the 53rd minute following super skill from the Italian who turned provider this time lifting the ball into his teammate's path for a neat finish.

The same two players combined for the next goal a minute later with Kanjanda smashing the ball in from close range.

Dolcetti, clearly enjoying himself and running the show, found Clack with a lovely back-heel but he skewed an effort wide. This would prove to be his last action of the match as Zak Sharp got on for his debut.

Then on the hour Russell had a shot blocked before Ender made a good stop at his near post.

The referee could have given Towers a second yellow card but he decided it wasn't a deliberate handball. He also had a couple of stand-offs to deal with when things got a bit heated.

Kanjanda completed his hat-trick with a minute to go courtesy of another Thoms assist and might have repaid the compliment moments later but the midfielder had just mistimed his run to beat the off-side trap.

As the final whistle went the next band in Jubilee Gardens was getting stuck into a cover of Queen's 'I Want To Break Free'. It's early days in the season but after four heavy defeats on the spin Arundel are in a spell they'd like to break free from.

City are in cup action again on Tuesday at home to Selsey in the Peter Bentley Cup, kick-off 7:45pm.

The draw for the first round of the Parafix UK Sussex Senior County Challenge Cup was made not long after the Arundel match finished on BBC Sussex Radio. Chi are away to Haywards Heath.

City – Ender, Williams, Lee, Pashley, Smith, Clack (Sharp), Way (French), Thoms, Dolcetti, Herbert (Hegarty), Kanjanda