City Out of County Cup

Action from the last time East Preston and Chi met (Picture: Tommy McMillan)

Chichester are out of the Sussex Senior Cup with Dan Huet’s goal in the 15th minute proving the difference as East Preston advanced to the quarter finals on an evening when City were largely second best.

Chi were 4-0 winners when the sides met in a premier division encounter at the Lashmar back in August and came into the match on the back of four wins in five and in buoyant mood after a tremendous comeback against Langney.

City bosses Miles Rutherford and Graeme Gee made changes to the XI that overturned a two goal deficit at the weekend. Into the side came November player of the month Matt Axell. Kieran Hartley, available once again after a suspension, started at right back with Rob Hutchings on the other side. Ryan Peake whose late winner earned all three points on Saturday lined up alongside Ben Pashley in central defence. Connor Cody moved up into midfield with Dave Herbert and Sam Ndlovu started out on the left wing.

There were early chances at either end in a lively start to the game.

Josh Clack elected to shoot after a couple of minutes when a pass to Haitham might have been a better option. Then Lucas Pattenden, who shone all evening, sent in a cross that his teammates should have made more of.

Herbert had two chances in the space of as many minutes but George Bentley in the EP goal did well with the first one and the second effort drifted wide.

Next Jack Barnes tried his luck for the hosts after Pattenden’s run opened the Chi midfield.

Huet then should have done better when another cross came into the box from the right.

Chichester were on the backfoot now and Asa Nicholson lifted a shot over following a nice delivery from Nathan DaCosta on the overlap.

There was a chance for Ndlovu but Bentley gathered his curling effort before Huet pounced on a loose ball that cannoned off a luckless defender and tucked it away.

Peake and Cody next both had shots deflected for corners that came to nothing.

EP might have added a second but Pattenden fired a free-kick over the bar and City keeper Jordan Matthews did well when Nicholson got in one-on-one.

Matthews had to be alert again moments later just before the interval to turn a shot out for a corner as Pattenden capitalised on a poor pass.

HT 1-0

The home side started the second half the brighter of the two teams.

Pashley managed to clear a dangerous cross from the left and then Huet was pulled back by Cody as he ran through the middle.

A set-piece from Luke Brodie wasn’t far off and Huet troubled Matthews with a fierce shot that he somehow managed to get down to.

With sixty minutes on the clock Chi created an opening or two but there wasn’t any real sting in Haitham’s shot; Hutchings had an attempt blocked and a Peake header was dealt with easily enough by Bentley.

Matthews then made the first of two excellent saves to keep City in it when he denied Pattenden before getting a strong glove on a super effort by Barnes.

Peake was pushed up top as the visitors made changes. There were other half chances late on but there was to be no dramatic turn-around like Saturday. Ellis Martin flashed one wide, Pashley got on the end of a Clack free-kick and Cody went close.

Shoreham visit the Countrywide Gas Services Stadium in Oaklands Park on Saturday as Chi return to SCFL premier division action (Kick Off 3pm)

Chichester – Matthews, Hartley, Hutchings, Peake, Cody, Pashley, Clack, Haitham, Herbert, Ndlovu. Subs: Biggs, Martin, Wallis, Anders.

Updated 08:15 - 30 Aug 2019 by Ian Worden