FIRST TEAM MATCH REPORT

Lancing   2 - 1    Rustington

Rustington slipped to their second successive defeat at under construction Culver Road by two goals firmly against the run of play. The loss sends Mile Oak two points clear in second with Lingfield breathing down the Blues necks with four league games to play. Andy Boxall was retained to the front line by stand in managers Jamie Searle and Kevin Short in the only change that started at Littlehampton. The game was delayed by 45 minutes after the initial referee did not show, 72 year old linesmen volunteered to step up to officiate the game, but the offer was duly turned down by the home management.

The men in change Pink started brightly, James Butt found a surging Sean Duffy down the right hand side, his pass found Butt on the return who lashed a shot that was well palmed away by keeper Richard Whittington. The resulting corner well built up play from Gibbs and Joe Lewis Cumber set up James Butt with another well struck shot that took another decent save. The midfield and defence, well orchestrated by Brett Neal and Russ Tomlinson were able to meritably pick gaps and the passing and movement were a cut above the display at Littlehampton, then disaster, a move from the left allowed an easy finish by Will Berry, gifting the Culvermen a lead against an encouraging start from the visitors.

Chances came for both sides a corner won by Rustington lead to shot held by the keeper, and a well worked breakaway chance almost well finished by Lancing midfielder Darren Boswell. Just before the half hour mark a golden chance for the pinks, a cross from the left from Lee Gibbs was well left by Andy Smart and Sean Duffy with the goal at his mercy shot point blank at the keeper.

Albeit some sloppy play in the final third and out wide, Rustington were attempting to play the ball along the deck with patient play, Andy Boxall with an excellent run from the left cutting inside, his shooting boots leaving him at the wrong moment as the ball softly finds Whittington. With Rustington doing well to limit Lancing in their own half the equalizer came, Cumber was fouled in the box and Adam Bibb stepped up to fire in the roof of the net, parity restored as the half time whistle blew.

It took the game the best of fifteen minutes to get going, Cumber floating a decent cross leaves Boxy with another point blank chance that is easily saved by the keeper. Butt continues his tireless effort in the heart of midfield, supplying Cumber with an excellent pass to create a good chance and Cumber falling under another innocuous challenge in the area from almost a carbon copy challenge in the first half. With 20 minutes to play, a moment of madness in the Rustington box ends up with stalwart Richie Hellen with a bloody nose from an alleged head butt from Scott Hunt. With the referee and linesman otherwise distracted, the Lancing manager cunningly substitutes Hunt from the game, the debate will continue whether the gesture was sporting or incredulous tactics.

With 14 minutes to go after Rustington had an effort by James Butt from a corner cleared off the line, Lancing again broke away – the super nippy Rob Partridge, Lancing’s man of the match from the reverse fixture, breezed past Tomlinson for pace and finished well low into the corner.

Several substitutions took place with the introduction of Bennett, Simon Clayton and to the delight of some fans, Craig Cox for Adam Bibb, Lee Gibbs and a well deserved break for James Butt. Lancers Darren Boswell had a late chance, and Rustington replied with a couple of chances off successive corners for Cox, but the game ended in defeat for the Blues. A turnaround in form starts with a league match against Westfield, and with Davies returning to unfounded negative rhetoric from some people, the irritation of such opinion will look to be slammed shut with an exceptional performance against the men from East Sussex.

Goalscorers