Hockey: In-form Chichester are too keen for MK

In-form Chichester extended their unbeaten run to five games against newly-promoted Milon Keynes. Chichester just about came out on top of the early encounters with solid distribution from Gerald Cox and Stephen Spear which enabled the team to find their feet. Chichester eventually broke the deadlock after 20 minutes through Cameron Mean. Matt Cox found Martin Gough down the right and he broke into the D and was fouled to earn Chichester a penalty corner. The ball came out to Jack Lerwill, who slipped it to the left left to Cameron Mead, his flick was goal bound when it struck a MK defender on the chest to earn Chichester a penalty flick. Mead stepped up and fired the ball into the top corner to give Chichester a 1-0 lead. Chichester went down to ten men for the rest of the half when Alex Thakore was given a yellow card for breaking down play. The second half turned out to be a lot more open, which helped Milton Keynes back into the contest. On a quick counter attack, MK levelled with 25 minutes remaining. Chichester had the perfect response as the young and talented Alex Holten dribbled past three MK defenders and won Chichester their second penalty corner. Gerald Cox slipped the ball to Andrew Sparshot, who composed himself and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to give Chichester a 2-1 lead. It was soon 3-1 when Lerwill stole the ball from the MK defence and fired the ball into Gough, who calmly put the ball in the bottom corner. Chichester ended their ten-minute rampage with Mead completing his double when he received the ball on the top of the D and reversed the ball past a stunned MK goalkeeper. The final ten minutes proved a role reversal of the previous ten as Chichester sat back and invited pressure. Chichester’s cause was not helped when Lerwill was wrongly yellow-carded for a tackle which he was ten yards away from. MK won two penalty corners and scored both to go into the final two minutes 4-3 down. Chichester managed to get over the finish line and collect all three points ahead of a top-four clash at Teddington this weekend. CHICHESTER: Godsmark, Spear, G Cox, Matthews, Lunn, Lerwill, M Cox, Sparshot, Holten, Thakore, Mead, Gough, Emmett. Horsham IV 0 Centurions 2 Ladies Sussex League div one Centurions made the first attack, but Horsham pressed and Sleet, playing for the first time in defence, made important stops. Horsham kept pressing, but Proctor was firm in the centre and denied progress beyond the top of the D. Williams, Thew and Brooker had shots on goal but were unable to convert. Harris stopped a counter-attack from Horsham and just before half-time, Centurions scored with a shot from Pordage. The second half saw Centurions quickly under pressure, but good team play kept Horsham at bay. Hurford thwarted Horsham’s progress down the right and Brown controlled the left. A concerted effort by Centurions saw several more shots on goal, and Pordage slotted home Thew’s shot as it came through the Horsham keeper’s legs. The last ten minutes tested the Centurions defence but Edge and Richardson worked hard to ensure a clean sheet with some important saves. It was a very pleasing 2-0 win to Centurions as a result of excellent team play. CENTURIONS: L Proctor, D Brown, N Edge, L Harris, L Hurford, N Williams, A Pordage, L Thew, H Sleet, L Thew, A Richardson. Lewes Lions 1 Chi Cherubs 6 Sussex Development League Chichester made it seven wins from seven with a solid away win at Lewes. The score did not tell the story of the game. With the Cherubs struggling to find a rhythm against an organised Lewes midfield, the first half was a scrappy affair with few chances for either side. The deadlock was broken after a strong run from Adams, who shrugged off his marker and powered into the Lewes D slotting the ball past the outcoming keeper. Chichester spent half-time emphasising the need for discipline and organisation only to be stung by a Lewes breakaway straight after the interval to bring the scores level. Sowden got back on the scoresheet to put Chichester in the lead again from short-range moments later. In the final ten minutes, Chichester’s strength and fitness began to tell. Adams and Creswick made the points safe but the best was yet to come. Palmer recycled the ball to Charlie Gibbons, who played a magnificent through-ball to Clark, who broke into the Lewes area, beat the keeper and scored his first goal for Chichester at any level. The scoring was rounded off by Lowther giving Chichester full reward for their earlier patience. Chichester go to second-placed Crowborough this week for their toughest challenge of the season so far. CHICHESTER: Hetherington, Gleeson T, Clarke, Gibbons R, Gleeson J, Lowther, Adams, Palmer, Creswick, Sowden, Gibbons C, Stemp, Beresford.