Billingshust coach Barrow blasts Bosham display

Despite a slightly depleted squad, the visitors arrived in good spirits following last week’s slender 1-0 victory in the league.

What transpired, however, was anything but and in truth was something of a hammering with the hosts dominating from start to finish.

After an effort was cleared off the line and Jake Chadwick had been clattered in a late tackle, the hosts took a deserved lead through Kieran Hartley.

Their dominance should have seen them out of site, however, Billingshurst rode their luck and Oli Leslie made no mistake, finishing neatly when put clean through on the stroke of half-time.

Tom Betts reacted well to palm over a looping free kick just three minutes after the restart and his opposite number was equally reactive to Chadwick’s effort.

Chadwick then paid the ultimate price for turning into trouble in the middle of the park and having his pocket picked.

This resulted in a three-on-three situation and the attackers won out to take the lead through Neil Redman.

The experienced Nathan Sleat then had five minutes to forget. He pondered on the ball as Redman poached a second, and, just a moment later, gave away a penalty which Dave Storey converted.

Between the goals Kieran Greig spurned an opportunity to reduce the deficit to one, but he found the side netting from a few yards out.

Hartley slotted his second and Bosham’s fifth with 20 minutes remaining and the game was over as a contest.

Hurst’s Russ Curtis then struck the goal of the day from 22 yards when the ball was set back to him and he dispatched a rocket from the laces.

Barrow said: “I’m not expecting players to grieve when we lose and I can accept being beaten on the day by a better side which is absolutely the case today. I looked around very closely this afternoon as the game slipped away and I am left with a bad taste in the mouth as players representing me appeared to give up and stop competing.

“We look forward all week to the game and these shirts should be fought over and for. There was a period in this game when we lacked guts and those involved next week better dig deeper than they did today or we’ll come unstuck again”.

Billinghsurst: Betts, Taylor, Sleat, Clarke, Lovett (Barrow), Chadwick (Dixon), Curtis, Shurmahi (Rapley), Greig, Taylor, Leslie.