Golds exit cup to clinical Chichester

The visitors were clinical in front of goal as they set up a date with Newhaven in the last four.

Chichester took the lead after just three minutes when Golds defender Josh Bates turned the ball into his own net, after the ball had ricocheted around in the penalty area.

Littlehampton levelled just three minutes later when Josh Clack cut in from the right and fired past the Chi keeper.

Dan Simmonds missed a great chance to give Golds the lead on 25 minutes when he blasted the ball against the bar, with the goal gaping, from four yards.

Chichester took the lead five minutes before half-time when Golds defender Shay Wiggans misjudged a long ball forward, which let Lewis Edwards through to score.

Golds put Chichester under pressure for the opening 20 minutes of the second half but were denied by the woodwork twice and the visiting keeper on several occasions.

Alex Kew struck the bar and Dan Swain headed against the inside of a post, before Chichester struck three times in the final 12 minutes.

With Golds pushing men forward, Alex Ansa-McIntyre made it 3-1, before Graham Bush netted a late double.

Littlehampton manager Mark Bennett said: “They were clinical in front of goal and that was the difference. They had seven chances and scored five, while we had 12 and scored just one.

“It was a really good game for the first 25 minutes as both teams played good football. They went ahead through an own goal but we equalised straight away, before Dan’s miss seemed to change the game.

“They seemed to grow in confidence after that and scored just before half-time.

“We had a good 20-minute spell at the start of the second half but their keeper had a good night and we hit the bar and the inside of a post.

“As we pushed men forward, they caught us on the break but, if I’m being honest, they probably wanted it more than us, which hurts me to say.”

LITTLEHAMPTON: J.Hendrick; Wiggans, Bates, Zydonik, M.Hand; Clack, Humphreys, Swain, M.Hendrick; Garnham, Simmonds. Subs: Gray (Garnham 60), Kew (M.Hendrick 65), Packer (Bates 70).