ANVILS 1 LITTLEHAMPTON TOWN 6

For the first 40 mins of this match the billing of bottom versus top could to the casual observer prove difficult to identify as to who was who, as for the opening half hour the Anvils more than held their own against the league leaders this after going behind early on, equalising on 10 and then falling behind again on 14, but to all intents and purposes the third goal conceded on 39 turned out to be the killer blow for the homesters.

The Marigolds settled in early with interplay between Dan Swain and Ben Gray leading to the latter firing across the face of goal, a min later Gray then bought Anvil keeper Seb Bos into action, on 6 mins the early pressure paid off with Gray slipping thro the Anvil rearguard and driving home. 0-1 Marigolds. The visitors joy was to be short lived when Anvils Ciaran Steers out right fired in a cross that found Tom Bingham on hand to slot home. 1-1.

Just after the same combination left Bingham with another chance, he was proving to be a handful to the visitors with his movement and close ball control, several times opening up their defence. But the Anvils were caught cold on 14 when from a long ball up field Alex Kew found a vital gap to fire past the stranded Bos. 1-2 Marigolds. Just after Gray caused Bos to double take his shot, a free kick then followed when Dan Simmonds was bought down just outside the box, but Gray blazed his kick well over. On 20 Bingham again went near forcing keeper Jon Hendrick to punch away his shot, Josh Alcock then followed up with a corner that was hacked away as the Anvils continued to push forward. On the half hour another chance came and went when from a Shuga'a cross Scott Johnson was clear on goal but could only head wide, it was all Anvillian attacks with Steers and Bingham carving holes but unable to finish. For all the pressure the Anvils were to be found wanting on 39 when Simmonds found Liam Humphries out wide who then cut inside the Anvil defence and drove past the exposed Bos to make it 1-3 to the visitors, that was to be it tho Alcock did test keeper Hendrick once more with another free kick as half time approached. HT 1-3 Marigolds.

At the start of the 2nd period Steve Major found an opening but rather scuffed his shot, on 64 Bingham now out left cut inside to test Hendricks with a drive across the face and on 67 came the best chance of an Anvil comeback when Bingham played in Rigler whose shot was pushed away for a corner and from the resultant corner by Barnard centre back Johnson headed wide.

That was about it for the Anvils as the Marigolds tightened their grip and took over the show with first Kew setting up Humphries to poke home number four. 1-4 Marigolds. Gray then outpaced Jacob Wright but fired wide, followed by Michael Hendrick doing likewise, with the Anvils now beginning to tire against this relentless tide it was no surprise when Simmonds on 83 setup the charging fullback Scott Parker to drill home number five, more attacks followed with sub and leading goal scorer George Landais supplying the coup de grace on 90 mins as the game ended. FT 1-6 Littlehampton.

Team: Seb Bos, Jacob Wright, Mo Shuga'a (Grant Rigler), Andy Goodwin, Scott Johnson, Sam Cane, Ciaran Steers (James Upton), Matt Burroughs (Mark Barnard), Steve Major, Tom Bingham Josh Alcock.

Sussex Carpet Centre MOM :- Tom Bingham Attn: 79