The Anvils came into the fixture having put in excellent performances, albeit both 3-1 losses, against Peacehaven away and against high flying Pagham at the Haven. The visitors arrived in the unusual position, for them, of propping up the table. However the home side’s inconsistency, which has been a factor all season, and their propensity to get dragged down against supposedly lesser opposition came back to haunt them again. Following this result the Golds have taken 4 points from Crawley Down this season having won the reverse fixture 4-1 in November. From the outset the Anvils piled on the pressure with a continuous stream of attacks producing a succession of chances and half chances. Littlehampton defended doggedly. As so often happens in football the inevitable happened. After 39 minutes the visitors launched a long ball forward. A missed header and then a one on one speed mismatch allowed Lucas Pattenden to hit a shot through the legs of Lorcan Healy in the Anvils goal. There was an almost palpable sense of deflation in the home side as they trudged off at half time one down, having dominated possession and territory. The second half continued in the same vein. After 55 minutes the Anvils should have been back in the game when a blatant penalty was not given as, the ever industrious, Mike Spence was upended in the area following a surging run. The referee, possibly unsighted, looked to his assistant but received no assistance. Just as it looked as if it was going to be one of those days, the Anvils luck changed somewhat with a very harsh penalty award for hand ball. William Peauroux converted emphatically to ensure a point for the home side.

Crawley Down Gatwick: Lorcan Healy, Dan Sullivan, Sonny Barton, Williams Peauroux, James Day, Marc Pelling, Michael Spence (Ben Wilson), Michael Belli, Sam Cane, Johden de Meyer (Sam Lemon), Lee Thomas. Unused Sub: Billy Wraight