Young Seagulls put in professional performance

Missed chances prove costly for Marigolds

Littlehampton vs Brighton in the Sussex Senior Cup

Not often I do two midweek games in a week but with the winter postponed games starting to slot into the fixture list and others having moved for cup games there is potential for a few more of these in the coming weeks.

Wednesday night’s two in two was very local, just up the road to watch Littlehampton take on a Brighton XI in the Sussex Senior Cup. There was a little fiasco in the week prior as the Sussex County FA pandered to the Premier League side who didn’t want to play twice inside three days despite managing to do so in the last round and expected the part-time Marigolds to do so instead.

An independent panel upheld Littlehampton’s appeal and Wednesday it was. On and off rain showers during the day made for a greasy pitch which also saw some constant rain and drizzle throughout much of the game to add maybe a little extra to the game.

As expected the home side conceded a lot of possession to the young Seagulls, around six Under 18s in the starting line-up and the Golds got off to the worst possible start as Ben Wilson fired home with only two minutes on the clock.

Town looked to use the flanks rather than play their way through the middle and on ten minutes they could have been level, Lucas Pattenden flying down the right wing and hit the top of the bar as the ball fizzed over.

The home side had their fair share of chances but didn’t force Fynn Talley into a save, a sign it maybe wasn’t going to be their night, and against better sides you have to take them.

Especially as you know they will punish you at the other end, Marcus Ifill with a fine finish six minutes before the break to double the lead for the visitors to give the Golds a tougher task come the second half.

Or was it? Two minutes in the Golds were awarded a penalty and a great chance to get back into the game, but skipper Scott Kirkwood’s effort was saved by Talley, again a chance went begging that needed to be taken.

The Seagulls themselves hit the woodwork just after the hour mark with Kieran Thorp well beaten, the Golds finding it harder to get hold of the ball and make strides forwards as fitness started to tell.

The best goal of the evening came six minutes from time, Seagulls Benico Baker-Boaitey cutting in from the right hand and shot left footed past Thorp to ensure no nervy finish in the final ten minutes, and a place in the next round for the visitors.

621 were in attendance on a dismal weather night but were treated to a decent game of football. Very tough for Town to get themselves on the ball often enough to make a difference but no disgrace in the result and a massive positive for them was the return of striker Joe Benn to the substitutes bench after a period out with injury.

Not too many of the Seagulls youngsters really stood out, Baker-Boaitey really being the only one who looks a good prospect if he is in that kind of form weekly and back to the bread and butter of the Isthmian League for the Golds on Saturday aiming to add to a fine league season so far.