Chichester City rue 16-day break – now they need momentum back

City coach Darin Killpartrick rated their 0-0 draw at Ramsgate on December 17 as their best performance in three years. But they were denied the opportunity to build on it when a home clash with Lancing was rained off last Wednesday.

They finally returned to action on Monday – 16 days after their previous game – and gave an inconsistent display in a 3-2 defeat at East Grinstead.

Chi are down to 11th, and in a tightly-packed section of the Isthmian south east table, they know they need to end a run of four league games without a win when they welcome Sheppey to Oaklands Park on Saturday.

At EG, City started slowly and found themselves 2-0 down within 14 minutes. But they woke up and goals by Ben Pashley and Josh Clack made it 2-2 before the break.

It could have gone either way in the second half but the Wasps won it with an 84th minute penalty after the City defence was caught out by a long ball.

Killpartrick said: “It’s been really difficult. Not playing for two weeks has hurt us – especially after the performance we put in at Ramsgate, which I thought was the best we’d played for three years – we were unbelievable.

"On Monday we were very flat for 20 minutes and we can’t defend like we did. We were making decisions I have not seen us make before.

"We didn’t control things as like to for the first 20 but after that we dominated and showed great character to get it back to 2-2. Then late in the game, one ball killed us for their winner.”

Killpartrick said the players needed to be more consistent in the second half of the season. “On a good day we can beat anyone in the league, but on a poor day, we can lose to or draw with anyone. We’re at home on Saturday and need to win. We need to get more points on the board and a little run of victories is what every team in this division craves.”

City have had illness in the ranks over Christmas but hope to have a full squad to pick from this weekend.