Chichester City's win over Lancing is timely for boss Rutherford

Chichester City boss Miles Rutherford hopes his team’s first league win can help spur them on to a consistent run of results.
Miles Rutherford says Chi City have had a challenging start to the season / Picture: Chris HattonMiles Rutherford says Chi City have had a challenging start to the season / Picture: Chris Hatton
Miles Rutherford says Chi City have had a challenging start to the season / Picture: Chris Hatton

It’s been a challenging start to the season for City with players leaving and being unavailable – but a 4-0 home success over Lancing on Tuesday night gave them their first points at the third attempt.

They have also won in the FA Cup – at Winchester City – and head to Northwood in Saturday’s first qualifying round hoping for another win in a competition they fell in love with two seasons ago.

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But Rutherford said beating the Lancers was timely and had given everyone at the club a big lift.

Kaleem Haitham, Scott Jones (2) and Callum Overton were on target and Rutherford told us: “We knew we wouldn’t get our season really going until a few weeks in and it has been tough.

“We went to Faversham on Saturday with only nine of our own players and had to use two loans. We’ve had Covid cases, other illness, injuries and players away at weddings or at Goodwood. And we would have got a draw at Faversham but for a late winner.

“We knew it was important to beat Lancing and it was a good performance. Although Lancing haven’t started well, you still have to beat what’s in front of you.”

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City have lost keeper Steve Mowthorpe to AFC Portchester and winger Josh Clack to Haywards Heath and Rutherford said the club had to accept players leaving for clubs at the same level as City, or lower in the pyramid.

But he said it meant young squad members were getting their chances and were showing up well.

City would love another Cup run, even a fraction of the length of their run to 2019’s second round proper, but Rutherford said the trip to step-four Northwood would be difficult.

Following Saturday’s late loss at Faversham, coach Danny Potter said they’d lost nine players for that game who could all have started.

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“It’s gutting for us to lose in that fashion but we’ll react and pick ourselves up,” he said ahead of Tuesday night’s win.

“We know what we’ve got to do. Myself, Miles, Graeme and Dabba will sit down and talk about things

“Things will get better for us. We’ll turn things round, find momentum and keep it.”

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