Lions love life on the road as Saltdean and Newhaven are beaten

It's been a hectic week for Pagham ... the fitrst team enjoyed two SCFL premier wins on the road while the reserves and under-21s were also involved in exciting encounters.
Recent Pagham action against Eastbourne Utd / Picture by Roger SmithRecent Pagham action against Eastbourne Utd / Picture by Roger Smith
Recent Pagham action against Eastbourne Utd / Picture by Roger Smith

Paul Davidson has been our man at Nyetimber Lane this week - here are his reports...

Saltdean 1 Pagham 3

SCFL Premier

Pagham grabbed an excellent win at Saltdean United.

Lining up with James Thurgar, back from Horsham, in place of the recently-departed George Cody, the Lions went in front in the 16th minute with a good goal from Lloyd Rowlatt, a 20-yard half-volley into the top corner.

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Pagham, playing their first game without club legend Scott Murfin, who has moved to Chichester City, kept the pressure on and doubled the lead from the spot through Dan Simmonds in the 24th minute.

A lovely through ball from George Bingham to Thurgar set him clear, but he was brought down by the Tigers keeper as he went round him.

Saltdean were awarded a dubious penalty in the 40th minute, converted by Rob O’Toole to halve the Lions’ lead at the break.

Pagham central defenders Joe Booker and Daryl Wollers were having excellent games.

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It wasn’t until almost the last kick that Pagham made it safe with a superb strike from sub Terrell Lewis. He had only come on for James Thurgar in the 85th minute and scored a tremendous 30-yard volley with only his second touch.

Pagham: Binfield, Kilhams, Cox, Bingham, Wollers, Booker, Rowlatt, Chick, Simmonds, Overton, Thurgar. Subs: Lewis, Ashmore, van Driel, N Murfin.

PAUL DAVIDSON

Newhaven 2 Pagham 5

This time the lights didn’t go out as Pagham swept aside their hosts on a cold evening at the Trafalgar Ground.

When this fixture was attempted ten days earlier it ended prematurely in total darkness with the Lions 1-0 up.

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This time, it looked like Newhaven had taken a very early lead as top scorer Lee Robinson had the ball in the net after a minute, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

It didn’t take Pagham long to reply as a lovely run and shot by Callum Overton was pushed out to James Thurgar, who made no mistake from five yards to give his side the lead in the fifth minute. It was almost 2-0 two minutes later when a curling shot from Dan Simmonds hit the post from 25 yards.

Newhaven equalised in the 25th minute when Lee Robinson smashed home from the spot after he had been brought down. Lions keeper James Binfield kept the scores level with a tremendous low save from Kyle Woolven.

The Lions were next on the scoresheet when Lloyd Rowlatt curled a shot in from the edge of the area which the home side keeper Jake Buss made a hash of after 29 minutes.

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Binfield made another excellent low save from Robinson, while two more half-chances fell to Pagham.

The second period started with Binfield made his third quality save before Dan Simmonds saw a stinging shot fly just over.

On the hour the Lions gave the ball away in midfield and Newhaven struck the equaliser, Woolven giving Binfield no chance from the edge of the box.

But Pagham took the lead back just over a minute later. Thurgar made a great run down the left finished with an excellent cross that Overton volleyed goalwards. Keeper Buss could only palm the ball back to Overton, who whacked it back past him for a 3-2 Pagham lead.

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Four minutes later Dockers keeper Buss dropped an Andy Chick free-kick at the feet of Overton but his shot went just past the post.

It wasn’t long before goal number four came along for the Lions as Simmonds shot low under Buss in the 72nd minute.

Pagham were rampant now and Overton was crudely brought down in the box for Simmonds to slide the penalty into the corner of the net.

Pagham: Binfield, Wiggans, Cox, Bingham, Davidson, Booker, Rowlatt (Ashmore), Chick, Simmons (Crouch), Overton, Thurgar (Kilhams).

PAUL DAVIDSON

Pagham FC Res 2 Arundel FC Res 6

SCFL Reserve Section

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The Lions reserves were caught out by a rampant Arundel team that recovered from a battering in the first half to more or less score at will in the second on their way to a 6-2 away win.

It was almost all Pagham in the first period and the Lions went in front on five minutes. Mullets keeper pushed a hard shot from Dave Crouch round the post, but Crouch headed in the ensuing corner from Joey Jones. Arundel forced a sharp low save from Luke Terry.

After a rare period of Arundel pressure, the away side snatched an equaliser from a corner.

For Pagham Charlie Selby headed a Ceri Marsh free-kick over the bar before Joe Matthews nodded an excellent cross from Jones wide.

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Crouch had a header from a corner cleared off the line before Jack Parkinson was bundled over in the box chasing the rebound. The ref waved play on.

The second half started with Pagham having a goal disallowed when Joey Jones slid home at the far post. On 52 minutes Arundel took the lead when Luke Richards smashed a 35-yard free-kick in off the post.

Parkinson slid ashot just wide but Crouch made it 2-2 when he crashed home a Marsh free-kick that was knocked across the box.

Arundel then took charge. Craig Rennie slid home at the far post and it was 2-4 as sub George Bird ran the length of the pitch to round Terry and score. Rennie had another long run through a static defence and scored from close in and Arundel wrapped it up on 87 minutes, when Luke Richards scored from an outrageous angle.

PAUL DAVIDSON

Pagham U21s 4 Newhaven U21s 1

SCFA Under 21 Cup 3rd Round

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Two late goals enabled Pagham’s young Lions to move into the quarter-finals of the Sussex County U21 Cup, where they will travel to Eastbourne Town.

In the eighth minute when a 25-yard blast from Joe Ashmore flew just over the bar. Jack Parkinson had a shot pushed behind by Dockers keeper Jack Webb-Olley.

Newhaven broke and earned a corner of their own, which was headed in by unmarked Dockers striker Charlie Parmitter.

Good work from Joe Rafferty, Ashmore and Parkinson led to Dave Crouch driving home from five yards to tie the scores.

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Joey Jones and Johan van Driel peppered the area with crosses from the left before Newhaven hit the outside of the post.

Parkinson had a drive pushed around the post, and Crouch sent a header narrowly wide. On 63 minutes it was 2-1 to Pagham as Parkinson powered home a header from a wfree-kick.

Alex Ansa-McIntyre tapped home from close in after the ball was fed across by Parkinson in the 83rd minute. And Parkinson banged the final nail into the Newhaven coffin when he flicked the ball home at the near post after a lovely move down the left from Ansa-McIntyre and Jones.

Pagham: Terry, Rafferty, Jones, Ashmore (J Simmonds), Selby, Gilchrist, Marsh (Keane), van Driel (Hambleton), Parkinson, Crouch, Ansa-McIntyre. Subs not used: Clarke, Sanctuary.

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