City through in Vase but Lions and Blues are out

City will travel to Combined Counties League side Ash United in the next round after beating Sheppey in the second qualifying round in front of a good-sized crowd at Oaklands Park on Saturday. Scott Jones was the Chichester hero against Sheppey, scoring twice in nine minutes midway through the first half to put Miles Rutherford’s team on their way to the next round. Graham Bush made sure of it with a 67th minute goal after Sheppey had pulled one back. Selsey lost 1-0 at Horley to a seventh-minute goal. They battled well to try to claim a replay but couldn’t find a way past the home defence. Pagham limped out as Horsham YMCA proved worthy winners at a windy Nyetimber Lane. Early action saw the visitors play a slick passing game that cut into the Pagham defence, Dan Swain heading away a chance from a free-kick within three minutes. It was all Lions as they attacked with gusto, chances falling to Scott Murfin, Ryan Morey and Joe Shelley. The veteran midfielder was superb, at the heart of the many attacking moves. When YMCA attacked, Phil Johnson was denied by James Binfield more than once. Lewis Blaney in the visitors’ goal was putting himself about, though his game could have ended on 27 minutes as an accidental clash between him and Scott Murfin resulted in Blaney needing treatment but he carried on. A mistake by YMCA’s midfield let Liam Humphreys in on the half-hour as he fed the ball to Morey. The attack broke down, and YMCA kept up the pressure. A fumble by Blaney on 35 minutes could have seen the Lions roar into the lead, but Murfin’s shot was cleared. Before half-time, Binfield pulled off a fine save from an incoming header. The second half began with YMCA on the attack, but the threat fizzled out. Both sides had shots across goal, while Shelley sent the ball flying just past the post. Blaney pulled off a superb save to deny Pamment and blocked the ball from a move involving Morey and Murfin. A double substitution for the Lions saw Jordan Clark and Lloyd Rowlatt join the action, Morey and Humphreys going off. On 74 minutes came the game’s only goal as a ball smacked in from the right by Dave Brown nudged the post and went past a stranded Binfield into the net. Dan Kempson’s long range shot going over as he tried to get his team back into the match. Pamment shot across goal, while a YMCA free-kick was well held by Binfield. Joe Shelley picked up a booking for a late tackle. Clark’s free-kick on 84 minutes was pinged into the area, but an offside flag went up. The Lions kept pressing, and right at the death they got the ball into the net. But the sight of a linesman’s flag and the goal being disallowed for a push summed up a disappointing afternoon. Pagham: Binfield, A Brown (Mepham 79), French, Kempson, Wollers, Humphreys (Clark 61), Shelley, Swain, Pamment, S Murfin, Morey (Rowlatt 61). Subs: Wiggans, N Murfin. by STEVE BONE & JON ROSE Get all the local footall action in the Observer - out every Thursday morning Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking sports news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on. 1 Make this website your homepage 2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex 3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex 4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. Share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!