38 Sport
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Friday, May 11, 2018
Chi City Ladies urged to enjoy a tough end to 'long hard season'
f A flying effort from a Middleton bowler
Hastings trip for Middleton MIDDLETON CC face a long trip to Hastings tomorrow as they look to bounce back from a disappointing start to the Sussex Premier season. Sean Heather's side suffered a heavy 164-run defeat to Roffey at home on the opening day of the season. Middleton now must try pick themselves up ahead of the trip to Hastings & St Leonards tomorrow (midday). Having picked up just six points from their first match, Heather's XI will want to make sure they do not lose too much ground on the teams above them. Things started badly against Roffey, a side that finished second in 2017. With big scores from Theo Rivers (65), Ben Manenti (60) and Jibran Khan (55), the visitors posted an imposing score of 281 for 7 in their 50 overs. In reply, Middleton never really got going. With only four players registering double figure scores, they were skittled out for 117 in just 31 overs. In Division Two, Chichester Priory Park made a good start to life in the league by chalking up a 47-run win over Lindfield. After being put into bat at
Goodwood, Joe De La Fuente top scored with 44 in Chi's total of 197-7 in 45 overs. Priory started quickly, with the ball with Matthew Geffen (3-41) and Jay Hartard (3-24) leading the attack. The visitors were eventually dismissed for 150, leading to a comfortable Chi win. Next up is a trip to Bexhill tomorrow (12.30pm). Fellow Division Two side Bognor did not start the season as well despite an excellent 74 from Joel Baker. After putting hosts Haywards Heath in to bat, the home side registered 248 all out with Tom Woolnough taking 4 for 40. But Bognor were unable to get near the target despite Baker's half-century, being bowled out for 183. Next up is a home match against Mayfield at the Regis Oval tomorrow (12.30pm). In Division Three West, Pagham will be looking to make it two wins from two as they host Roffey 2nds tomorrow (12.30pm). The Nyetimber Lane side beat Worthing by three wickets in their opener with Rico Webb putting in an excellent all round display. After taking 4-32, he scored 56 to guide Pagham home.
f Chi won their first match back in Division Two
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CHICHESTER City Ladies assistant manager Aaron Smith is urging his side to enjoy the final two matches of the season after a 3-0 win against QPR sealed a top-eight finish in their first ever Premier League South campaign. City had QPR on the back foot from the first whistle and went ahead on the hour mark when Laura Ingram headed home Lauren Cheshire’s corner. Jess Lewry added a second with a wellstruck low driven shot and Alex Collighan curled in a third on the final whistle. Next up for seventh-place Chi is a home match with second-place C&K Basildon this Sunday (2pm) before rounding off the season against leaders Charlton on May 20. Smith said: “We have already exceeded our targets for the season. We want to win every game and we will go into the games to win them. But if I could pass on anything to the players, they have had a long hard season, now enjoy the final two games. "Playing teams like Charlton and C & K Basildon for us a few seasons ago was a dream. Now we are here having already beaten Basildon this year in the FA Cup, it shows what the progress we have made.”
f Jess Lewry hits home in the 3-0 win | Pic: T McMillan
Derby draw for Pagham and Chi
PAGHAM management duo Richie Hellen and Tom Simmonds have signed on for another year as the Lions look to go one better next season. Fans flocking to Nyetimber Lane have been treated to some excellent football this SCFL Premier campaign as the young side put together a promotion push. Despite falling off the pace in the final month, the Lions sealed a third placed finish with a 1-1 draw against neighbours Chichester City last weekend. The Callum Overton strike, which levelled the match after Jimmy Wild's opener for Chi,
also meant that Pagham scored 100 goals for the league campaign for only the second time in the club’s 115-year history. Even with just seven points separating them from promotion to the Isthmian South and losing heavily to Chi in the final of the RUR cup, the chairman said he was delighted with the season. Shea said: "We are over the moon with third place finish. It has been a very competitive league this season so to be third and to be in with a shout until right to the end has been superb. I've been really pleased with how
f Chi clear their lines in the 1-1 draw at Pagham
things have been going all season. "We have recently secured the services of the management team and we have started speaking to players so we are ready to push on for next season." Fellow SCFL Premier side Chichester City, meanwhile, had to settle for a sixth place finish in the division. Miles Rutherford's side were also in contention for a top two finish for much of the campaign. But four losses in their final seven games saw Chi slip down the table and left many at Oaklands thinking just what could have been. Fans can reflect fondly on a cup win and a record-breaking FA Vase run to the last 16. In SCFL Division Two, Sidlesham put themselves in a strong position to return to senior football at the second time of asking. Daren Pearce's side secured second spot in the competitive division after a 3-1 victory away at Bosham on Bank Holiday Monday, after goals from Jake Goulding, Thomas Atkinson and Harry Gregory. Combined with a 4-0 victory away at Upper Beeding on Saturday, Sids finished one point ahead of Jarvis Brook in third. With the Recreation Ground meeting step six requirements, it's now up to the Sussex FA to decide if Sidlesham will be promoted to SCFL Division One next season. Bosham had to settle for a fifth place finish but they did lift the Division Two Cup after a 1-0 win over champions Rustington.
Chi College teen wins national title CHICHESTER College student Aliya Seehawong has helped Pulborough Rugby Club to a national championship. The 17-year-old was part of the under 18 girls team who beat Newark 36-7 in the Under 18s National Final last weekend. Aliya, who is studying biomedical science at the college, has been playing rugby for three years. She became interested in playing after watching her brother compete. She said: “I feel very proud. We’ve been undefeated all season, we’ve got a really strong team so we were very happy to have won the championship.” Aliya also trains as part of the Chichester College Rugby Academy.
Since joining the academy, Aliya was selected to play in the AOC South East regional rugby team and recently competed in a Rugby 7s competition in Nottingham. Aliya said: “That was a really good experience. "we won four out of our seven games, playing against some big sides. “I started rugby three years ago, so I’ve come to the game later than some of the other girls but I’m really enjoying it. “I like being part of a team, all working together with the same goal. "The Pulborough team, the academy and the regional team. "Everyone is really friendly and we support each other."
f Aliya Seehawong
