Saltdean United

Having played well against teams in the top six, a trip to the coast to face Saltdean United who have only picked up two wins and a draw this year should have been an opportunity to end our losing run. However, our hosts had more drive and desire and honestly had the game won inside fifteen minutes when their second goal went in. Having deservedly pulled one back, a free kick on the stroke of half time restored their two goal lead and that was enough to hang on for the win despite a debatable penalty for us.

The warning signs were there as in the first minute Saltdean delivered a cross from the left to the right side of the box that was headed behind for a goal kick. Two minutes later it was a cross from the right that was over hit and went behind again. A long ball from Tom Green out to the left for Jay Simpson in the fourth minute looked like creating our first chance but Simpson lost his footing. In the next minute it was a clearance from Stephen Hodge for Dennis Asante to chase but it went out for a throw. It was not quite clicking as a ball from Luke Richardson for Tyrone Magala-Bryan just ran out behind. On 7mins Haydn Dickinson had a shot from a central position that was saved and behind for a corner. Toby Hill averted danger on 9mins by chasing back to dispossess Saltdean and clear forward. With ten minutes on the clock Saltdean broke down the right and into the box where Richardson made the challenge at the expense of a corner. From the resulting corner to the left of the box, a fine finish into the top right corner gave Saltdean the lead. On 14mins losing the ball allowed Saltdean to apply pressure and George Branton had to block for a corner. The corner towards the near post was headed home for 2-0.

Saltdean had another shot on target soon after but it was straight at Nathan Carter. On 20mins Magala-Bryan played in Asante down the left who won a corner. The corner went through the box and out for a throw. The ball was played in by Hodge to Dickinson but it drifted behind. Carter came and claimed a free kick on 22mins. Hill had our best chance so far on 25mins when from a central position in their half his shot just went past the right post. This was followed up by Branton having a shot blocked on the edge of the box. Saltdean had a real chance to make it three on 27mins when the ball fizzed through our six yard box and their forward had an air shot. The follow up shot went out of the ground. Richardson drove forward and played in Hodge on the right. He fired the ball across the box, Asante challenged for it and Hill tidied up by tucking the loose ball home for 2-1 on 29mins. Two minutes later it was Hodge playing in Louis Gates down the right to cross into Asante. It flicked on to Hill but it spun off his chest and behind. In the next minute it was Simpson playing it out to Hill on the right to deliver a cross that Asante met with a glancing header that went wide of the left post. When the lads strung it together, they did make Saltdean look like a team second from bottom. However, on 40mins Green lost the ball and Saltdean crossed from the right. Hodge slipped as he was about to clear and Branton covered to block the shot. With just a minute of normal time left Saltdean had the ball in the net but the flag was up. In the third added minute and time almost up, a rash challenge gave Saltdean a free kick from a central position just beyond the D. The kick was delivered into the top right corner for 3-1 and half time.

A bright start to the second half saw a shot by Asante saved on 47mins and then a free kick from the left over for a goal kick. On 51mins Asante was on to a through ball but it spun behind off his foot. A shot from outside the box by Simpson on 55mins hit a Saltdean player and a penalty was awarded. It was clearly ball to hand but these days it is hard to work what the rule is. Richardson took it only to see it saved but it came back to him and he tucked it past the keeper for 3-2. A few minutes later Richardson departed and Josh McArthur Nolan came on. It was not too long before Conor Wilford came on for Gates and Richie Wetton replaced Asante. It was only a couple of minutes later that Wetton had a race to the ball with the keeper, who just won and cleared. On 71mins Simpson tried to get on the end of a ball into the box but the keeper claimed it. Two minutes later a throw from Hodge found Wilford but he just could not connect with the ball.

With fifteen minutes to go Jake Riddington replaced Magala-Bryan as we sought an equaliser. Dickinson tried a shot from outside the ball when not really set and it flew wide of the right post. A final change brought on Jimmy Williams for Hill on 80mins and a couple of minutes later he was on the end of a ball into the box only for the flag to go up. McArthur Nolan was taken out off the ball on 83mins but the free kick was wasted. A Wetton long throw was only flicked on the keeper on 85mins and a minute later Wilford delivered the ball into the box but there was nobody at the back post. On 88mins Saltdean broke clear with a two on one but could only pass the ball to Carter. Into added time and from our throw Saltdean were away but their final shot was awful and Hodge cleared. Dickinson had to go off briefly after a heavy challenge given he is nursing a broken bone and in that period Branton made a last ditch challenge to get a straight red card. It summed up our afternoon given we were already losing and meant Dickinson had to come back on. Saltdean were jubilant at taking three points that might see them avoid relegation.

I thought I would be writing that we had blown our chance of a top ten finish and slipped down the table but actually not much has changed as we remain in eleventh. Pagham have moved up to twelfth as Little Common lost and our local rivals and next opponents Crawley Down Gatwick surprisingly lost at AFC Vardeanians for their second defeat in a row. It will take a much better performance on Tuesday at Horsham FC to beat them as on six match form we are now a lowly sixteenth.