When the two sides met for our 'home' game at a frozen Loxwood at the start of the month, Loxwood had yet to score a point in 2025 and The Lingers were picking up useful points from good performances. When the game was abandoned at half time, Loxwood were leading and we looked flat. Coming into this match, Loxwood had reeled off two wins over Saltdean United at home and then away while we had been the architects of our downfall in a defeat in an even game at Roffey but we were still the better form team. Loxwood had closed the gap to us from eight points to just two and were the better side in the first half as we were flat once again. Leading by two goals at half time, the game was theirs to win ten minutes into the second half with a three on one break. Somehow they completely fluffed it and would rue it as we pulled a goal back with fifteen minutes left and then equalised in the third added minute. It always feel better being the last to score in a drawn game.

A bright start in the opening minute as we had the ball around their box, working it from left to right for Jack McDonnell to put in a cross that drifted behind. We quickly had the ball back and fed it out to Tyrone Gondoh on the left who cut in for a shot but with his footing insecure it drifted wide of the right post. Minutes later Hamza Abubakari pushed into the box on the left to set up Carl Brown for a shot that was well blocked and then cleared. Loxwood won a free kick on the left with six played, fired the shot into the wall and then a soft follow up shot found Jack Webb Olley's hands. They soon had the ball back and driving forward to the right of the D unleashed a shot that Webb Olley did well to tip onto the bar and behind. Loxwood pressure was forcing us to concede fouls and another free kick from the left was hit long to the far post requiring Webb Olley to push it behind. The corner was headed clear and it was sent up field for Brown to break down the right on 8mins, cutting into the box for a shot that the keeper saved.

Just past the ten minute mark and McDonnell was solid in stopping a break by Loxwood and setting off down the right touchline to set Brown clear only for a good tackle to dispossess him. Pushing forward we were careless in possession and Loxwood had an overload as they surged forward. Haydn Dickinson won the ball in the box and cleared to Gondoh. He linked up with Kobi Asante who won a corner from his shot but nothing came of the corner kick. A ball sent into our box on 18mins saw Dickinson win a fifty-fifty challenge with Loxwood screaming for a penalty but a follow up challenge on Dickinson in clearing the ball brought a free kick for us. With the game flowing back and forth, it was Brown advancing into their box on the left only for a good tackle to put the ball behind. On 25mins Loxwood were driving down the left and got the better of Ruebuan Zamorano to cross into the six yard box but Dickinson was on hand to clear.

Loxwood were having the better of the game and were quick to break when we lost the ball but with players to spare their forward chose to shoot from way outside the box with the ball flying well wide. On 31mins Gondoh worked hard to keep the ball after Gus Ward did well to win it. His cross found Brown in the centre for a turn and shot wide of the left post. Loxwood put the ball into the box from a free kick on 35mins and were free to head it over the bar however the flag went up for offside. In the next minute, Asante was able to work space for a shot that just shaved the bar. With just over ten minutes to play in the half Loxwood were on the break again but wasted the chance with a poor cross. With five to go, Abubakari responded with a shot that was rising over the bar. A minute later Ward was able to turn and shoot and win a corner. Jason Stripp delivered the corner from the right and Dickinson got his head to the ball but it lacked the power to trouble the keeper. A rare loose pass across the back by Conor Wilford nearly brought disaster but Loxwood gave the ball away. Into the final minute and Loxwood were in possession outside our box and were given space to hit a looping shot that cleared Webb Olley and landed in the net for 1-0. It got worse in the second added minute as we were opened up too easily down the right and the cross to the far post was headed home for 2-0. A chance came in the fifth added minute and a Stripp free kick was met by Wilford but he headed it wide and that was half time.

Needing to change something for the second half, Prince Aderogba replaced Zamorano. Two minutes into the half a Stripp put the ball forward for Brown but the ball flicked off his boot as he tried to bring it down. Brown had another chance after Asante had won the ball and played it to him on the right but his shot went across the goal and wide of the left post. The lads had definitely stepped it up in the second half and it was Asante battling to win the ball back again and feed it to McDonnell for a cross. Brown controlled the ball, turned and saw the keeper pull off a good save to keep his shot out. The following corner came to nothing. On 52mins from a throw on the left Wilford had a header that the keeper pushed around the post. The Stripp corner landed on the bar and a challenge on the keeper saw a free kick in his favour. In the next minute Abubakari won possession and set up Ward but his shot was too soft and straight at the keeper.

Then on 55mins came the moment to win the match as pushing players forward we were caught on the break having given the ball away and Loxwood were three on one. Dickinson was able to get in a challenge to slow them down and Webb Olley was out to block when their forward chose to shoot with players spare. The ball was cleared downfield and Ward was able to enter the box and try a toe poke that drifted wide of the left post. A change on 58mins as Ousmane Balde Dansoko replaced Brown. Balde Dansoko was straight into the action trying to force an opening on the edge of box but he was dispossessed and Loxwood were breaking forward at speed only to see Webb Olley save their shot. The following corner was sent to the back post but then behind off their player.

With plenty of time remaining it was becoming all Lingfield as they were forced onto the back foot. On 65mins Aderogba sent the ball into the box for Asante and his shot rebounded out to Balde Dansoko for a shot that was saved. Another change followed with Tyrone Magala Bryan replacing Dickinson. On 71mins Balde Dansoko did well to win the ball and pass to Abubakari. He set up Asante for a shot in a crowded box that ended up hitting Wilford – now playing up front – and then to the keeper. A couple of minutes later Balde Dansoko worked the keeper with a shot. Fifteen minutes left to play and from a Stripp free kick on the left the ball pin-balled in the box before coming out the Abubakari who hit a beautiful shot into the net for 2-1 and game on.

A double change for a grandstand finish as Gondoh and Stripp were replaced by Jimmy Williams and Matt Cheeseman. On 77mins Asante whistled a shot just over the bar from the left of the box. A couple of minutes later Wilford was nearly in chasing a ball out from the back. Inside the last ten minutes and a free kick from the left was nearly buried into his net by a Loxwood defender. The resulting corner was under the bar and resulted in it pinging around the box before it was cleared. Five minutes remaining and McDonnell and Cheeseman linked up on the right for McDonnell to drive into the box and stumble under challenge. He kept his feet and his shot was deflected over. Williams sent the ball deep to Ward who won a corner that was delivered onto the bar. The goalkeeper then said something to the referee having been challenged hard and was promptly sent to the bench for what would be the rest of the match.

Could we take advantage of an outfield player in goal, a man advantage and having been in total control of the game for the majority of the half? The final minute of normal time and Balde Dansoko was on the end of a Ward cross but failed to hit the target as his header went wide of the left post. Into added time and in the third minute a throw found Abubakari and he played the ball forward to Cheeseman who tucked it home for 2-2. In the fifth added minute a loose ball fell to Williams on the left and it just needed a nice lob to the far post but he went for a shot that went over the bar. With still more added time, Balde Dansoko had the ball on the edge of the box, dribbled around to work and opening but could only hit a soft shot at the stand in keeper. That was it after seven added minutes. A point salvaged after a dreadful first half but it might have been more having dominated the second half. Loxwood could only rue the horrendous mess they made of a three on one break for a three goal lead but they were hanging on at the end.

This was a catch up weekend for the eight teams that have only played 32 games. Of the other matches, the now bottom side Saltdean United were in action at our neighbours Crawley Down Gatwick and were beaten 2-0 to leave them five points adrift of Little Common and Shoreham. Little Common failed to improve their points total losing at home to Newhaven. So in the end a point a piece for us and Loxwood meant we both moved a point further away from the bottom three. Defeat would have seen Loxwood push us down a place and a win would have taken us above Horsham YMCA.

In the next round of fixtures Shoreham come to us on Friday evening while Saltdean face a tough trip to play off chasing Petersfield Town. Little Common host a Roffey side also in the hunt for the play offs while Loxwood host the league's form team Newhaven who have won their last six games. A Horsham YMCA side struggling for form travel to Peacehaven & Telscombe who are just outside the play off places.

The final fixture of this weekend saw Hassocks beat Crowborough Athletic to claim the Premier Division title – and promotion – with five games to play. They have the chance add the Peter Bentley Cup where they face Crowborough once again.